Possessive pronouns in English: the usage and exercises

In addition to understanding relative and reflexive pronouns, we certainly cannot overlook possessive pronouns. This grammar concept holds vital importance, especially for beginners in English learning. Let's dive into the meanings, usage, and practice exercises of possessive pronouns together with PREP!

I. The definition of possessive pronouns

Possessive pronouns in English are used to indicate possession, ownership, or the relationship between a person/thing and another object. Below are some possessive pronoun examples:

• Please don’t move that car. It’s mine. ➞ In this sentence “mine” is used to replace “my car”.
• That jacket belongs to Ed. It’s his. ➞ In this sentence, “his” is used to replace “his jacket”.
• Have you seen a brown dog? He’s ours. ➞ In this sentence, “ours” is used to replace “our dog”.

II. Possessive pronoun categories

There are two types of possessive pronouns: independent possessive pronouns and dependent possessive pronouns.

1. Independent Possessive Pronouns

Independent possessive pronouns replace nouns and directly indicate possession without the need for a noun.

2. Dependent Possessive Pronouns

Dependent possessive pronouns are used before nouns to indicate possession. Please refer to the table below:

III. The positions and functions of the possessive pronouns

Let's explore the positions of possessive pronouns in a sentence and their functions with PREP!

1. Subject

Firstly, possessive pronouns can be placed at the beginning of a sentence and function as the subject of the sentence. For example: 

• My cat is sleeping. 
• Their house is beautiful. 

2. Object

Possessive pronouns serve as an object in a sentence. For example:

• She borrowed my book. 
• He saw their car. 

3. After the prepositions

Furthermore, possessive pronouns can also be placed after prepositions. For example:

• I went to the party with my friend. 
• The key is in his pocket. 

IV. Some notes on possessive pronouns

Let’s explore some notes on possessive pronouns with PREP.VN!

1. Do not use ‘s after possessive pronouns

Possessive pronouns already indicate clear possession, so there is no need to add 's after them.

• Wrong example: The cat’s is licking its paws.
• ➞ Correction: The cat is licking its paws.

2. Differentiate “Its” and “It’s”

At first glance, "Its" and "It's" may appear to be the same word. However, you need to look closely and differentiate their usage.

• “Its” is the possessive pronoun of “it”, indicating the possession of one object (event, animal). For example: The dog is wagging its tail.
• “It’s” is the abbreviation of “it is” or “it has” (“to be” or “to have”). For example:
  • It’s my book. 
  • It’s been 5 years since I graduated 

3. Do not use “the/a/an” before possessive pronouns

Possessive pronouns already indicate clear possession, so there is no need to add (a/an/the) before them.

• Wrong example: This is a my book.

➞ Correction: This is my book.

V. Diffferntiate possessive pronouns and possessive adjectives

To distinguish between possessive pronouns and possessive adjectives, we need to consider how they are used in a sentence. Let's explore the usage of possessive pronouns and possessive adjectives below with PREP!

For a clearer differentiation, we can examine the word's position and function in the sentence. When the word stands independently without a noun followed, it is a possessive pronoun. Conversely, if the word is used before a noun to describe possession, then it is a possessive adjective.

For example:

• The car is mine. ➞ Possessive pronoun.
• This is my car. ➞ Possessive adjective.

Possessive pronouns and possessive adjectives can be distinguished based on how they are used in the sentence and their position in relation to the noun.

VI. Exercises on possessive pronouns with detailed answers

Exercise: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate possessive pronouns or adjectives

• This is ____ book. I bought it yesterday.
• Is this ____ pen? Can I borrow it?
• I can’t find ____ keys.
• She is playing with ____ dog. 
• _____car is parked over there. 
• The house is _____. They painted it green.
• That bike is not _____. I took it from my brother.
• Is this ____ hat? It is beautiful
• Please give me ____ phone. I will call you tonight.
• The cat is licking ____ paws. 

Answer keys:

• my 
• your 
• my 
• her 
• Our 
• theirs
• mine
• your 
• his 
• its 

Hopefully, you have gained a better understanding of the theoretical knowledge of possessive pronouns through PREP’s article. Don’t forget to apply them in the exercises in order to fully master this grammar concept! Good luck!