What are Possessive Adjectives?
Possessive adjectives are words that indicate ownership or possession. They come before a noun to show to whom or what the noun belongs. Unlike possessive pronouns, they always modify a noun.
Contents
Key Possessive Adjectives
- My: Indicates possession by the speaker (e.g., my book).
- Your: Indicates possession by the listener (e.g., your car).
- His: Indicates possession by a male (e.g., his hat).
- Her: Indicates possession by a female (e.g., her idea).
- Its: Indicates possession by a non-human entity (e.g., its tail).
- Our: Indicates possession by a group including the speaker (e.g., our home).
- Their: Indicates possession by a group or multiple people/things (e.g., their garden).
Deep Dive into Usage
Possessive adjectives are crucial for clarity. They answer the question ‘Whose?’. For example, ‘Is this your pen?’ clarifies ownership.
Common Mistakes
A frequent error is confusing possessive adjectives with possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs). Possessive pronouns stand alone, while possessive adjectives modify nouns.
Correct: This is her bag. (Her modifies bag)
Incorrect: This is hers bag.
Correct: The bag is hers. (Hers stands alone)
Applications in Sentences
Possessive adjectives are used in countless everyday sentences:
- ‘I lost my keys.’
- ‘We are proud of our team.’
- ‘The cat licked its paw.’
Challenges and Misconceptions
The main challenge lies in distinguishing them from possessive pronouns and understanding the correct use of ‘its’ versus ‘it’s’ (it is).
FAQs
- What is the difference between a possessive adjective and a possessive pronoun?Possessive adjectives modify nouns (e.g., my book), while possessive pronouns replace nouns (e.g., the book is mine).
- When do I use ‘its’ vs. ‘it’s’?‘Its’ is the possessive form. ‘It’s’ is a contraction of ‘it is’ or ‘it has’.