Possessive Adjectives In English

What are possessive adjectives In English?

Possessive adjectives – my, your, his, her, its, our, your, their – modify the noun following it to show possession. They are used to indicate ownership, possession, or a relationship to someone or something.

Possessive adjectives in English are placed before a noun to show that the noun belongs to a particular person or thing.

Examples:

• I’ll get my bag. (“My“ is a possessive adjective that shows ownership of the bag)
• Is this her luggage? (“Her“ is a possessive adjective that shows ownership of the luggage)
• Your bike is blue. (“Your” is an adjective adjective that shows ownership of the bike)

Examples:

Subject Pronoun	Possessive Adjective	Example Sentence
I	My	I love my cat.
You (singular)	Your	Is this your book?
He	His	He forgot his umbrella.
She	Her	She brought her laptop to the meeting.
It	Its (used for animals and objects)	The dog wagged its tail.
We	Our	We are going to visit our grandparents.
They	Their	They finished their homework.

More examples:

• Why didn’t you clean your room? (The possessive adjective “your” modifies the noun “room.”)
• Mary doesn’t like her dress. (The possessive adjective “her” modifies the noun “dress.”)
• The chameleon can change its color. (The possessive adjective “its” modifies the noun “color.”)

Functions of Possessive Adjectives In English: Beyond Ownership

While possessive adjectives primarily indicate possession, they can also convey a sense of association, belonging, or relationship. Here are the key aspects that possessive adjectives indicate:

1. Possession: The primary function of possessive adjectives is to show ownership or possession. They answer the question “Whose?” For example, in the phrase “my car,” “my” indicates that the car belongs to the speaker.
   • This is my house.
   • She forgot her keys at home.
   • The cat licked its paws.
2. Association: Possessive adjectives can also convey a broader sense of association or connection. For instance, saying “our team” not only indicates possession but also implies a collective association or belonging among the members of the team.
   • Our school won the championship.
   • Let’s go to their party tonight.
   • He joined my hiking group.
3. Relationship: Possessive adjectives are often used to describe relationships between people. For example, “his sister” indicates a familial relationship, and “their teacher” suggests a connection between the group and the teacher.
   • His father is a doctor.
   • I met her brother at the concert.
   • Their dog is very playful.

Possessive Adjectives VS Possessive Pronouns

What is the difference between possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns?

Possessive adjectives in English are often confused with possessive pronouns.

Possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns are related grammatical constructs used to indicate ownership or possession, but they serve slightly different purposes in a sentence.

1. Possessive Adjectives:
   • These adjectives modify nouns and show to whom or to what something belongs. They are used before a noun.
   • Examples: my, your, his, her, its, our, their
   • Example sentences:
     • This is my book.
     • She is our teacher.
     • Is this your house?
2. Possessive Pronouns:
   • These pronouns stand-alone and replace a noun, indicating possession without needing to specify the noun explicitly. They can stand alone or be used after the verb.
   • Examples: mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs
   • Example sentences:
     • The red car is mine.
     • Is this jacket yours?
     • The cat licked its paws; hers is grooming over there.

Comparison Table: Possessive Adjectives vs. Possessive Pronouns:

Aspect	Possessive Adjectives	Possessive Pronouns
Function	Modify nouns	Replace nouns
Placement	Before a noun	Can stand alone or follow a verb
Examples	my, your, his, her, its, our, their	mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs
Sentence Use	This is my book. Is this your house?	The red car is mine. Is this jacket yours?

Things to remember:

1. Possessive adjectives are different from possessive pronouns.

• This is your (possessive adjective) book and this is mine (possessive pronoun).

2. “Its” and “their” are possessive adjectives.

• Its color is beautiful.
• Their car is in their garage.

3. “It’s“, “they’re” and “there” are not possessive adjectives. “It’s” is a contraction of “it is” or” it has“; they’re is a contraction of “they are“; there is an adverb of place.

• It’s not my book = It is not my book.
• My house is big. It’s got five bedrooms = It has got five bedrooms.
• Nancy and Alan are from New York. They’re my friends = They are my friends.
• Please, put the chair there. (adverb)

Review:

Personal pronouns	Possessive adjectives	Possessive pronouns	Reflexive pronouns	Object pronouns
I	my	mine	myself	me
you	your	yours	yourself	you
he	his	his	himself	him
she	her	hers	herself	her
it	its	its	itself	it
we	our	ours	ourselves	us
you	your	yours	yourselves	you
they	their	theirs	themselves	them

You may also be interested in:

• Possessive pronouns
• Object pronouns
• Subject pronouns
• Reflexive pronouns