Possessive Adjectives: Definition, Usage and Examples

Possessive adjectives are words like “my,” “your,” “his,” “her,” “its,” “our,” and “their” that show ownership or belonging. They describe who owns something and always come before a noun. In this reference, you will learn the definition, usage, examples, and exercises about possessive adjectives, providing you with a comprehensive understanding of how they function to clarify relationships and possession in English sentences.

What are Possessive Adjectives? – Created by Englishstudyonline

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What Are Possessive Adjectives?

Possessive adjectives, a type of determiners, are unique because they help you identify who owns something. They always come before the noun they modify. For example, in the sentence “her hat,” “her” is the possessive adjective that tells you the hat belongs to “her.”

These adjectives do not change based on gender or number. For instance, “my” will always be “my” whether you are talking about one item or many items.

Common possessive adjectives include:

My (belongs to me)
Your (belongs to you)
His (belongs to him)
Her (belongs to her)
Its (belongs to it)
Our (belongs to us)
Their (belongs to them)

List of English Possessive Adjectives

Possessive adjectives in English show ownership and include words like “my,” “your,” and “their.” These adjectives are divided into singular and plural forms.

Singular Possessive Adjectives

Singular possessive adjectives refer to one person or thing owning something. Here’s a list:

My: This adjective shows that something belongs to you. For example, “my book” means the book belongs to you.
Your: This is used to show that something belongs to the person you are speaking to. For example, “your car” means the car belongs to the person you are talking to.
His: Used when something belongs to a male. For example, “his bike” means the bike belongs to him.
Her: This adjective indicates that something belongs to a female. For instance, “her hat” means the hat belongs to her.
Its: Used for things or animals. For example, “its tail” means the tail belongs to the animal or object.

Plural Possessive Adjectives

Plural possessive adjectives indicate that more than one person owns something. Here are the common ones:

Our: This shows that something belongs to a group that includes you. For example, “our house” means the house belongs to you and others.
Your: Used for addressing multiple people. For instance, “your books” means the books belong to the people you are talking to.
Their: This indicates that something belongs to a group of people. For example, “their project” means the project belongs to them.

Examples of Possessive Adjectives in Sentences

Now that you know what possessive adjectives are, you can move on using them in sentences. Below are examples of how to use each of the possessive adjectives, singular, and plural, listed above, as well as how to use their corresponding possessive pronouns.

It is my house.
This house is mine.
It is your piano.
This piano is yours.
It is his computer.
This computer is his.
It is her certificate.
This certificate is hers.
The dog is out for its walk. (No corresponding possessive pronoun)
It is our child.
This child is ours.
Their cat has gone missing.
Is this cat theirs?

Usage of Possessive Adjectives

Possessive adjectives indicate ownership and agree in number and gender with the noun they modify. They always come before a noun to show who or what owns that noun.

Subject-Adjective Agreement

Possessive adjectives must match the subject in number and gender.

For instance, “my” is used with singular first-person subjects, and “our” with plural first-person subjects. Similarly, “his” and “her” match third-person singular masculine and feminine subjects, respectively.

Examples: