Understanding Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns show that something belongs to someone. They are: mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs. They replace a noun, so we don't repeat it.
Structure
A possessive pronoun stands alone — no noun comes after it.
- This book is mine. (= my book)
- Is this pen yours? (= your pen)
- The red car is theirs. (= their car)
How the Grammar Works
- Each person has a possessive pronoun: my → mine, your → yours, his → his, her → hers, our → ours, their → theirs.
- Use it instead of "possessive adjective + noun" when the noun is already clear: 'Whose bag is this?' — 'It's mine.' (not 'It's my bag' repeated).
- Note that 'his' is the same in both roles: 'his car' and 'The car is his.'
- 'It' has no possessive pronoun — we do not say 'its' alone.
Common Use Cases
- Answering 'Whose...?' questions: Whose keys are these? — They're hers.
- Comparing things: My phone is older than yours.
- Avoiding repetition: This isn't my coat. Mine is black.
Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- Putting a noun after a possessive pronoun: Incorrect: "This is mine book". Correct: "This is my book" or "This book is mine".
- Confusing 'her' and 'hers': Incorrect: "This bag is her". Correct: "This bag is hers".
- Writing 'your' instead of 'yours': Incorrect: "Is this pen your?". Correct: "Is this pen yours?"
Comparison with Related Grammar
Possessive adjectives (my, your, her...) always come before a noun: 'my car'. Possessive pronouns (mine, yours, hers...) stand alone and replace the noun: 'The car is mine.' If there is a noun after the word — use the adjective; if there is no noun — use the pronoun.
Example Sentences
- That umbrella isn't mine.
- Our house is smaller than theirs.
- Is this seat yours?
- The idea was his, not hers.
- These tickets are ours.
When to Use This Rule
Use possessive pronouns to say who something belongs to without repeating the noun. Remember: no noun comes after mine, yours, his, hers, ours, or theirs.