Possessive Pronouns
We use possessive pronouns to refer to a specific person/people or thing/things (the "antecedent") belonging to a person/people (and sometimes belonging to an animal/animals or thing/things).
We use possessive pronouns depending on:
- number: singular (e.g: mine) or plural (e.g: ours)
- person: 1st person (eg: mine), 2nd person (e.g: yours) or 3rd person (e.g: his)
- gender: male (his), female (hers)
Below are the possessive pronouns, followed by some example sentences. Notice that each possessive pronoun can:
- be subject or object
- refer to a singular or plural antecedent
| number | person | gender (of "owner") | possessive pronouns |
|---|---|---|---|
| singular | 1st | male/ female | mine |
| 2nd | male/ female | yours | |
| 3rd | male | his | |
| female | hers | ||
| plural | 1st | male/ female | ours |
| 2nd | male/ female | yours | |
| 3rd | male/ female/ neuter | theirs |
- Look at these pictures. Mine is the big one. (subject = My picture)
- I like your flowers. Do you like mine? (object = my flowers)
- I looked everywhere for your key. I found John's key but I couldn't find yours. (object = your key)
- My flowers are dying. Yours are lovely. (subject = Your flowers)
- All the essays were good but his was the best. (subject = his essay)
- John found his passport but Mary couldn't find hers. (object = her passport)
- John found his clothes but Mary couldn't find hers. (object = her clothes)
- Here is your car. Ours is over there, where we left it. (subject = Our car)
- Your photos are good. Ours are terrible. (subject = Our photos)
- Each couple's books are colour-coded. Yours are red. (subject = Your books)
- I don't like this family's garden but I like yours. (object = your garden)
- These aren't John and Mary's children. Theirs have black hair. (subject = Their children)
- John and Mary don't like your car. Do you like theirs? (object = their car)
Notice that the following (with apostrophe [']) do NOT exist: her's, your's, their's
Notice that the interrogative pronoun whose can also be a possessive pronoun (an interrogative possessive pronoun). Look at these examples:
- There was $100 on the table and Tara wondered whose it was.
- This car hasn't moved for two months. Whose is it?