Pronouns #2 (Possessive Adjectives / Pronouns), by Dennis Oliver

Possessive Adjectives

and Possessive Pronouns

Possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns in

English are often confusing--because most of them are

very similar in form and one has exactly the same form

for both the adjective and the pronoun.

possessive

adjectives

possessive

pronouns

my mine

your yours

his his

her hers

its --- *

our ours

your (plural) yours (plural)

their theirs

The grammar requirements for possessive adjectives

and

possessive pronouns are different, however:

possessive

adjectives

Use these with nouns or

noun phrases:

What's my / your / his / her / its /

our / their problem?

Jill doesn't have my / your / his /

her / our / their home phone number.

possessive

pronouns

Use these alone. Don't use them

with nouns or noun phrases:

Everyone has problems. What's

mine / yours / his / hers / ours / theirs?

Joe has everyone's home phone

numbers except mine / yours /

hers / ours / theirs.

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Special Notes:

1. Important: Adjectives are not plural in

English, so possessive adjectives have

only one form:

That's my / your / his / her / our / their key.

Those are my / your / his / her / our / their keys.

2. Important: Do not use possessive pronouns

with nouns or noun phrases:

< FONT COLOR="#ff0000"

SIZE="+1">wrong: Those are *theirs books.

wrong: Have you met *mine brother?

3. Remember: There is no commonly used

possessive pronoun for it.

4. The words its and it's are pronounced the

same, but they have different meanings

and grammar:

its = possessive adjective

it's = contraction for it is or it has

Do not use it's for a possessive pronoun:

wrong: What are *it's main advantages?

wrong: Read the instruction manual.

*It's directions are easy to understand.