Possessive Pronouns – Definition, Usage and Examples

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive Pronouns are used to indicate the possession or ownership or relation of a person/thing to another person/thing i.e. Possessive Pronouns are used to describe people, animals, or things that a person or be related to something. A possessive pronoun is another kind or type of pronoun. When we have to show or express authority over something, we use the possessive pronoun. It takes the place of a noun in a sentence (means Possessive pronoun). It can do any function in a sentence that a noun can do. Possessive pronouns are also known as perfect possessive pronouns. Possession is also denoted by the Possessive Adjective.

What are Possessive Pronouns? 

Possessive pronouns are pronouns that show possession or ownership of someone or something. Also known as absolute strong possessive pronouns. He indicates that he belongs to that particular person and no one else. Possessive pronouns can stand independently or replace other nouns, matching the quantity used in place of noun phrases to avoid any type of repetition. Like all pronouns, possessive pronouns take the place of a noun in a sentence. Its form varies according to number, gender, and person (1st-Person, 2nd-Person, or 3rd-Person). It is used to describe people, animals, or things that belong to someone or something.

Definition of Possessive Pronouns 

A possessive pronoun is “a pronoun such as ‘theirs’, ‘mine’,  or ‘yours’ that shows who relates to or belongs to. Possessive nouns indicate who owns something. It is used in place of nouns. Such as; my, mine, your, yours, etc.

Possessive pronouns may be used as a subject of a sentence.

Examples:

• Look at those houses. Mine is the red one. (subject = My house)

Possessive pronouns may also be used as an object of a sentence.

Examples:

• Shivani found her belongings, but Mamta couldn’t find hers. (object = her belongings)

Examples of Possessive Pronouns

some example sentences that use possessive pronouns.

• Manish is one of my brothers.

Manish is a brother of mine.

• Does the magazine belong to you?

Is this magazine yours?

• That little boy is my son, and this one is his son.

That little boy is my son, and this one is hers.

• The cake marigold baked last week is not as good as your cake.

The cake marigold baked last week is not as good as yours.

• It was not your fault, but it was their fault.

It was not your fault but theirs.

Is possessive Pronoun Adjective?

Possessive Adjectives differ from possessive Pronouns. An adjective tells the attribute of another word, so possessive adjectives are also used to tell the attribute of another word in the sentence.

Example:

• What color is your brother’s house?
• His house is white.

The words ‘your‘ and ‘his‘ are possessive adjectives because both are describing the characteristics of the house.

The possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns are as follows:

SUBJECT	POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVE	POSSESSIVE PRONOUN
I	My	Mine
You (Singular)	Your	Yours
He	His	His
She	Her	Hers
It	Its	X
We	Our	Ours
You (Plural	Your	Yours
They	Their	Theirs

Here are some uses of possessive adjectives:

1. A possessive adjective is used before the noun.
2. The word “His” is used as a possessive adjective and a possessive pronoun.
3. “Its” is used as a possessive adjective. It is not used as a possessive pronoun.

Possessive Pronoun Exercise 

Exercise-1

Choose the right word and fill in the blanks:

1. This is my ink pen. Where is …………………………………….?
A) your
B) yours

2. This Hill property is mine. Have you got any properties of …………………………………. own?
A) your
B) yours

3. My electric car goes fast. What about …………………………………..?
A) your
B) yours

4. Is Geeta not a friend of ………………………………?
A) your
B) yours

5. A nephew of ………………………………… works abroad.
A) my
B) me
C) mine

6. Once I lent him a color magazine of …………………………………. and never got it back.
A) my
B) mine

7. She got the National Award for a color painting of …………………………………..
A) her
B) hers

8. A neighbor Ghanshyam of ………………………………….. has filed a suit against us.
A) our
B) ours

Answers:

1. Where is yours?

2. Have you got any hill properties of your own?

3. What about yours?

4. Is Geeta not a friend of yours?

5. A nephew of mine works abroad.

6. Once I lent him a color magazine of mine and never got it back.

7. She got the National Award for a color painting of hers.

8. Ghanshyam’s neighbor ours has filed a suit against us..

Exercise-2

Substitute with suitable possessive pronouns:

1. Madan liked my cookies more than your cookies.

2. Mr. Mahesh, is that your car?

3. Did you find my cat’s bell?

4. That is not their pen. This black one is their pen.

5. Whose car is this? Is it his car?

Answers:

1. Madan liked my cookies more than yours.

2. Mr. Mahesh, is that yours?

3. Did you find its bell?

4. That is not their pen. This black one is theirs.

5. Whose car is this? Is it his?

Difference between Possessive pronouns and Possessive Adjective 

Few points differentiate a possessive adjective from a possessive pronoun:

Serial No.	Possessive pronouns	Possessive Adjective
1	A possessive pronoun is used in place of a noun to represent possession or ownership of a thing or person.	It is used in a sentence to show ownership and to provide more information about the noun, which plays an important role as the subject or object in a sentence.
2	A possessive pronoun cannot be placed at the beginning of a sentence.	Possessive adjectives can be found at the beginning, middle or end of a sentence.
3	Possessive pronoun is used when a noun is already discussed.	Possessive adjectives are used with a noun or before a noun.
4	Possessive pronouns Examples of mine, yours, his, hers, and theirs.	Possessive adjectives Examples of his, her, my, its, your, and their.

Conclusion

Therefore, possessive pronouns are words that replace nouns (or noun phrases) and indicate ownership. Possessive pronouns indicate “my”, “your”, “his”, “her”, “our” and “theirs”. Use of possessive pronouns to refer to things/things (“predecessor”) that belong to a specific person/person or that which belongs to a person/person (sometimes an animal/animal or thing/thing). This way, you don’t have to use a noun after a pronoun. 

Possessive Pronouns – FAQs

What is the definition of a possessive pronoun? 

A possessive pronoun is “a pronoun such as ‘theirs’, ‘mine’,  or ‘yours’ that shows who relates to or belongs to. Possessive nouns indicate who owns something. It is used in place of nouns. Such as; my, mine, your, yours, etc.

What are examples of possessive pronouns? 

Examples of possessive pronouns are mine, yours, his, hers, and theirs.

How do you use possessive pronouns? 

• Possessive pronouns are used when the object of possession is understood from the context.
• Place possessive pronouns directly at end of sentences.
• Possessive pronouns are very similar in usage to possessive adjectives.

• Possessive pronouns are used when the context is clear who is in possession of an object.
• Note the similarity in form between possessive pronouns and adjectives.