grammar tweak

pages/laantas/nouns.md

@@ -231,8 +231,7 @@ affirmative statements.)
 The most common use of the _instrumental_ case is the "[theme]" of ditransitive
 sentences (while the recipient is in the genitive). It is also used for 'with'
 as in 'using', in distributive phrases such as `{!kallila}` 'in threes, in sets
-of three, three each', for quantity expressions such as units, and quantifiers
-like 'every'.
+of three, three each', and quantifiers like 'every'.
 
 [theme]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secundative_language
 
@@ -278,10 +277,19 @@ like 'every'.
 - some of the people
 :::
 
-The _essive_ case indicates a state, while the _translative_ and _exessive_
-cases indicate a change of state. The translative marks the new state, and the
-exessive the old. The essive and exessive are most commonly used with
-comparatives (see [below](#adjectivals)).
+The basic meaning of the _essive_ case is a state. It is used:
+
+- when a noun modifies another, but with a descriptive meaning\
+  `{!wasalgu fadau}` "animal friend" (i.e. a friend who is an animal);
+- as the object of certain verbs like __TODO what?__;
+- with [comparatives](#adjectivals).
+
+The _translative_ and _exessive_ cases indicate a change of state:
+
+- with state-change verbs, the translative marks the new state, and the
+  exessive the old;
+- the exessive is also used with [comparatives](#adjectivals);
+- __TODO what else is the translative used with otherwise why does it exist__
 
 __TODO: examples__