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	🇨🇳 中文 词/短语	Definition	🇨🇳 中文 定义	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
possessive determiner	🧩 所有格限定词	possessive word used before a noun	🧩 用于名词前的所有格词	This is my book.	🧩 这是我的书。
possessive pronoun	🧩 所有格代词	possessive word that replaces the noun phrase	🧩 替代名词短语的所有格词	This book is mine.	🧩 这本书是我的。

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	🇨🇳 中文 词/短语	Definition	🇨🇳 中文 定义	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
mine	🧩 mine	belongs to me	🧩 属于我	The red one is mine.	🧩 这本红色的书是我的。
yours	🧩 yours	belongs to you	🧩 属于你	Is this yours?	🧩 这是你的？
his	🧩 his	belongs to him	🧩 属于他	The choice is his.	🧩 这个选择是他的。
hers	🧩 hers	belongs to her	🧩 属于她	That seat is hers.	🧩 那个座位是她的。
its	🧩 its	belongs to it	🧩 属于它	The fault is its.	🧩 错误在它身上。
ours	🧩 ours	belongs to us	🧩 属于我们	This responsibility is ours.	🧩 这项责任是我们的。
theirs	🧩 theirs	belongs to them	🧩 属于他们	The decision is theirs.	🧩 这个决定是他们的。

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	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use after be to state who something belongs to	📌 be 之后用于说明某物属于谁	The jacket is hers.	📌 那件夹克是她的。
Use after a preposition when the noun is omitted	📌 当在介词后名词省略时	I spoke to a colleague of his.	📌 我给他的同事打了电话。
Use as a short reply when the noun is clear	📌 当名词清楚时用作简短回答	Whose keys are these? Mine.	📌 这把钥匙是谁的？我的。

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	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use a determiner before a noun	📌 在名词前使用限定词	That is our plan.	📌 那是我们的计划。
Use a possessive pronoun without a noun	📌 在没有名词时使用所有格代词	That plan is ours.	📌 那个计划是我们的。
Do not use a possessive pronoun directly before a noun	📌 不要在名词前直接使用所有格代词	Correct: my plan. Incorrect: mine plan.	📌 正确：我的计划。错误：mine 计划。

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	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
His works with or without a following noun	📌 His works with or without a following noun	This is his car. This car is his.	📌 This is his car. This car is his.
Her needs a noun but hers does not	📌 Her needs a noun but hers does not	That is her bag. That bag is hers.	📌 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	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use whose to ask about ownership	📌 用 whose 去询问所有权	Whose phone is this?	📌 这是谁的电话？
Answer with a possessive pronoun	📌 用所有格代词作答	It is theirs.	📌 它们是他们的。
Its as a stand-alone possessive is uncommon and often replaced	📌 Its 作为独立所有格较少见且常被替换	Formal: The responsibility is its. More common: It has the responsibility.	📌 正式：责任是它的。更常见：它承担这项责任。

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	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use of plus possessive pronoun to mean one among several	📌 加上所有格代词以表示“在若干之中的一位”	A friend of mine lives nearby.	📌 我的一位朋友住在附近。
Use of plus possessive noun similarly	📌 加上所有格名词以同样的方式使用	A colleague of Sarah’s called you.	📌 莎拉的同事给你打了电话。

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	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use a possessive determiner before a gerund in formal style	📌 在正式风格中，在动名词前使用所有格限定词	I appreciate your helping me.	📌 我感谢你帮助我。
Use a possessive noun before a gerund in formal style	📌 在正式风格中，在动名词前使用所有格名词	We discussed Maria’s joining the team.	📌 我们讨论了玛利亚加入团队。

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	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Description	🇨🇳 中文 描述	Notation	🇨🇳 中文 表示	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Stress for contrast	🔊 对比时的重音	Possessive pronouns are strongly stressed when contrasting owners	🔊 当对比所有者时，所有格代词会被强读。	primary stress on the possessive pronoun	🔊 主要重音在所有格代词上	Not yours, mine.	🔊 Not yours, mine。
Reduced function word in phrase	🔊 短语中的功能词弱读	In phrases like of yours, the preposition is usually unstressed while yours carries the stress	🔊 在像 of yours 这样的短语中，介词通常不重读，而 yours 承载重音。	of unstressed, yours stressed	🔊 of 不重读，yours 重读	a friend of yours	🔊 a friend of yours
S sound in yours	🔊 yours 的 S 发音	Final sound is usually voiced z after a vowel	🔊 词尾音在元音之后通常是有声的 z	/jʊrz/ with final /z/	🔊 /jʊrz/ 尾音为 /z/	yours	🔊 你的