Possessive Adjectives vs. Possessive Pronouns

It’s easy to confuse these two sets of words because they are very similar but perform different functions.

Possessive Adjectives

Definition: Possessive adjectives are words that modify nouns to show possession or ownership.

List of Possessive Adjectives:

  • my
  • your
  • his
  • her
  • its
  • our
  • their

Examples:

  1. This is my book.
  2. Is this your car?
  3. She likes his new apartment.
  4. Her dog is very friendly.
  5. The company increased its profits.
  6. We enjoy our time together.
  7. Their children go to the same school.

Usage:

  • Possessive adjectives are always followed by a noun (e.g., my book, your car).
  • They indicate to whom or to what something belongs.

Possessive Pronouns

Definition: Possessive pronouns are words that replace nouns to indicate ownership or possession directly.

List of Possessive Pronouns:

  • mine
  • yours
  • his
  • hers
  • its
  • ours
  • theirs

Examples:

  1. The book is mine.
  2. Is this car yours?
  3. That coat is his.
  4. The cat is hers.
  5. The decision is its. (We generally avoid using its alone as a possessive pronoun)
  6. The house is ours.
  7. The toys are theirs.

Usage:

  • Possessive pronouns stand alone and do not require a noun (e.g., mine, yours).
  • They directly show who owns or possesses something.

Key Differences

  • Function: Possessive adjectives modify nouns, while possessive pronouns stand alone as replacements for nouns.
  • Placement: Possessive adjectives come before nouns, whereas possessive pronouns replace nouns entirely.
  • Examples: “This is my house” (possessive adjective) vs. “The house is mine” (possessive pronoun).

Usage Tips

  • Use possessive adjectives before nouns to specify ownership.
  • Use possessive pronouns when you want to replace a noun to indicate ownership clearly.
  • Remember that possessive pronouns do not require a following noun.

Possessive Adjectives vs. Possessive Pronouns

Possessive Adjectives are used before nouns to show possession and Possessive Pronouns stand alone and replace nouns to show possession.

1 / 12

Please give me back ____ book.

2 / 12

Whose bag is this? Is it ____?

3 / 12

This is ____ dog, not ____.

4 / 12

____ cat always hides under the bed.

5 / 12

I can't find ____ keys. Have you seen ____?

6 / 12

Is that ____ jacket or ____?

7 / 12

The blue car is ____.

8 / 12

She said the decision is ____.

9 / 12

Whose shoes are these? Are they ____?

10 / 12

Is this pencil ____?

11 / 12

That house is ____.

12 / 12

The problem is ____ not ____.

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