Possessive Pronouns: Definition, Usage, Examples

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Possessive Pronouns: Definition, Usage, and Examples have been discussed here. These Possessive Pronouns belong to the Pronouns in English Grammar.

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Possessive Pronouns: Definition, Usage, Examples in English Grammar has also been given not only for the students but also for the examinees going to sit for different upcoming competitive exams.

Possessive Pronouns

The pronouns which show possession or that something belongs to someone are called Possessive Pronouns. As, mine, thine, hers, ours, theirs, and yours.

Possessive Pronouns Examples with Sentences.

(1) This book is mine.

(2) That house is theirs.

(3) My horse and yours are both tired.

(4) This pen is hers.

People also read:

Personal PronounInterrogative Pronoun
Possessive PronounDistributive Pronoun
Demonstrative PronounReflexive & Emphatic Pronoun
Relative PronounIndefinite Pronoun

Usage of Possessive Pronouns

(a) Alternative Genetic forms mine, thine, yours, hers, and ours are now classed as Possessive Pronouns.

(b) Possessive Pronouns are used when a verb comes between the noun and the pronoun: 

  • This book is mine.

(c) Possessive Pronouns are used when the noun is not expressed: 

  • My house and yours are both tired.

(d) Possessive Pronouns are used when preceded by the preposition of: 

  • This book of mine is cheap.

(e) Possessive Pronouns are used when the noun is understood: 

  • Whose book is this? It is mine.  
  • This is my pen, where is yours?

(f) Hers, theirs, ours, hers are in fact called double genitives or double Possessive because “ r ” is one sign of the genitive and the “ s ” is another :

(g)  The Possessive Pronouns Hers, theirs, ours, hers should never be written with the apostrophe (’ ):  Thus, it is wrong to write  Her’s, theirs’, ours’, her’s, it’s ( = it is  or it has )

(h)“ Its ” is used only as a possessive adjective. We cannot say:  

  • This is its.

Check also:

Pronouns in English Grammar: Types, Definition, Examples

(i)“ His ” is used both as a Possessive Adjective and as a Possessive Pronouns: 

  • His face is nice. 
  • That is his.

Difference between Possessive Pronouns and Possessive Adjectives

Possessive Pronouns.Possessive Adjectives.
(1) Mine, hers, ours, theirs yours are called Possessive Pronouns.(1) My, her, our, their, and your, are called Possessive Adjectives.
(2) Possessive Pronouns are never placed before nouns. It can be used without the noun or instead of the noun to which they refer.(2) Possessive Adjectives used attributively before nouns.
(3) It is also called Genitive Forms but now are classed as possessive pronouns.(3) Possessive Adjectives are also called Pronominal Adjectives as they are formed from pronouns.
(4) This book is mine.(4) This is my book.
(5) That house is theirs.(5) That is their house.

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