Possessive Pronoun


Definition: We use the Possessive Pronouns when we want to substitute a group of words that are indicating a possession relation.

Subject Possessive
I Mine
You Yours
He His
She Hers
It Its
We Ours
You Yours
They Theirs

For example:

  • This is my book.
    * In this example, we can substitute "my book" for the possessive pronoun "mine". => This is mine.

  • This is your disk and that's mine.
    * Mine substitutes the word disk and shows that it belongs to me.

A possessive pronoun indicates it is acting as a subject complement or a subject of the sentence.

For example:

  • The smallest gift is mine.
    This is yours.
    * Here the possessive pronouns acts as a subject complement.

  • His is on the kitchen counter.
    Theirs will be delivered tomorrow.
    Ours is the green one on the corner.
    * Here the possessive pronoun acts as the subject of the sentence.

Note : Possessive pronouns are very similar to possessive adjectives.

For example:

  • You can borrow my book as long as you remember that it's not yours.
    => The possessive "my" depends on the noun "book."
    => The possessive "yours" is a pronoun which stands in the place of "your book".

  • When you drive to Manitoba, will you take your car or theirs?
    => The possessive "your" depends on the noun "car."
    => The possessive pronoun, "theirs," stands in the place of the noun phrase, "their car."

Pronouns
Demonstrative pronoun
Interrogative Pronoun
Personal Pronoun
Possessive Pronoun
Relative Pronoun
Reflexive Pronoun
Reciprocal pronoun


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