Possessive Pronouns

You will probably have noticed that the possessive pronouns have two forms – my, mine, your, yours etc.

The forms my, our, your, his, her and their are actually possessive adjectives, not pronouns. They are used before a noun.

• My car has come.
• This is my book.
• It is their fault.
• That is your coat.

The forms mine, ours, hers, theirs, yours are generally used after a noun.

• That book is mine.
• The fault is theirs.
• That coat is yours.

Uses of possessive pronouns

Possessive pronouns show ownership. The possessive pronouns are yours, his, hers, ours, theirs, mine, whose.

• Is this bag yours?
• Yes, it’s ours.
• Whose coat is this?
• It’s mine.

Possessive pronouns are used without following nouns.

• This coat is mine.
• Which coat is yours?

We do not use articles with possessive pronouns.

• Can I borrow your keys? I can’t find mine. (NOT I can’t find the mine.)

Note that the possessives my, your, his, her, its, our and their are determiners, not pronouns. Possessive determiners are used at the beginning of noun phrases.

• Have you seen my new coat?

Note the spelling of the possessive its. The contraction it’s is not a possessive: it means it is or it has.

Possessive pronouns mine, ours, hers, theirs and yours can be used as the subject of a sentence. Note that possessive adjectives cannot be used like this. To be used as part of the subject, a possessive adjective has to be followed by a noun. Possessive pronouns, on the other hand, can stand alone.

• My house is small. Theirs is big.
• Your hair is black. Mine has turned grey.
• His cap is blue. Yours is red.

A possessive pronoun can be used as the object of a verb.

• He lost his pen; so I lent him mine.

A possessive pronoun can be used as the object of a preposition.

• I prefer your company to theirs.
• We have received no application except yours.