Pronouns are words that are used in place of nouns in a sentence. We used these pronouns in speech and writing in order to avoid sounding unnatural or repetitive by using the same noun multiple times in a sentence. These are personal pronouns and they are used in place of the person. For example, Candice said that she wanted to drive the car that belonged to her.
Personal pronouns can take different forms based on their function in the sentence. Personal pronouns are classified according to person (1st, 2nd, 3rd person), number (singular or plural), gender (masculine, feminine, non-personal) and case (subjective, objective or possessive).
Personal pronouns can function as possessive adjectives (also known as determiners) or possessive pronouns. In this post we will look specifically at possessive pronouns, their function and their forms. The 7 possessive pronouns are: mine, yours, his hers, its, ours and theirs. See the table below for clarity!
Table – The 7 Possessive Pronouns
| Personal Pronouns | Possessive Adjectives | Possessive Pronouns |
|---|---|---|
| I | my | mine |
| you (singular/plural) | your | yours |
| he | his | his |
| she | her | hers |
| it | its | its |
| we | our | ours |
| they | their | theirs |
What are the 7 Possessive Pronouns With Examples?
We use possessive pronouns to show ownership.
There are two types of personal pronouns that show ownership: possessive adjectives (also called possessive determiners) and possessive pronouns (also known as absolute possessive pronouns or strong possessive pronouns).
We use possessive adjectives before the noun and we use possessive pronouns in place of the noun, that is possessive pronouns stand alone. (see examples below).
Examples of Possessive Adjectives and Possessive Pronouns!
- I parked my car in the new shed at work. (possessive adjective)
- David parked the car in the street but I parked mine in the driveway. (possessive pronoun)
- I bought your present at the shopping mull on Friday night. (possessive adjective)
- Jenny said she bought yours for fifty dollars at the winter sale. (possessive pronoun)
- Jimmy said that was his book on the library table. (possessive adjective)
- Peter seems pretty sure that the book is his. (possessive pronoun)
- Rachel bought her house in the fall for an undisclosed amount. (possessive adjective)
- Elizabeth is pretty sure that the house is hers. (possessive pronoun)
- The political party destroyed itself due to the corruption of its leaders. (possessive adjective)
- The business is being sued by a rich client of its. (possessive pronoun)
- We took our boat out on the lake over the weekend. (possessive adjective)
- The children said that the boat was ours. (possessive pronoun)
- The nearby neighbor lost all of their possessions in the house fire. (possessive adjective)
- The building company is being sued by a rich client of theirs. (possessive pronoun)
Remember that we use possessive adjectives before the noun and we use possessive pronoun in place of the noun. Keep that in mind and you will master the possessive case of personal pronouns.
You can find more information about 7 possessive adjectives from this article that provides explanations and many examples of possessive adjectives.
How Do the 7 Possessive Pronouns Work?
When referring to possessive pronouns, we are referring to absolute possessive pronouns or strong possessive pronouns. These possessive pronouns replace the noun and they stand alone.
The best way to master the form and function of possessive pronouns is through several examples of the 7 possessive pronouns.
1. The Possessive Pronoun – Mine!
- That book on the table is mine.
- Your proposal is better than mine.
- A friend of mine told me that you are leaving the country.
- Which horse can run the fastest, your horse or mine?
- An associate of mine is going to come with us to look at the house.
2. The Possessive Pronoun – Yours!
- That book on the library table is yours.
- Which of these books are yours?
- My copy of the plan differs from yours.
- A friend of yours is on the phone in the living room.
- You said you purchased yours for sixty dollars.
3. The Possessive Pronoun – His!
- Someone said it was his car but I don’t think it is actually his.
- He’s had his since he was a kid.
- This beautiful painting in the dining room is his.
- That car is perfect but it is his!
- The money is obviously his.
4. The Possessive Pronoun – Hers!
- Jenny had to go in another car because hers was not available.
- Rachel purchased that business so it is hers.
- Are those lollies hers?
- My heart beats loudly but hers I cannot feel!
- You must take good care of the dog because it is hers.
5. The Possessive Pronoun – Its!
- The business is being sued by a disgruntled client of its.
- I have a pet elephant and my foot is very small compared to its.
- She knew the accident was either her husband’s fault or the car’s: it turned out to be not his but its.
- History has its lessons and fiction has its.
- Knowledge has its lessons and experience has its.
NOTE: Most grammar books suggest that you shouldn’t use “its” as a stand-alone possessive pronoun. Instead you should use another form of the possessive pronoun. For example: The business is being sued by a disgruntled client of theirs. This sounds much better! For further discussion on this topic, see The Cambridge Grammar of the English language by Rodney Huddleston and Geoffrey Pullum, page 471. (Check it out at Amazon Books)
NOTE: Randolph Quirk stated that the independent use of the possessive pronoun “its” may occasionally be found in parallel constructions, such as: History has its lessons and fiction has its. See A Complete Grammar of the English Language by Randolph Quirk, page 362. (Check it out at Amazon Books)
NOTE: Peter Herring commented that the possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns for the third-person masculine and third-person neuter are the same (his and his, its and its), although its is more often used as a possessive adjective in the phrase its own. For example: “As the campaign reached the peak of its success, it seemed to take on a life of its own.” See Complete English Grammar Rules by Peter Herring, pp. 79-80. (Check it out at Amazon Books)
6. The Possessive Pronoun – Ours!
- This new plans for the house are not an original idea of ours.
- Which employee of ours accidently damaged the car?
- The modes of travel in the last century were far inferior to ours.
- The victory would have been ours, had they fought more bravely.
- The brand new house in the street is next to ours.
7. The Possessive Pronoun – Theirs!
- Make sure the children from school know exactly which bags are theirs.
- Candice said that they bought theirs during the sale.
- I believe the house is theirs.
- This is not their boat. Theirs has been sold recently.
- That is our flower garden but that is theirs.
Tips For Using the 7 Possessive Pronouns
There are some tips that will help you avoid grammatical errors when using possessive pronouns in sentences.
1. Avoid apostrophes
It is important to note that not a single personal pronoun forms its possessive with an apostrophe. Apostrophes can indicate possession; however, possessive pronouns do not use them.
2. Don’t confuse “its” with “it’s”
This tip relates to the previous tip – avoiding apostrophes. The word “it’s” is a contraction of it is. For example, it’s raining outside. In other words, it is raining outside.
3. Don’t confuse them with Possessive Adjectives
We use possessive adjectives before the noun and we use possessive pronouns in place of the noun.
Possessive pronouns are personal pronouns in the possessive case which have the grammatical function of nouns. When they are used in a sentence, possessive pronouns take the place of the noun. For example:
- I can see mine through the window!
- You said you bought yours for fifty dollars!
- Candice seems absolutely sure that the book is hers.
An Image of the 7 Possessive Pronouns
More Examples of the 7 Possessive Pronouns
You can find more examples of the 7 possessive pronouns by clicking on the following link – Examples of the 7 Possessive Pronouns in Sentences!
Note: I have written an article that outlines the 8 Types of Pronouns With Examples. These must-know pronouns will unlock the power of your writing and speaking gifts.
Note: I have written an article to explain the key differences between possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns with many examples.
Note: I have written an article explaining in depth what are the 7 subjective pronouns and how they function in English sentences with many examples. Click on the link for more information – What are the 7 Subjective Pronouns?
