Possessive pronouns show who owns, has, or is connected to something. They replace a noun phrase so you do not repeat the noun. They answer the question “Whose is it” and usually refer back to a person or thing already mentioned.

English has two different possessive forms that learners often mix up: possessive determiners and possessive pronouns. Determiners come before a noun and modify it, while possessive pronouns stand alone and replace the whole noun phrase. Learning the difference helps you choose forms like my versus mine correctly.

Word/Phrase	Definition	Example
possessive determiner	possessive word used before a noun	This is my book.
possessive pronoun	possessive word that replaces the noun phrase	This book is mine.

The core possessive pronouns are mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, and theirs. They do not come directly before a noun. They often appear after a linking verb like be or after a preposition.

Word/Phrase	Definition	Example
mine	belongs to me	The red one is mine.
yours	belongs to you	Is this yours?
his	belongs to him	The choice is his.
hers	belongs to her	That seat is hers.
its	belongs to it	The fault is its.
ours	belongs to us	This responsibility is ours.
theirs	belongs to them	The decision is theirs.

Possessive pronouns commonly appear after be to identify ownership or association, as in “It is mine.” They also appear after prepositions when the object is the possessed thing, as in “a friend of yours.” In short answers, they can stand alone because the noun is understood from context.

Rule	Example
Use after be to state who something belongs to	The jacket is hers.
Use after a preposition when the noun is omitted	I spoke to a colleague of his.
Use as a short reply when the noun is clear	Whose keys are these? Mine.

Possessive determiners must be followed by a noun, while possessive pronouns cannot be followed by a noun. This difference changes the structure of the noun phrase. Choosing the wrong type usually makes the sentence ungrammatical or forces an unnatural repetition.

Rule	Example
Use a determiner before a noun	That is our plan.
Use a possessive pronoun without a noun	That plan is ours.
Do not use a possessive pronoun directly before a noun	Correct: my plan. Incorrect: mine plan.

His can be both a possessive determiner and a possessive pronoun, so the form does not change. Hers is only a possessive pronoun and must stand alone, while her is the determiner used before a noun. Watching the word after the possessive helps you choose correctly: a noun needs her or his as a determiner, but no noun means hers or his as a pronoun.

Rule	Example
His works with or without a following noun	This is his car. This car is his.
Her needs a noun but hers does not	That is her bag. That bag is hers.

Its as a possessive pronoun is possible but rare and formal, because speakers often rephrase to avoid ambiguity. In questions, whose is used to ask about the owner and it can introduce either a full noun phrase or a stand-alone answer. Understanding these helps with ownership questions and answers in conversation and writing.

Rule	Example
Use whose to ask about ownership	Whose phone is this?
Answer with a possessive pronoun	It is theirs.
Its as a stand-alone possessive is uncommon and often replaced	Formal: The responsibility is its. More common: It has the responsibility.

English uses a structure called the double possessive with of plus a possessive pronoun or a possessive noun. It usually means one item or person from a larger group connected to that owner, not a specific unique item. This form is common for relationships, opinions, and things someone owns among other things.

Rule	Example
Use of plus possessive pronoun to mean one among several	A friend of mine lives nearby.
Use of plus possessive noun similarly	A colleague of Sarah’s called you.

Before a gerund, English can use a possessive determiner or a possessive noun to show who does the action. This is more formal and clearer when you want to emphasize the doer of the action rather than the object of a verb. In everyday speech, object pronouns are also common, but possessive forms are standard in careful writing.

Rule	Example
Use a possessive determiner before a gerund in formal style	I appreciate your helping me.
Use a possessive noun before a gerund in formal style	We discussed Maria’s joining the team.

Many possessive pronouns have strong and weak forms depending on stress. In careful contrast, they are stressed, but in fast speech they may reduce. Knowing typical stress patterns helps you sound natural, especially in short answers like “Mine” and in phrases like “a friend of yours.”

Rule	Description	Notation	Example
Stress for contrast	Possessive pronouns are strongly stressed when contrasting owners	primary stress on the possessive pronoun	Not yours, mine.
Reduced function word in phrase	In phrases like of yours, the preposition is usually unstressed while yours carries the stress	of unstressed, yours stressed	a friend of yours
S sound in yours	Final sound is usually voiced z after a vowel	/jʊrz/ with final /z/	yours