Possessive Adjectives: my, your, his, her, its, our, their
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Possessive adjectives show who owns something and always sit right before a noun to describe it.
- Use 'my', 'your', 'his', 'her', 'its', 'our', or 'their' before a noun (e.g., 'my car').
- They never change for plural nouns; 'my book' and 'my books' are both correct.
- Choose the adjective based on the owner, not the object being owned.
Overview
How This Grammar Works
my: Use this for I. Example:I have a phone. This is my phone.your: Use this for you. Example:You have a bag. Is that your bag?his: Use this for he (a man). Example:He has keys. These are his keys.her: Use this for she (a woman). Example:She has a name. Her name is Sarah.its: Use this for it (an animal or thing). Example:The dog has a tail. It wags its tail.our: Use this for we. Example:We have a house. This is our house.their: Use this for they. Example:They have a car. Their car is red.
Formation Pattern
my | My book is new. | My books are here. |
your | Is this your pen? | Are these your pens? |
his | That is his car. | Those are his cars. |
her | Her cat is black. | Her cats are cute. |
its | The tree lost its leaf. | The tree lost its leaves. |
our | This is our project. | These are our projects. |
their | Their house is big. | Their houses are big. |
My book and my books both use my.
Gender & Agreement
- For a man (
he):his He showed his new apartment.(One apartment)He introduced his parents.(Two parents)- For a woman (
she):her She shared her lunch.(One lunch)She finished her tasks.(Many tasks)- For a thing or animal (
it):its The cat licked its paw.(One paw)The shop changed its hours.(Many hours)
When To Use It
Subject Pronoun to Possessive Adjective Mapping
| Subject Pronoun | Possessive Adjective | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
|
I
|
my
|
This is my book.
|
|
You
|
your
|
Is this your pen?
|
|
He
|
his
|
His car is fast.
|
|
She
|
her
|
Her cat is cute.
|
|
It
|
its
|
The tree lost its leaves.
|
|
We
|
our
|
Our house is big.
|
|
They
|
their
|
Their friends are nice.
|
Meanings
Possessive adjectives are used to indicate ownership or a close relationship between a person/thing and a noun.
Ownership
To show that something belongs to someone legally or physically.
“Where is my phone?”
“His car is blue.”
Relationships
To describe family members, friends, or colleagues.
“Her brother is a doctor.”
“Our teacher is very nice.”
Body Parts
To refer to parts of one's own body.
“I need to wash my hair.”
“He broke his leg.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Possessive Adjective + Noun
|
My phone is on the table.
|
|
Negative
|
Verb + not + Possessive Adjective + Noun
|
That is not my bag.
|
|
Interrogative
|
Verb + Subject + Possessive Adjective + Noun?
|
Is that your car?
|
|
Plural Noun
|
Possessive Adjective + Plural Noun
|
My books are heavy.
|
|
With Adjectives
|
Possessive Adjective + Adjective + Noun
|
His new car is red.
|
|
Body Parts
|
Possessive Adjective + Body Part
|
I need to brush my teeth.
|
Formality Spectrum
Might this be your writing implement? (Office or School)
Is this your pen? (Office or School)
Your pen? (Office or School)
This yours? (Office or School)
The Family Tree of Possession
Singular
- My Me
- Your You
- His/Her/Its Him/Her/It
Plural
- Our Us
- Their Them
Possessive Adjective vs. Contraction
Choosing the Right Word
Is there a noun after the word?
Common Objects for Possession
Personal Items
- • My bag
- • Your keys
- • His wallet
Family
- • Her mother
- • Our son
- • Their cousin
Examples by Level
This is my dog.
What is your name?
Her car is red.
His father is a teacher.
Our house is near the park.
The cat is eating its food.
Their children are at school.
Is this your coat?
I really appreciate your advice.
He lost his keys again.
Our company is expanding rapidly.
She spent her vacation in Italy.
The company changed its policy last week.
Their refusal to cooperate was surprising.
I was moved by her dedication to the cause.
We must protect our environment for future generations.
His was a life of quiet desperation.
The city is famous for its architectural heritage.
Their having arrived late caused a stir.
I took my leave after the ceremony.
The law must take its course.
He is a man of his word.
The ship lost its moorings during the storm.
One must do one's duty, regardless of the cost.
Easily Confused
Learners often use 'mine' or 'yours' before a noun.
The apostrophe usually shows possession with names (John's), so learners add it to 'its'.
In some languages, the adjective matches the object's gender, not the owner's.
Common Mistakes
I like he car.
I like his car.
This is mine book.
This is my book.
Ours friends are here.
Our friends are here.
Where is you bag?
Where is your bag?
The dog wagged it's tail.
The dog wagged its tail.
I wash the hair.
I wash my hair.
They're house is blue.
Their house is blue.
I don't like you coming late.
I don't like your coming late.
The cat licked it's paw.
The cat licked its paw.
Sentence Patterns
This is my ___.
Where is your ___?
Our ___ is very ___.
They like their ___.
Real World Usage
Living my best life! #vacation
In my previous role, I managed a team of five.
Please have your boarding pass ready.
My back hurts when I sit down.
Left my keys at your place. Can I swing by?
Is this my coffee or his?
The Noun Test
Its vs It's
Body Parts Rule
Gender of the Owner
Smart Tips
Try replacing the word with 'it is'. If it makes sense, use 'it's'. If not, use 'its'.
Ignore the object! Only look at the person who owns it.
Don't add an 's' to the possessive adjective. It stays the same.
Always use 'my', 'your', etc., instead of 'the'.
Pronunciation
Your vs. You're
In fast speech, both 'your' and 'you're' are often pronounced as /jər/ (yer).
Their/There/They're
These three words are homophones; they sound exactly the same.
Our
Often pronounced like 'hour' (/aʊər/), but in fast speech, it often sounds like 'are' (/ɑːr/).
Emphasis on the Adjective
That is MY sandwich!
Used to correct someone or show strong ownership.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
My Yellow Hat Has Its Own Unique Texture (My, Your, His, Her, Its, Our, Their).
Visual Association
Imagine a giant sticky note labeled 'MY' stuck to your forehead, 'YOUR' stuck to a friend, and 'OUR' stuck to a group of you. These words 'stick' to the people who own the things.
Rhyme
My and your, his and her, its and our, their is the power!
Story
I found a box. I said, 'This is MY box.' You came over and said, 'No, it is YOUR box.' We opened it together and said, 'It is OUR box.' Then a dog ran by and took ITS lid.
Word Web
Challenge
Look around your room. Point to 5 things and say out loud: 'That is my [object].' Then think of a friend and say: 'That is his/her [object].'
Cultural Notes
Using 'my' for family members (e.g., 'my wife') is standard. However, in some very formal British contexts, people might say 'the wife,' though this is now considered dated or slightly rude.
It is very common to use 'your' in a generic sense to mean 'anyone's.' For example: 'You have to pay your taxes.'
Sometimes 'y'all's' is used as a plural possessive adjective for 'your.'
Possessive adjectives in English evolved from Old English genitive pronouns.
Conversation Starters
What is your favorite hobby?
Tell me about your best friend.
Is your house big or small?
What are your goals for this year?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
I have a car. ___ car is blue.
The dog is wagging ___ tail.
Find and fix the mistake:
Is this you're phone?
The house belongs to us. It is ___ house.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Possessive adjectives change when the noun is plural (e.g., 'my book' vs 'mys books').
A: Is that Sarah's bag? B: No, that is ___ bag. (Referring to Sarah)
Select the possessive adjective from the list.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercisesI have a car. ___ car is blue.
The dog is wagging ___ tail.
Find and fix the mistake:
Is this you're phone?
The house belongs to us. It is ___ house.
They
Possessive adjectives change when the noun is plural (e.g., 'my book' vs 'mys books').
A: Is that Sarah's bag? B: No, that is ___ bag. (Referring to Sarah)
Select the possessive adjective from the list.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
11 exercisesHe lost ___ keys at the gym.
Which sentence is correct?
Your going to be late if you don't hurry.
Translate into English: 'This is my phone.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Could you please bring ___ book tomorrow?
Choose the correct sentence:
They're going to visit there grandparents.
Translate into English: 'Her name is Maria.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the subject pronouns with their possessive adjectives:
Score: /11
FAQ (8)
Use `my` before a noun (my car). Use `mine` when there is no noun (The car is mine).
No, `his` is only for males. Use `her` for females.
No. `Its` (possessive) has no apostrophe. `It's` means 'it is'.
It is usually plural (belonging to them), but it is increasingly used as a singular possessive for a person whose gender is unknown.
English speakers use possessive adjectives for body parts to show they are part of that person.
No. You cannot say 'the my car.' You must choose either `the` or `my`.
The possessive adjective for 'it' is `its`.
In standard English, `your` is used for both one person and a group of people.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
mi, tu, su, nuestro, vuestro
English possessives are invariable for number.
mon, ma, mes
English matches the owner's gender, not the object's.
mein, dein, sein, ihr
English has no case endings for possessives.
の (no)
English uses unique words rather than a particle.
Suffixes (-i, -ak, -hu)
English uses separate words, not suffixes.
的 (de)
English possessives are not formed by adding a suffix to the subject pronoun.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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