What are the 7 Possessive Adjectives?

Possessive adjectives are adjectives that modify nouns by identifying who has ownership or possession of them. Possessive adjectives are placed before nouns in order to modify them.

The 7 most commonly used possessive adjectives are my, your, his, her, its, our, and their. Possessive adjectives are used to express possession or ownership.

Table – The 7 Possessive Adjectives

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 Adjectives With Examples?

Possessive adjectives show ownership or possession. DON’T confuse them with possessive pronouns!

Personal pronouns are used as possessive pronouns and possessive adjectives. It is important to note that possessive adjectives are different from possessive pronouns.

Once you understand this difference, you will be able to identify possessive adjectives immediately.

Possessive adjectives are used before nouns and possessive pronouns are used in place of nouns. They stand alone as you will see in the example below.

Examples of Possessive Adjectives and Possessive Pronouns

In these examples below, you will see the difference between possessive adjectives (placed before nouns) and possessive pronouns (in place of nouns).

The books in the backpack are mine. (possessive pronoun)
I put the books in my backpack. (possessive adjective)

I found some keys on the footpath and I believe they are yours. (possessive pronoun)
Are these your keys that I found on the footpath? (possessive adjective)

My brother have several houses in the street and I am pretty sure that house is his. (possessive pronoun)
His house has a new fence around the front lawn. (possessive adjective)

I think that dress is my sisters. I’m pretty sure it’s hers. (possessive pronoun)
I am pretty sure that it is her dress. (possessive adjective)

Knowledge has its insights and experience has its. (possessive pronoun)
Practical knowledge brings its experiences. (possessive adjective)

We made a lot of money from that investment but the idea was not ours. (possessive pronoun)
The money was made because of our investment. (possessive adjective)

The responsibility for the players’ performance is theirs. (possessive pronoun)
All players need to take responsibility for their performances. (possessive adjective)

Keep in mind that you use possessive pronouns in place of nouns and you use possessive adjective before nouns. This will help you distinguish the difference between possessive pronouns and possessive adjectives.

You can find more information about 7 possessive pronouns from this article that provides explanations and many examples of possessive pronouns.

The Function of the 7 Possessive Adjectives

Possessive adjectives are usually placed before nouns to show possession and ownership.

You can identify their form and function easily by learning to recognize the 7 possessive adjectives (my, your, his, her, its, our and their) and the placement of possessive adjectives (before nouns).

These examples will help you to master the form and function of possessive adjectives.

1. The Possessive Adjective – My!

The dental assistant called me so that I would not forget my appointment.
My friends always support me when I am struggling in life.
Dad drove my car to the railway station to pick up the package.
That’s my money on the table!
When you drive my car, please drive carefully.

2. The Possessive Adjective – Your!

When will you deliver your speech to the shareholders?
Your excuse for being late is not valid.
If you pay for your computer now, we will deliver it today.
Is that your mess in the kitchen?
Jason promised to deliver your parcel to you this afternoon.

3. The Possessive Adjective – His!

Jonathan tossed his tools in the work truck.
When my brother bought his computer, he made sure it was the best on the market.
The boy was caught with his fingers in the cookie jar.
His work was immaculate.
The runner had his water bottle refilled at the support station.

4. The Possessive Adjective – Her!

Rachel called her mother on Mother’s Day to thank her for being a great mum.
Jenny is thankful that her house is in a great position near the seaside.
She loves her dogs because they are great companions for a single person.
Her laugh is contagious.
My sister always keeps her car clean and tidy.

5. The Possessive Adjective – Its!

The bank announced its earnings at the shareholders meeting.
The gallery displayed its latest acquisitions to potential artists.
The lion caught its prey after a long chase.
The people were frustrated with the neighbor’s dog because of its barking.
The coffee shop changed its menu when the new owners took over.

6. The Possessive Adjective – Our!

I usually plant vegetables in our garden during the cooler months of the year.
Our motto is customers satisfaction.
We park our car in the garage to protect it from the sun and rain.
When we do things, our goal is to do the best we can at the time.
We employ a lawnmowing service to keep our lawn tidy.

7. The Possessive Adjective – Their!

Their bicycles are outside under the patio.
They work long hours because their boss is very demanding.
My dogs are friendly and their behavior is faultless.
The taxi driver dropped the children at their house.
The players are champions because their discipline is impeccable.

Is “Whose” a Possessive Adjective?

Is “whose” a possessive adjective? There is some debate about this in grammar books and online.

Here is some information to consider regarding “whose” as a possessive adjective!

1. “Whose” Functioning as an Interrogative Adjective

Interrogative adjectives are words that modify nouns by asking questions. Remember interrogative adjectives are placed before nouns.

Whose books are these?
Whose shoes are they?
Whose money was left on the table?
Whose sunglasses are these?
Whose lunch is this?

2. “Whose” Functioning as a Relative Pronoun

The relative pronoun “whose” is used to introduce a relative clause. Here are some examples below.

We give bonuses to employees whose sales quotas are met.
The author, whose book I read, gave a talk at the conference.
The student whose essay won the contest received a prize.
The artist whose painting was sold received a commission.
The director, whose movie was well-received, was interviewed by the press.

NOTE: It seems best to designate “whose” as either an interrogative adjective or relative pronoun. As you have seen above, “whose” is a relative pronoun that is always used to introduce an adjectival clause.

NOTE: Therefore it is best to refer to it as a relative pronoun rather than a possessive adjective although it seems to function as a possessive adjective.

REFERENCE MATERIAL: The Cambridge Grammar of the English language by Rodney Huddleston and Geoffrey Pullum. (Check it out at Amazon Books)

Table of 7 Pronouns – Form and Function

Subjective Pronouns	Objective Pronouns	Possessive Adjectives	Possessive Pronouns
I	me	my	mine
you (singular/plural)	you	your	yours
he	him	his	his
she	her	her	hers
it	it	its	its
we	us	our	ours
they	them	their	theirs

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?

Table – The 7 Possessive Adjectives

What are the 7 Possessive Adjectives With Examples?