Special Uses of the Genitive and Ablative Case

​Special Uses of the Genitive and Ablative Case

Genitive Case Uses

Multiple Choice

Which use of the genitive? Unfortunately, a man of very little sense was appointed as leader.

• objective genitive

• partitive genitive

• genitive of description

Explanation...

This is a genitive of description because "very little sense" is a trait that describes the man.

Multiple Choice

Which use of the genitive? The number of students grows each year.

• objective genitive

• partitive genitive

• genitive of description

Explanation...

This is partitive because "number" refers to a portion of the whole group of students.

Multiple Choice

What type of genitive? I skipped my errand to the post office due to my hatred of lines.

• partitive genitive

• genitive of description

• objective genitive

Explanation...

emotion/action "clue noun" (hatred)

the genitive noun (lines) is the object of the emotion/action clue noun

genitive noun can be preceded by "of" OR "for"

Nota Bene: These sentences contain both special genitive and ablative case uses!

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Let's Practice Some Sentences!

Multiple Choice

Which use of the ablative? Theseusne fortior Minotauro erat?

ne, introduces a question

fortis, forte, "brave"

• ablative of respect/specification

• ablative of description

• ablative of comparison

Multiple Choice

Which use of the genitive? Equus summae pulchritudinis per agrōs currebat.

^{summus, -a, -um greatest}

^{pulchritdo, pulchritudinis f. beauty}

• objective genitive

• partitive genitive

• genitive of description

Multiple Choice

Which case use? Ulixes erat dux magno acumine.

acumen, acuminis, 3n, cleverness

• ablative of description

• genitive of description

• ablative of comparison

• partitive genitive

Multiple Choice

Which case use? Ulixes erat optimus acumine.

acumen, acuminis, 3n, cleverness

• ablative of description

• ablative of respect/specification

• objective genitive

• ablative of means

Multiple Choice

Which use of the genitive? Multī oppidanorum in parvīs casīs habitaverunt.

^{oppidani, oppidanorum, 2m pl, "townsfolk"}

• objective genitive

• partitive genitive

• genitive of description