Fill in the Blanks Common Cases across languagesOnline version Review of the most common cases across languages. Fill in the missing words. Some definitions have extra words. Spelling counts! by Lynn Santelmann 1 subject agent transitive accusative object preposition Nominative case is used in languages with nominative - systems . It expresses the or experiencer of a or intransitive sentence . It is usually the of the sentence . 2 movement direct preposition Accusative intransitive patient possession transitive subject case is is used in languages with nominative - accusative systems . It used for the or theme of the sentence . It is most often assigned to the object of a verb . Accusative case can also be used with the object of a that indicates . 3 owns uses dog noun motion possession toy Genitive case shows or ownership . It is assigned to the that the thing being possessed , e . g . , in the phrase " the dog's toy , " the is the owner . 4 object recipient motion preposition stationary direct indirect Dative case is used for a thematic role or the object of a . When it indicates a recipient , it is assigned to the object . When it is used for the of a preposition , it is generally used for or non - moving objects . 5 with 'by' place in means action Instrumental case is assigned to a noun to indicate that the noun is the by which an is accomplished . In English , this function is usually marked the prepositions 'with' or . 6 absolutive transitive subject Ergative case is used in languages with ergative - systems . Ergative case marks the of verbs . 7 transitive subjects ergative Absolutive case is used in languages with - absolutive systems . It is used for objects of verbs and of intransitive verbs .
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