Possessive Pronouns in English Grammar

Last updated on August 9, 2024 by Isabella Claire

Ever wondered how to show ownership in a sentence? Possessive pronouns make it easy. They let you avoid repeating nouns and make your writing smoother.

Possessive pronouns like my, your, his, her, our, and their show who owns something. For example, “This is my book” and “That is his car” clearly indicate ownership. Using them correctly is key to clear communication.

Knowing when to use possessive pronouns can save you time and improve your writing. Readers will appreciate the clarity and directness this brings to your sentences.

Definition and Usage of Possessive Pronouns

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Possessive pronouns show ownership or possession. They help identify what belongs to whom without repeating names or nouns. They make sentences clear and concise.

Understanding Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns include words like mine, yours, his, hers, ours, and theirs. These words show that something belongs to someone. For instance, in the sentence “The book is mine,” mine indicates that the book belongs to the speaker.

Here is a table for quick reference:

Singular Plural
Mine Ours
Yours Yours
His, Hers, Its Theirs

These pronouns do not need an apostrophe. They stand alone and replace both the noun and the possessive adjective, like my or your.

Function in English Grammar

Possessive pronouns replace nouns to avoid repetition. Instead of saying, “That is Sarah’s car,” you can say, “That is her car.” This makes sentences more fluid and less repetitive.

In sentences, they function as subjects or objects. For example:

  • “The decision is yours.”
  • “Ours is on the table.”

Possessive pronouns are essential for clear communication. They eliminate unnecessary repetition and help indicate ownership clearly. They work best in sentences where the noun being referred to is already known or easily identified.

List of Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns show ownership or relationship. They replace nouns to avoid repetition and make sentences clearer.

Singular Possessive Pronouns

Singular possessive pronouns include my, your, his, her, its, mine, and yours. These pronouns refer to one person or thing. They can be used before a noun (e.g., “my book”) or stand alone (e.g., “the book is mine”).

  • My: Refers to something belonging to the speaker. Example: “My phone is on the table.”
  • Your: Indicates something belonging to the person being spoken to. Example: “Your jacket is nice.”
  • His: Shows something belonging to a male. Example: “His car is new.”
  • Her: Indicates something owned by a female. Example: “Her dress is red.”
  • Its: Used for possession related to a thing. Example: “The dog wagged its tail.”
  • Mine: Shows that something belongs to the speaker. Example: “That book is mine.”
  • Yours: Indicates ownership by the person being addressed. Example: “The choice is yours.”

Plural Possessive Pronouns

Plural possessive pronouns include our, your, their, ours, yours, and theirs. These pronouns show ownership by more than one person or thing. They help make sentences less repetitive.

  • Our: Indicates something belonging to the speaker and others. Example: “Our house is big.”
  • Your: Shows ownership by the people being addressed. Example: “Your plans are great.”
  • Their: Refers to something owned by others. Example: “Their team won.”
  • Ours: Indicates something belonging to the speaker and others. Example: “This victory is ours.”
  • Yours: Shows that something belongs to the people being addressed. Example: “This room is yours.”
  • Theirs: Indicates possession by others. Example: “The project is theirs.”

Rules for Using Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns show ownership and avoid repeating nouns. They are easy to use if you remember a few key rules, such as not using apostrophes and ensuring pronoun-antecedent agreement.

Avoiding Apostrophe Usage

Possessive pronouns do not require apostrophes. Words like “its,” “your,” “their,” and “our” already include ownership in their forms.

Adding an apostrophe changes the meaning. For example, “it’s” means “it is,” not something belonging to “it.” Similarly, “your’s” is incorrect. The correct form is “yours.”

Remembering this rule will help keep writing clear and accurate.

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Pronoun-antecedent agreement means the pronoun must match the noun it replaces in number and gender.

If the noun is singular, use a singular pronoun. “The dog found its bone.” For plural nouns, use plural pronouns. “The students forgot their books.”

Paying attention to this rule avoids confusion and ensures that sentences make sense.

Possessive Pronouns in Sentences

Possessive pronouns show ownership and can replace possessive nouns. They make sentences shorter and clearer.

Examples and Structures

Possessive pronouns include mine, yours, his, hers, ours, and theirs. They do not need an apostrophe. For instance:

  • This book is mine.
  • Is this jacket yours?

They can be used in various parts of a sentence. As the subject: Ours is the best. As the object: She lent me hers.

Possessive pronouns must match the noun they replace in number and gender. If the noun is plural, use a plural pronoun: The bikes are ours.

Common Mistakes and Corrections

A common mistake is using an apostrophe. Incorrect: This is her’s. Correct: This is hers. Another mistake is confusing its (possessive) with it’s (it is). Incorrect: The cat hurt it’s paw. Correct: The cat hurt its paw.

Mixing possessive adjectives with possessive pronouns is also wrong. Incorrect: My book is your. Correct: My book is yours. Using the wrong form for number and gender can confuse the meaning. Incorrect: Each student should submit their report. Correct: Each student should submit his or her report.

Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences using the correct possessive pronoun.

  1. This book is ___ (she).
  2. The cat is ___ (they).
  3. That pencil is ___ (he).

Exercise 2: Matching

Match the subject with the correct possessive pronoun.

Subject Possessive Pronoun
You _____
They _____
She _____

Exercise 3: Transformation

Rewrite the sentences by replacing the underlined words with the correct possessive pronoun.

  1. The car over there belongs to John.
  2. This is the children’s toy.
  3. The house on the corner is mine and my sister’s.

Exercise 4: Sentence Creation

Create sentences using the possessive pronouns: mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs.

Exercise 5: Identification

Identify the possessive pronouns in these sentences.

  1. Her dog ran away, but she found it later.
  2. Is this notebook yours or mine?
  3. Their house is bigger than ours.
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