Possessive Adjectives in English: Rules, Examples, and Exercises

Possessive Adjectives in English: Rules, Examples, and Exercises

Possessive adjectives are essential in English grammar because they show ownership or belonging. Understanding their correct usage can help you speak and write more clearly. This article will explain possessive adjectives, their rules, common mistakes, and provide exercises to reinforce learning.

What Are Possessive Adjectives?

Possessive adjectives are words used before a noun to indicate possession or ownership.

✔ List of Possessive Adjectives:

• My (belonging to me)

• Your (belonging to you)

• His (belonging to him)

• Her (belonging to her)

• Its (belonging to it)

• Our (belonging to us)

• Their (belonging to them)

✅ Examples:

• My car is very old.

• She forgot her phone at home.

• They love their new house.

Rule: A possessive adjective must always be followed by a noun.

❌ Wrong: This is my.
✅ Correct: This is my book.

Rules for Using Possessive Adjectives

✔ Rule 1: Possessive Adjectives Replace Articles
Instead of saying "the car of John," we say "his car."

✔ Rule 2: They Must Agree with the Owner, Not the Object

• His dog (the dog belongs to a male).

• Her cat (the cat belongs to a female).

✔ Rule 3: No Apostrophes in Possessive Adjectives

• "Its" is correct.

• "It’s" (with an apostrophe) means "It is" and is incorrect when showing possession.

✔ Rule 4: They Cannot Stand Alone
Possessive adjectives always modify a noun and cannot be used alone.

❌ Wrong: This book is my.
✅ Correct: This book is mine. (Use possessive pronoun instead: "mine")

Examples of Possessive Adjectives

✔ Talking about Personal Belongings

• This is my bag.

• He sold his laptop.

✔ Talking About Family Members

• Our parents are kind.

• She loves her brother.

✔ Talking About Pets

• The cat is licking its paws.

✔ Talking About Relationships

• Your best friend is waiting outside.

Common Mistakes:

❌ Mistake 1: Using a Possessive Pronoun Instead of a Possessive Adjective
Wrong: That is mine phone.
✅ Correct: That is my phone.

Explanation: Use "mine" alone, but "my" before a noun.

❌ Mistake 2: Confusing "It’s" and "Its"
Wrong: The dog wagged it’s tail.
✅ Correct: The dog wagged its tail.

Explanation: "It’s" means "It is", while "its" is possessive.

❌ Mistake 3: Using "His" or "Her" for Non-Human Objects
Wrong: The tree lost his leaves.
✅ Correct: The tree lost its leaves.

Explanation: "His" and "her" refer to people, but "its" is used for things or animals.

❌ Mistake 4: Forgetting to Use a Noun After a Possessive Adjective
Wrong: That book is her.
✅ Correct: That book is hers.

Explanation: "Her" is a possessive adjective that must be followed by a noun.

Exercises:

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks with the Correct Possessive Adjective

1. I lost ___ keys. (belonging to me)

2. They love ___ new apartment. (belonging to them)

3. Tom is with ___ mother. (belonging to him)

4. We are visiting ___ grandparents. (belonging to us)

Exercise 2: Choose the Correct Word

1. This is (your / yours) pen.

2. They parked (their / theirs) car outside.

3. Is this (her / hers) jacket?

4. We love (our / ours) home.

Exercise 3: Correct the Mistakes

Rewrite the sentences correctly.

1. This is her’s book. → _________

2. He forgot he’s bag. → _________

3. Its a beautiful dress. → _________

4. This is mine house. → _________

Exercise 4: Rewrite the Sentences Using Possessive Adjectives

Example: This book belongs to me. → This is my book.

1. This phone belongs to Sarah. → _________

2. The house belongs to us. → _________

3. That bag belongs to him. → _________

4. The bike belongs to them. → _________