4.1. Translate into English the phrases using the possessive case where possible.

Мать друга; книга брата; платье сестры; ноги лошади; окно комнаты; ножка стола; школа сына; квартира друга; смерть героя; сеть рыбака; день рождения матери; рукава пальто (the arms); стена дома; конец фильма; словарь учителя; хвост лисицы; дверь квартиры; портфель ученика; название реки; жена брата; шкура медведя; рассказ женщины; вчерашняя газета.

4.2. Put in an apostrophe where necessary.

1. My brothers name is Jack.

2. Brothers friends know English.

3. A mans hands are stronger than a womans.

4. The wolfs howl was heard in the forest.

5. These are Pushkins poems.

6. Goats milk is good for health.

7. The girls brother is tall enough to reach the tree.

8. I had done two hours work when you were in bed.

9. He is a funny old man with a beard like a goats.

10. This shop has a large number of childrens books.

11. Can you show me the way to the boys school?

12. How many of Dickens novels have you read?

13. Many tourists visit Shakespeares birthplace every year.

14. She followed her mothers advice.

4.2. The Independent Possessive

Sometimes the possessive is independent; that is, it is not dependent on a following noun. The noun may be omitted because it can be understood from the context: Your ideas are more acceptable than Sandra’s (Sandra’s ideas). David’s comments are like Peter’s.

The Independent Possessive is also used to refer to places: The party is at Alan’s tonight. I am shopping at Macy’s.

Finally, the Independent Possessive may combine with the of-structure: a friend of Martha’s, a suggestion of Norman’s.

The Independent Possessive in the of -structure differs, however, from the Determinative Possessive in its meaning: Martha’s friend means ‘The friend that Martha has’ (the speaker assumes that the hearer knows the identity of the friend) whereas a friend of Martha’s means ‘one of Martha’s friends’.

E x e r c i s e s

4.3. Explain the use of the Independent Possessive.

1) "They tell me at the Timothies’", said Nicholas lowering his voice, "that Dartie has gone off at last".

I buy my meat at Johnson’s. I shall be at the dentist’s. Call me at Bill’s. I am going to my friend’s.

He liked living at his daughter’s. Go to the chemist’s. We buy bread at the baker’s. A friend of Karen’s.

4.4. Make up sentences using the following nouns in the Independent Possessive.

A florist’s, a cleaner’s, a hairdresser’s a chemist’s, a butcher’s, a tobacconist’s.

UNIT 5 G E N D E R

Most English nouns have the same form for masculine and feminine: a parent, a child, a cousin, a driver, a teacher, a cook, a singer, a dancer, a journalist. They have common gender.

The nouns for men, boys and male animals are masculine: He is my brother. Though my dog is twenty, he is still strong.

The nouns for women, girls and feminine animals arefeminine: She is a girl of ten. This is my dog, her name is Calva.

Inanimate things are neuter: It is a house, I like it.

Countries and ships are usually referred to as feminine: The ship got a hole in her bow. In the war Scotland lost many of her bravest men.

There are also some exclusively male nouns and exclusively female nouns that need to be remembered, for example:, bridegroom – bride, brother – sister, boy – girl, boy-friend – girl-friend, bachelor – spinster, hero – heroine, executor – executrix, bull – cow, cock – hen, drake – duck, father – mother, fox – vixen, gander – goose, he-wolf – she-wolf, Tom-cat – Pussy-cat, hero – heroine, horse – mare, lord – lady, nephew – niece, peacock – peahen, uncle – aunt, widower – widow, actor – actress, baron -- baroness, duke – duchess, host – hostess, lion – lioness, poet – poetess.

NOTE: In the case of people the -ess ending is becoming rare. In the interests of sexual equality, words like author and manager refer to both sexes.

E x e r c i s e s

5.1. Form the feminine from the masculine by adding -ess. Note that words ending in -er or -or often drop the e or the o as in "actor – actress":

host, lion, tiger, waiter, prince, manager, poet, giant, conductor.