What are possessive pronouns?
Possessive pronouns are words that show who owns or has something. They take the place of a noun to show belonging.
Examples:
- This book is mine.
- The red backpack is hers.
- The ball is his.
Note
Possessive pronouns help us avoid repeating the same nouns again and again.
Common possessive pronouns
These possessive pronouns are commonly used in sentences:
List:
- I → mine
- you → yours
- he → his
- she → hers
- we → ours
- they → theirs
Note
Possessive pronouns never use an apostrophe.
Possessive adjectives vs. possessive pronouns
Possessive pronouns stand alone, while possessive adjectives come before a noun.
Examples:
- This is my pencil. → The pencil is mine.
- That is her coat. → The coat is hers.
- This is our room. → The room is ours.
Note
If a noun comes after the word, it is not a possessive pronoun.
Using possessive pronouns in sentences
Use possessive pronouns to tell who something belongs to without naming the object again.
Examples:
- That toy is yours.
- The crayons are theirs.
- The lunchbox is his.
Note
Read the sentence aloud. If it clearly shows ownership, the possessive pronoun is correct.