Possessive pronouns show who owns or is connected to something, and they help make sentences shorter and clearer by replacing nouns. This guide covers the main possessive pronouns in English with simple examples.
Key Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns directly replace a noun and show ownership: mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs, and sometimes its when used in certain contexts. They do not come before a noun.
| English Word(s) | English Translation(s) | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| mine | mine | Replaces a noun | |
| yours | yours | Replaces a noun | |
| his | his | Replaces a noun | |
| hers | hers | Replaces a noun | |
| ours | ours | Replaces a noun | |
| theirs | theirs | Replaces a noun | |
| its | its | Rare as a possessive pronoun |
That book belongs to me.
Possessive Adjectives
Possessive adjectives (sometimes called possessive determiners) come before a noun to show ownership: my, your, his, her, its, our, and their. They must be followed by a noun.
| English Word(s) | English Translation(s) | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| my | my | Goes before a noun | |
| your | your | Goes before a noun | |
| his | his | Goes before a noun | |
| her | her | Goes before a noun | |
| its | its | Goes before a noun | |
| our | our | Goes before a noun | |
| their | their | Goes before a noun |
Usage
Use a possessive adjective when you need to modify a noun, and use a possessive pronoun when you want to replace the noun altogether. This keeps sentences concise and avoids repetition.
Examples
More Examples
Summary
Possessive adjectives show ownership by appearing before nouns, while possessive pronouns replace nouns to signal possession more succinctly. Practice swapping nouns for pronouns to make your English sound natural and efficient.
Summary
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025