accusative

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "accusative" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in grammar to describe the case of a noun, pronoun, or adjective which indicates the direct object of a sentence. For example: "The teacher gave the students an assignment." In this sentence, "students" is in the accusative case, since it is the direct object of the verb "gave."

✓ Grammatically correct

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

51 human-written examples

As he knows, the nominative and accusative cases are the reason that we don't say gibberish like "Her gave it to he and then sat by we here!" No idea is more basic to English syntax and grammar.

The Economist

In other words, in the absence of any reason to use the nominative, the accusative is natural:Who ate the last piece of cake?

The Economist

Mr Pinker argues that the accusative me in it's me is in fact the default case, and can be used anywhere except as the subject of a tensed verb.

The Economist

In Danish, it is det er mig ("it is me"), using the accusative pronoun, not det er jeg ("it is I").

The Economist

Mr Pinker writes that it is normal informal English style to use the accusative pronouns me, him, her, us or them in a predicate after forms of the verb to be (am, is, are, was, were and so on).

The Economist

These would include the nominative (for the subject of a sentence), the accusative (for its object) and the genitive (to indicate possession).The difficulty is compounded if a linguist is not fluent in the language he is studying.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

6 human-written examples

In the dual, the cases that were semantically close to each other were represented by a single form (nominative-accusative-vocative, instrumental-dative, genitive-locative).

Encyclopedia Britannica

The case-marking pattern is nominative-accusative, with experiencer subjects taking the dative inflection.

Encyclopedia Britannica

These rules may result in sentences such as Turkish Ali, denize yakın evin içinde oturan ailenin gelecek ay buradan ayrılacağını bize bildirdi 'Ali told us that the family living in the house near the sea will leave this place next month' (literally 'Ali sea-to near house-of inside-its living family-of come-future month here-from leaving-future-its-accusative we-to inform-ed-he').

Encyclopedia Britannica

These significata of whole propositions, which in English we may refer to by using the corresponding "that-clauses" (as I did above, referring to the cause of the ship's wreck by the phrase "that the pilot was absent"), and in Latin by an accusative-with-infinitive construction, are what Abelard calls the dicta of propositions.

SEP

Here Dancy suggests, drawing on A.R. White (1972), that we may think of the reference to what the agent believes, where his belief is false, as what he calls an intentional-accusative.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing languages with case systems, accurately identify which case (nominative, accusative, etc.) applies to each noun based on its function in the sentence.

Common error

Avoid assuming that all languages use word order to indicate the object of a verb. In languages with case markings, the accusative case, not word order, determines the direct object.

Linguistic Context

The term "accusative" functions primarily as a grammatical term. It identifies a specific case of a noun or pronoun, marking it as the direct object of a verb. This is supported by Ludwig's definition and examples, highlighting its role in grammatical descriptions.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Encyclopedias

30%

News & Media

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "accusative" is a key concept in grammar, referring to the case that marks the direct object of a verb. Ludwig's analysis, supported by numerous examples from sources like Encyclopedia Britannica and The Economist, confirms its correct usage in describing linguistic structures. The phrase is most commonly found in encyclopedias, news media, and scientific texts, indicating a formal and specialized usage. As Ludwig AI points out, the "accusative" case helps clarify relationships between verbs and their objects, particularly in languages with case systems. Understanding "accusative" is essential for anyone studying languages with case markings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

objective case

Refers to the grammatical case equivalent to the accusative.

direct object case

Highlights the function of the accusative case in identifying the direct object.

the case of the direct object

Specifies the accusative case through its function.

object form

Describes the form a word takes in the accusative case.

case indicating the direct object

Explains the purpose of the accusative case.

grammatical object

Identifies the role of the accusative case within a sentence.

noun case for direct objects

Focuses on the noun's role in the accusative case.

the fourth case

Refers to accusative as its position in traditional case systems.

affected case

Highlights that the accusative marks the entity affected by the verb's action.

verb's object case

Points to the case governing the object of a verb.

FAQs

How to use "accusative" in a sentence?

The word "accusative" is used to describe the grammatical case that marks the direct object of a verb. For example, "In Latin, the noun is in the accusative case when it receives the action of the verb."

What's the difference between nominative and "accusative"?

The nominative case marks the subject of a verb, while the "accusative" case marks the direct object. The subject performs the action; the direct object receives it.

Which languages use the "accusative" case?

Languages like Latin, German, Greek, and Russian use the "accusative" case to indicate the direct object of a verb. English does not have a distinct accusative case for nouns, but pronouns still show case distinctions (e.g., I vs. me).

What is the purpose of the "accusative" case?

The "accusative" case clarifies the relationship between a verb and its direct object, indicating which noun or pronoun is receiving the action. In languages with flexible word order, it's crucial for identifying the direct object.