A1 English GrammarPossessive Adjectives
Express ownership with my, your, his, her, its, our, their. Learn to talk about belongings, family members, and things that belong to people.
1Possessive Adjectives
Possessive adjectives show ownership. They go before nouns and never change form for singular or plural nouns. Unlike some languages, English possessive adjectives don't change based on what is owned - they match the owner.
Possessive Adjectives
| Subject Pronoun | Possessive Adjective | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I | my | my book |
| you | your | your car |
| he | his | his phone |
| she | her | her bag |
| it | its | its tail |
| we | our | our house |
| they | their | their children |
Examples
This is my brother.
This is my brother.
my = belonging to me
Where is your passport?
Where is your passport?
your = belonging to you
She loves her job.
She loves her job.
her = belonging to her
They sold their house.
They sold their house.
their = belonging to them
2His vs Her vs Its
'His' is for male owners, 'her' is for female owners, and 'its' is for things and animals. Note: 'its' (possessive) has no apostrophe - 'it's' means 'it is'!
Examples
John lost his wallet.
John lost his wallet.
his = belonging to John (male)
Mary finished her homework.
Mary finished her homework.
her = belonging to Mary (female)
The dog wagged its tail.
The dog wagged its tail.
its = belonging to the dog
The company changed its logo.
The company changed its logo.
its = belonging to the company
3Common Expressions
Possessive adjectives are used in many common expressions about body parts, family, daily routines, and personal items. In English, we usually use possessive adjectives (not 'the') with body parts.
Examples
I brush my teeth twice a day.
I brush my teeth twice a day.
body parts use possessive
What's your name?
What's your name?
common question
He broke his leg.
He broke his leg.
his leg, not 'the leg'
We're visiting our grandparents.
We're visiting our grandparents.
family members
4Possessive Adjective vs Pronoun
Don't confuse possessive adjectives (my, your, etc.) with possessive pronouns (mine, yours, etc.). Adjectives go BEFORE nouns. Pronouns REPLACE nouns and stand alone.
Adjective vs Pronoun
| Possessive Adjective | Possessive Pronoun |
|---|---|
| my book | The book is mine. |
| your car | The car is yours. |
| his phone | The phone is his. |
| her bag | The bag is hers. |
Examples
This is my pen. That one is yours.
This is my pen. That one is yours.
my (adj) vs yours (pronoun)
Is this your book? - No, it's not mine.
Is this your book? - No, it's not mine.
your (adj) vs mine (pronoun)