Possessive Adjectives

and
Possessive Pronouns

Possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns in English are often confusing--

because most of them are very similar in form and one has exactly the same form
for both the adjective and the pronoun.

possessive possessive
adjectives pronouns
my mine
your yours
his his
her hers
its --- *
our ours
your (plural) yours (plural)
their theirs

The grammar requirements for possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns are
different, however:

possessive Use these with nouns or noun phrases:

adjectives
What's my / your / his / her / its / our / their problem?

Jill doesn't have my / your / his / her / our / their home phone
number.

possessive Use these alone. Don't use them with nouns or noun phrases:
pronouns
Everyone has problems. What's mine / yours / his / hers / ours /
theirs?

Joe has everyone's home phone numbers except mine / yours /

hers / ours / theirs.
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Special Notes:

1. Important: Adjectives are not plural in English, so possessive adjectives have

only one form:

That's my / your / his / her / our / their key.

Those are my / your / his / her / our / their keys.

2. Important: Do not use possessive pronouns with nouns or noun phrases:

!!!wrong: Those are *theirs books.

!!!wrong: Have you met *mine brother?

3. Remember: There is no commonly used possessive pronoun for it.

4. The words its and it's are pronounced the

same, but they have different meanings
and grammar:

its = possessive adjective

it's = contraction for it is or it has

Do not use it's for a possessive pronoun:

!!!wrong: What are *it's main advantages?

!!!wrong: Read the instruction manual.

*It's directions are easy to understand.