Possessive Adjectives in English: Rules, Examples, Practice

Possessive adjectives show who something belongs to, and they always come before a noun.

Words like my, your, his, her, its, our, and their help us clearly connect people to things in everyday English.

You use possessive adjectives all the time when talking about family, personal items, work, or daily routines. Small mistakes, especially its vs it’s, are very common. The good news is that the rules are simple and consistent once you see them clearly.

In this guide, you will learn:

• What possessive adjectives are and how they work
• How to choose the correct form quickly
• The most common mistakes to avoid
• How to practice using them correctly in sentences

What Possessive Adjectives Are and How to Use Them

Possessive adjectives are one type of adjective and are placed directly before a noun, similar to other examples of adjectives.

They answer the question “Whose?” and never stand alone.

Here is the core pattern to remember:

possessive adjective + noun

Examples:

• my phone
• her idea
• their house

You do not change the form of a possessive adjective based on whether the noun is singular or plural. The form stays the same.

Examples:

• my book
• my books
• their child
• their children

Possessive adjectives are commonly used in a few everyday situations:

• Belonging or ownership
  This is her bag.
   
• Relationships
  His sister lives nearby.
   
• Body parts and personal items
  She hurt her hand.

Possessive Adjectives Reference Table

Each possessive adjective matches the person who owns something, not the thing itself.

The form stays the same whether the noun is singular or plural.

A common point of confusion is agreement. The possessive adjective depends on who owns the noun, not on whether the noun is singular or plural.

Examples:

• Our car is parked outside.
• Our cars are parked outside.

The possessive adjective does not change. Only the noun and verb change.

Common Rules and Mistakes with Possessive Adjectives

Possessive adjectives follow a few fixed rules, and most errors come from mixing them up with similar-looking words.

Once you know what to watch for, these mistakes are easy to avoid.

Possessive adjectives:

• Always come before a noun
• Do not change form for plural nouns
• Do not use apostrophes

Its vs it’s

This is the most common mistake.

• its shows possession
  The company updated its policy.
   
• it’s means it is or it has
  It’s important to read the policy.

If you can replace it’s with it is, the apostrophe is correct. If not, use its.

Other common mix-ups

• your and you’re

Your answer is correct.
You’re right about the solution.

• their vs there vs they’re

Their seats are reserved.
The seats are over there.
They’re waiting outside.

• whose vs who’s

Whose keys are these?
Who’s responsible for this?

Possessive Adjectives vs Possessive Pronouns

Possessive adjectives come before a noun, while possessive pronouns replace the noun completely, which is part of how pronouns in English work.

Both show ownership or connection, but they play different roles in a sentence.

Use a possessive adjective when the noun is stated:

• my book
• her bag
• their house

Use a possessive pronoun when the noun is already clear and does not need to be repeated:

• mine
• hers
• theirs

A simple way to check which one you need is to look for the noun.

If a noun follows, use a possessive adjective. If the noun is missing, use a possessive pronoun.

Quick Practice

Choose the correct word to complete each sentence.

1. This is ___ notebook. (my / mine)
2. She forgot ___ keys at home. (her / hers)
3. The dog hurt ___ leg while running. (its / it’s)
4. We like ___ new office location. (our / ours)
5. They said ___ flight was delayed. (their / there)
6. Is this ___ jacket or mine? (your / yours)
7. He called ___ manager before the meeting. (his / he’s)
8. The company updated ___ website last week. (its / it’s)

Answers

1. my
2. her
3. its
4. our
5. their
6. your
7. his
8. its

Conclusion

Possessive adjectives in English show who something belongs to and always come before a noun.

They do not change form, do not use apostrophes, and depend on the person who owns something, not on the noun itself.

By this point, you should be comfortable choosing the correct possessive adjective, placing it correctly before a noun, avoiding common mistakes like its vs it’s, and telling the difference between possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns.

With regular exposure and practice, using possessive adjectives becomes natural in everyday writing and speaking.

Now, it’s your turn to practice using possessive adjectives in your daily conversations or writing simple sentences to make the rules stick. 

Improve your English skills with EZClass now! Also, check out the EZClass blog to discover more interesting articles.

And don't forget to share this article with your friends who are learning English!