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Master English Grammar

Possessive Adjectives

Learn how to use possessive adjectives like my, your, his, her, its, our, and their to show ownership and make your sentences clearer.

What Are Possessive Adjectives?

Possessive adjectives are words that show ownership or belonging. They describe who something belongs to and come before a noun. Examples include my, your, his, her, its, our, and their.

Key Points

  • Use my to show something belongs to you
    • This is my book.
    • I lost my keys.
  • Use your when talking to someone
    • Is this your pen?
    • I like your idea.
  • Use his, her, and its for one person, animal, or thing
    • This is his jacket.
    • She forgot her phone.
    • The cat licked its paw.

Why Is This Important?

Possessive adjectives help you clearly show who owns or is connected to something, making your sentences easier to understand.

✅ Positive Sentences:

Use possessive adjectives before nouns to show ownership.

  • This is my backpack.
  • She loves her new dress.
  • They visited their grandparents.

🚫 Negative Sentences:

Use possessive adjectives with do not (don't) or does not (doesn't) to make negative sentences.

  • This is not my book.
  • He doesn't like his haircut.
  • We don't agree with their decision.

❓ Questions:

Use possessive adjectives in questions to ask about ownership.

  • Is this your notebook?
  • Where is her phone?
  • Did they bring their tickets?

Rules for Using Possessive Adjectives

  • Use my to show something belongs to you

    • This is my car.
    • I can't find my phone.

  • Use your when talking to someone

    • Is this your coffee?
    • I like your style.

  • Use his, her, and its for one person, animal, or thing

    • This is his laptop.
    • She loves her job.
    • The dog chased its tail.

  • Use our and their for more than one person or thing

    • This is our home.
    • They forgot their tickets.

  • Special Cases & Exceptions:

    Possessive adjectives are simple, but there are a few special cases to be aware of.

  • Its vs It’s: Its shows possession, while It’s is a contraction for it is

    • The cat licked its paw.
    • It’s a beautiful day today.

  • Do not confuse their, there, and they're

    • Their house is big.
    • The book is over there.
    • They're going to the park.
PronounPossessiveAdjectiveExample
ImyThis is my bag.
YouyourIs this your phone?
HehisThis is his car.
SheherI like her dress.
ItitsThe dog wagged its tail.
WeourThis is our house.
TheytheirTheir car is red.

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the creators of these videos. These are publicly available resources used to provide additional information on the topic.