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Possessive Adjectives: Understanding and Using My, Your, His, Her, Its

English

Grammar

Possessive Adjectives

What are Possessive Adjectives?

Possessive adjectives are words used to show ownership or a close relationship between the subject and the noun it modifies. These adjectives are placed before a noun to indicate who or what owns or is associated with that noun. A possessive adjective is a type of adjective that modifies a noun by showing possession, ownership, or a close relationship. Examples of possessive adjectives include "my," "your," "his," "her," "its," "our," and "their." These adjectives are used to describe something belonging to a specific person, group, or thing. For example, in the sentence "This is my book," the word "my" is a possessive adjective that indicates the book belongs to the speaker. Students can find below the list of possessive adjectives with their usage in sentences.

Table of Content

1. What are Possessive Adjectives?

2. Possessive Adjectives Examples

3. Possessive Adjectives Examples Sentences

4. Difference Between Possessive Adjectives and Possessive Pronouns

5. Test Your Knowledge of the Possessive Adjectives with Possessive Adjectives Exercises

5.1

1. Fill in the Blanks with the Correct Possessive Adjective:

5.2

2. Rewrite the Sentences Using the Correct Possessive Adjectives:

5.3

3. Choose the Correct Possessive Adjective:

5.4

4. Correct the Errors in the Following Sentences:

5.5

5. Match the Possessive Adjectives with the Correct Nouns:

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

6.1

1. Fill in the Blanks:

6.2

2. Rewrite the Sentences:

6.3

3. Choose the Correct Possessive Adjective:

6.4

4. Correct the errors:

6.5

5. Match the possessive adjectives:

7. Takeaways from this Page

FAQs

Interesting Facts About Possessive Adjectives

Possessive adjectives are found in many languages worldwide, serving a similar purpose in indicating ownership or association. For example, in French, "mon" means "my," and in Spanish, "mi" also means "my."
In English, possessive adjectives do not always end with 's.' For example, "my," "your," "his," "her," "its," "our," and "their" are all possessive adjectives but differ in form.
In English, possessive adjectives do not always end with 's.' For example, "my," "your," "his," "her," "its," "our," and "their" are all possessive adjectives but differ in form.
Possessive adjectives are often confused with possessive pronouns. Remember, possessive adjectives (like "my") modify nouns, while possessive pronouns (like "mine") replace nouns.
Using possessive adjectives correctly can make your writing clearer and more precise, helping to avoid ambiguity about ownership or relationships.

Possessive Adjectives Examples

My - This is my notebook.

"My" indicates that the notebook belongs to the speaker.

Your - Is this your coat?

"Your" shows that the coat belongs to the person being spoken to.

His - His car is parked outside.

"His" signifies that the car belongs to a male person.

Her - Her dress is beautiful.

"Her" indicates that the dress belongs to a female person.

Its - The cat licked its paw.

"Its" shows that the paw belongs to the cat.

Our - Our house is near the park.

"Our" indicates that the house belongs to the speaker and others.

Their - Their team won the match.

"Their" shows that the team belongs to a group of people.

Possessive Adjectives Examples Sentences

My: My brother is coming home this weekend.
Your: Your presentation was very impressive.
His: He lost his wallet at the mall.
Her: Her painting won first prize at the art show.
Its: The cat scratched its ear.
Our: Our vacation plans have changed.
Their: Their house is at the end of the street.

Difference Between Possessive Adjectives and Possessive Pronouns

Possessive Adjectives	Possessive Pronouns
When a noun functions as the subject or object of a phrase, a possessive adjective is used to indicate ownership and give further context for the noun.	Conversely, a possessive pronoun can be used in place of a noun to denote ownership or possession of an object or person.
Possessive adjectives might appear at the start, middle, or end of a sentence.	Possessive pronouns cannot come before a phrase, in contrast to possessive adjectives.
Examples: his, her, my, its, your and their.	Examples: mine, yours, his, hers and theirs.

Test Your Knowledge of the Possessive Adjectives with Possessive Adjectives Exercises

1. Fill in the Blanks with the Correct Possessive Adjective:

This is ______ (I) book.
Is that ______ (you) car?
______ (he) dog is very friendly.
______ (she) dress is beautiful.
The cat licked ______ (it) paw.
We love ______ (we) new home.
______ (they) house is on the corner.

2. Rewrite the Sentences Using the Correct Possessive Adjectives:

The bike belongs to him. → It is ______ bike.
The phone belongs to me. → It is ______ phone.
The toys belong to them. → They are ______ toys.
The homework belongs to her. → It is ______ homework.
The decision belongs to us. → It is ______ decision.

3. Choose the Correct Possessive Adjective:

I like ______ (my/mine) new shoes.
She lost ______ (her/hers) keys at the park.
They are selling ______ (their/theirs) house.
He can’t find ______ (his/him) wallet.
We need to finish ______ (our/ours) project by tomorrow.

4. Correct the Errors in the Following Sentences:

Her is the winner of the contest.
Its raining outside, so take your umbrella.
My sister and me went to the park.
The dog wagged it’s tail happily.
Your going to love this movie.

5. Match the Possessive Adjectives with the Correct Nouns:

______ (His) car
______ (Her) book
______ (My) friend
______ (Their) house
______ (Our) Family
______ (Its) tail
______ (Your) idea

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

1. Fill in the Blanks:

This is my book.
Is that your car?
His dog is very friendly.
Her dress is beautiful.
The cat licked its paw.
We love our new home.
Their house is on the corner.

2. Rewrite the Sentences:

It is his bike.
It is my phone.
They are their toys.
It is her homework.
It is our decision.

3. Choose the Correct Possessive Adjective:

I like my new shoes.
She lost her keys at the park.
They are selling their house.
He can’t find his wallet.
We need to finish our project by tomorrow.

4. Correct the errors:

She is the winner of the contest.
It’s raining outside, so take your umbrella.
My sister and I went to the park.
The dog wagged its tail happily.
You’re going to love this movie.

5. Match the possessive adjectives:

His car
Her book
My friend
Their house
Our family
It's tail
Your idea

Takeaways from this Page

Possessive adjectives help clarify ownership or relationships within sentences, making your writing more precise.
Knowing how to correctly place possessive adjectives in a sentence—whether at the beginning, middle, or end—enhances the clarity of your communication.
It’s essential to distinguish between possessive adjectives (e.g., my, your, their) and possessive pronouns (e.g., mine, yours, theirs) to avoid confusion.
Recognising and using possessive adjectives correctly is important in everyday communication, both in writing and speaking, helping to express ownership clearly.

FAQs on Possessive Adjectives: Understanding and Using My, Your, His, Her, Its

1. What is a possessive adjective?

A possessive adjective is a word used to show ownership or a relationship between the noun and someone or something. Examples include "my," "your," "his," "her," "its," "our," and "their."

2. How do possessive adjectives differ from possessive pronouns?

Possessive adjectives modify a noun to show ownership, while possessive pronouns replace a noun. For example, "my book" (possessive adjective) versus "mine" (possessive pronoun).

3. Can possessive adjectives be used at the beginning of a sentence?

Yes, possessive adjectives can be placed at the beginning of a sentence. For example, "My cat is very playful."

4. Are possessive adjectives used with singular or plural nouns?

Possessive adjectives can be used with both singular and plural nouns, depending on the context. For example, "my book" (singular) and "my books" (plural).

5. What is the possessive adjective for 'it'?

The possessive adjective for "it" is "its," which is used to show ownership by a non-human or inanimate object. For example, "The dog wagged its tail."

6. Can possessive adjectives be used with proper nouns?

Yes, possessive adjectives can be used with proper nouns. For example, "Her speech was inspiring," where "her" refers to a specific person.

7. Do possessive adjectives change form based on gender?

In English, possessive adjectives like "his" and "her" change based on gender, while others like "my," "your," "our," and "their" do not.

8. How do you use possessive adjectives in questions?

Possessive adjectives are used in questions to ask about ownership. For example, "Is this your pen?" where "your" is the possessive adjective.

9. Can possessive adjectives be used with non-living things?

Yes, possessive adjectives can be used with non-living things to indicate ownership or association. For example, "The car lost its way."

10. What are common mistakes made with possessive adjectives?

Common mistakes include confusing possessive adjectives with possessive pronouns (e.g., using "mine" instead of "my") and incorrect placement in a sentence.