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Possessive Pronouns: Definition, Examples, Usage and Practise Problems

Q: 5. Can you provide examples of possessive pronouns in sentences?

Examples include:"The car is hers.""This pencil is yours.""The decision was ours."

English

Possessive Pronouns: Definition, Examples, Usage and Practise Problems

Last updated date: 19th Sep 2024

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What are Possessive Pronouns?

Possessive pronouns are essential components in the English language used to indicate ownership or possession. They replace nouns to show that something belongs to someone, helping to avoid repetition and streamline communication. Possessive Pronouns are words that demonstrate ownership or possession by substituting the noun and indicating to whom or what something belongs. Unlike possessive adjectives, which modify nouns (e.g., "my book"), possessive pronouns stand-alone and replace the noun entirely (e.g., "This book is mine"). They are used to avoid repeating the noun and to identify ownership.

Table of Content

1. What are Possessive Pronouns?

2. How to Use Possessive Pronouns in Sentences

3. Possessive Pronouns Examples

4. Possessive Pronouns Chart

5. Possessive Pronouns List

5.1

Singular Possessive Pronouns:

5.2

Plural Possessive Pronouns:

6. Difference between Its vs It’s

7. Differences Between Possessive Adjectives and Possessive Pronouns.

8. Test Your Knowledge on the Topic of Possessive Pronouns

8.1

Find Out if You Got them All Right from the Answers Below.

9. Takeaways from this Page

FAQs

Interesting Facts About Possessive Pronouns

Unlike possessive adjectives, which modify nouns (e.g., "my book"), possessive pronouns replace nouns entirely (e.g., "This book is mine").
Possessive pronouns have different forms depending on the person and number, such as "mine" for the first person singular, "yours" for the second person singular and plural, and "theirs" for the third person plural.
Possessive pronouns do not use an apostrophe, unlike possessive adjectives or nouns (e.g., "hers" vs. "her's" and "children's").
Possessive pronouns often emphasise ownership and can add clarity to discussions about who owns what or distinguish between different owners in a sentence.

How to Use Possessive Pronouns in Sentences

Possessive pronouns play an important role in sentences by replacing nouns to show ownership.

Identify Ownership: Determine who or what the item belongs to. This will guide you in choosing the correct possessive pronoun.
Replace the Noun: Use the possessive pronoun in place of the noun to avoid repetition. For example:

Original: "The book of Maria is on the table."
With Pronoun: "Maria’s book is on the table."

Position in Sentence: Place the possessive pronoun where the noun would normally be. It usually comes after a verb or a preposition:

"This umbrella is hers." (Here, "hers" replaces "Maria's umbrella.")

Ensure Agreement: Ensure that the possessive pronoun agrees in number and gender with the noun it replaces. For instance:

"The dog is mine." (Singular)
"The dogs are ours." (Plural)

Possessive Pronouns Examples

Below we have some of possessive pronouns examples sentences.

Mine: This book is mine.
Yours: Is this pen yours?
His: That jacket is his.
Hers: The car parked outside is hers.
Its: The cat licked its paws.
Ours: The house on the corner is ours.
Theirs: Those bicycles are theirs.

Possessive Pronouns Chart

Person	Singular	Plural
1st Person	my / mine	our / ours
2nd Person	your / yours	your / yours
3rd Person	his / hers / its	their / theirs

Possessive Pronouns List

Singular Possessive Pronouns:

1st Person:

my (adjective) — my book
mine (pronoun) — The book is mine

2nd Person:

your (adjective) — your bag
yours (pronoun) — The bag is yours

3rd Person:

his (adjective and pronoun) — his car / The car is his
her (adjective) — her phone
hers (pronoun) — The phone is hers
its (adjective and pronoun) — its tail / The tail is its (used for animals or objects)

Plural Possessive Pronouns:

1st Person:

our (adjective) — our house
ours (pronoun) — The house is ours

2nd Person:

your (adjective) — your chairs
yours (pronoun) — The chairs are yours

3rd Person:

their (adjective) — their garden
theirs (pronoun) — The garden is theirs

Difference between Its vs It’s

Its

Type: Possessive Pronoun
Usage: "Its" is used to indicate possession or ownership by a non-human subject (e.g., animals, objects, or concepts).
Example: The dog wagged its tail.

It’s

Type: Contraction
Usage: "It's" is a contraction of "it is" or "it has."
Example: It’s going to rain today. (Here, "it’s" stands for "it is.")

In summary, "its" shows possession, while "it's" is used for "it is" or "it has."

Differences Between Possessive Adjectives and Possessive Pronouns.

Aspect	Possessive Adjectives	Possessive Pronouns
Function	Modify nouns to show ownership.	Stand alone to show ownership.
Usage in Sentence	Always used before a noun.	Replace the noun and adjective.
Form	my, your, his, her, its, our, their	mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs
Example (Adjective)	This is my book.	This is my book; The book is mine.
Example (Pronoun)	This is my book.	The book is mine.
Position in Sentence	Precede the noun they modify.	Replace the noun they refer to.
Context	Used when the noun is specified.	Used when the noun is implied or previously mentioned.

Test Your Knowledge on the Topic of Possessive Pronouns

Choose the correct word:

The cat licked ___ paw after playing outside.

Its
it’s

Fill in the blank:

___ raining heavily, so we should stay indoors.

Its
It’s

Select the appropriate word:

The company updated ___ website last week.

Its
it’s

Choose the right option:

___ been a long time since we last met.

Its
It’s

Complete the sentence:

The bird built ___ nest in the tree.

Its
It’s

Find Out if You Got them All Right from the Answers Below.

a) its
b) It’s
a) its
b) It’s
a) its

Takeaways from this Page

Indicate ownership and replace nouns to avoid repetition, clarifying who or what owns something.
"Its" shows possession (e.g., The cat chased its tail), while "it’s" is a contraction for "it is" or "it has" (e.g., It’s raining today).
Correctly using possessive pronouns and understanding the difference between "its" and "it’s" prevents confusion and improves clarity in writing and speaking.

FAQs on Possessive Pronouns: Definition, Examples, Usage and Practise Problems

1. What are possessive pronouns?

Possessive pronouns indicate ownership and replace nouns to show that something belongs to someone or something. Examples include mine, yours, his, hers, ours, and theirs.

2. How are possessive pronouns used in a sentence?

Possessive pronouns replace a noun that has already been mentioned or is understood in context. For example, "The book is mine" replaces "The book is my book."

3. What is the difference between possessive pronouns and possessive adjectives?

Possessive pronouns (e.g., mine, yours) stand-alone and replace nouns, while possessive adjectives (e.g., my, your) are used before a noun to describe ownership (e.g., "my book").

4. When should I use "its" vs. "it’s"?

"Its" is a possessive pronoun indicating ownership (e.g., "The dog wagged its tail"), while "it’s" is a contraction for "it is" or "it has" (e.g., "It’s raining" or "It’s been a long day").

5. Can you provide examples of possessive pronouns in sentences?

Examples include:

"The car is hers."
"This pencil is yours."
"The decision was ours."

6. Are possessive pronouns always used with a noun?

No, possessive pronouns can replace a noun, so they do not need to be used with a noun. For example, "The red one is mine" replaces "The red book is mine."

7. How do possessive pronouns agree with the noun they refer to?

Possessive pronouns agree in person and number with the noun they replace. For example, "The dog is theirs" (plural) vs. "The dog is his" (singular).

8. What are some common mistakes with possessive pronouns?

Common mistakes include confusing "its" with "it’s" or mixing up possessive pronouns with possessive adjectives. For example, using "it’s" when "its" is correct.

9. Can possessive pronouns be used in questions?

Yes, possessive pronouns can be used in questions. For example, "Whose book is this?" and "Is this pencil yours?"

10. How can I remember when to use "its" and "it’s"?

Remember that "its" shows possession (e.g., "The cat chased its tail"), while "it’s" is a contraction for "it is" or "it has" (e.g., "It’s cold today"). If you can replace it with "it is" or "it has," use "it’s."