Genitive or ‘OF-Construction
Exercise 1
Add the correct genitive ending.
Example:
the manager / office  the manager’s office
1. Alice / friend
2. Europe / future
3. Richard Adams / life
4. Sarah / life
5. our children / birthdays
6. in twenty years / time
7. Jimmy / behaviour
8. Morris / wife
9. David Evans / farm
10. the students / level
11. my parents / marriage
12. Chris / wedding
13. the United States / attitude
14. yesterday / meeting
15. my boss / wife
16. each other / name
17. next year / budget
18. D.H. Lawrence / last novel
19. the Beatles / best known songs
20. All Saints / Day
21. our neighbours / cottage
22. today / news
23. my mother / umbrella
24. a hard day / work
25. last Saturday / newspaper
26. the women / dressing room
27. three months / salary
28. one month / salary
29. my husband / new car
30. the two girls / father
Exercise 2
Make sentences as in the example. Decide yourself whether you need the ofconstruction or the genitive.
Example:
I like Ann’s camera.
(the camera / Ann)
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What is the name of this town ?
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(the name / this town)
When is __________________________________ ?
Do you like ______________________________ ?
Write your name at ___________________________.
What is ______________________________ ?
What was ________________________________ ?
_________________________ is near the city centre.
_________________________________ is very good.
For me the morning is _________________________.
____________________________ is very interesting.
The car stopped at ____________________________.
________________________________ is blue.
______________________________ are very thin.
Philip is ________________________.
I’ve never met ________________________________.
Those are ______________________________.
(birthday / your sister)
(colour / this coat)
(top / the page)
(address / Jill)
(cause / the accident)
(house / my parents)
(spoken English / Maria)
(best part / day)
(job / my brother)
(end / the street)
(favourite colour / Pat)
(walls / this house)
(husband / Liz)
(wives / Mr Kelly & Mr Fiddes)
(shoes / Sophia)
Exercise 3
Fill in the following chart with all of the forms for each noun.
Singular
wife
Singular possessive
wife’s
Plural only
wives
Plural possessive
wives’
1. dog
2. wolf
3. tree
4. lady
5. fox
6. tooth
7. play
8. worker
9. shelf
10. man
11. studio
12. place
13. fly
14. child
15. woman
16. face
17. bridge
18. chief
19. company
20. church
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KEY
Exercise 1
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Alice’s friend
Europe’s future
Richard Adams’s life
Sarah’s life
our children’s birthdays
in twenty years’ time
Jimmy’s behaviour
Morris’s wife
David Evans’s farm
the students’ level
my parents’ marriage
Chris’s wedding
the United States’ attitude
yesterday’s meeting
my boss’s wife
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25.
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27.
28.
29.
30.
each other’s name
next year’s budget
D.H. Lawrence’s last novel
the Beatles’ best known songs
All Saints’ Day
our neighbours’ cottage
today’s news
my mother’s umbrella
a hard day’s work
last Saturday’s newspaper
the women’s dressing room
three months’ salary
one month’s salary
my husband’s new car
the two girls’ father
Exercise 2
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your sister’s birthday
the colour of this coat
the top of the page
Jill’s address
the cause of the accident
My parents’ house
Maria’s spoken English
the best part of the day
My brother’s job
the end of the street
Pat’s favourite colour
The walls of this house.
Liz’s husband
Mr Kelly’s & Mr Fiddes’s wives
Sophia’s shoes
Exercise 3
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dog’s
wolf’s
tree’s
lady’s
fox’s
tooth’s
play’s
worker’s
shelf’s
man’s
studio’s
place’s
fly’s
child’s
woman’s
face’s
bridge’s
chief’s
company’s
church’s
dogs
wolves
trees
ladies
foxes
teeth
plays
workers
shelves
men
studios
places
flies
children
women
faces
bridges
chiefs
companies
churches
dogs’
wolves’
trees’
ladies’
foxes’
teeth’s
plays’
workers’
shelves’
men’s
studios’
places’
flies’
children’s
women’s
faces’
bridges’
chiefs’
companies’
churches’
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