Examples of Possessive Determiners, Definition, Usage

Possessive Determiners are the words that show ownership and possession in a sentence. This helps us to identify who owns something or to whom something belongs. These words always come before nouns to give more information about ownership. For example, in this sentence, “This is my Pen”, the word “my” is a possessive determiner because it describes who owns the “Pen”.

Possessive Determiners are an important figure of speech and are easy to understand. In this complete article, we will help you to understand the easy Examples of Possessive Determiners. 

What is the Meaning of Possessive Determiners? 

Possessive determiners are used like adjectives before a noun, they simply tell you who possesses or owns something. 

A pronoun used to indicate possession or belongingness is called a possessive determiner. It assists the reader in identifying the owner of the noun it decides. Examples of possessive determiners are pronouns like “my,” “your,” “our,” “his,” “her,” “their,” and “its.”

Examples

• Jack is in his room.
• I have lost my favourite book.

Also Read: Determiners in English Grammar: Definition, Type & Rules

How to Use Possessive Determiners?

When referring to objects, possessive determiners are useful. Examples of possessive determiners include “my cat,” “your pencil,” and “their home,” which are helpful when you want to specifically address someone or something.

The noun that possessive determiners indicate ownership of is put before it. Take a look at these sentences as an example:

• I Love your Dog 
• I think our room requires cleaning

Usually, the determiner comes before the owned items; in this example, the room and the dog.

Examples of Possessive Determiners in Sentences

Here are some examples of possessive determiners along with the list of such determiners.

Possessive Determiners	Examples of Positive Determiners
My	My brother is studying in the UK. I left my notebook in the classroom. My favorite color is blue. Please pass my water bottle. I love my new shoes. My dog is very friendly. I forgot to bring my lunch today. This is my dream job. My room is always messy. I shared my chocolates with my friends.
Your	Your umbrella is in the hall. Don’t forget your books at school. Is this your handwriting? Your shoes are untied. I really liked your painting. Your voice is very calming. Where did you buy your jacket? Your idea was brilliant! Can I borrow your charger? Your parents are very sweet.
His	His bike is brand new. I like his style of writing. His house is near the park. That’s his bag on the chair. His jokes always make me laugh. Have you seen his phone? His results were excellent. He forgot his wallet at home. I admire his honesty. His room is always tidy.
Her	Her hair is very long. I borrowed her pen. This is her favorite movie. Her drawing was beautiful. We attended her birthday party. Her cat is very cute. She wore her new dress. Her voice is lovely. I found her bag on the table. Her handwriting is neat and clean.
Its	The dog wagged its tail. The lion roared and showed its teeth. This chair has lost one of its legs. The company changed its name. The clock stopped ticking because its battery died. The bird spread its wings. The phone lost its signal. This book has lost its cover. The robot needs its software updated. The tree shed its leaves in autumn.
Our	Our house is next to the bakery. We love our school. Our teacher is very supportive. Let’s complete our homework together. Our parents are very strict. This is our favorite restaurant. Our football team won the match. We brought our own snacks. Our holiday was fantastic. We should decorate our room.
Their	Their car broke down on the highway. I visited their new home. Their kids are very polite. The students submitted their assignments. They celebrated their anniversary yesterday. Their dog is very playful. Their opinions were interesting. The players wore their uniforms. Their ideas are quite creative. I found their keys under the table.

Examples of Possessive Determiners: Download Free PDF

To understand more about examples of possessive determiners, you can download the following PDF:

Also Read: What are Possessive Pronouns? Definition, Examples 

Examples of Possessive Determiners Exercise

Instructions: Fill in the blanks with the correct possessive determiner: (my, your, his, her, its, our, their).

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

1. I have a cat. ______ name is Luna.
2. He is a teacher. ______ students like him.
3. They are watching a movie. ______ favourite actor is in it.
4. We are packing ______ bags for the trip.
5. Sarah forgot ______ phone at home.
6. You need to finish ______ homework before dinner.
7. This bird is building ______ nest.
8. John and I love cooking. ______ kitchen is always busy.
9. Lisa and Mark are with ______ friends at the park.
10. The dog wagged ______ tail happily.

Answers:

1. My
2. His
3. Their
4. Our
5. Her
6. Your
7. Its
8. Our
9. Their
10. Its

Also Read: Determiners Exercises: 45+ Questions For Students!

What is the Difference Between Possessive Determiners and Pronouns?

Possessive Determiners and Possessive Pronouns both show ownership, but they are used differently. Possessive determiners always appear before a noun, while possessive pronouns replace the noun altogether.

Possessive Determiners	Possessive Pronouns
Possessive determiners are used before a noun to indicate possession	Possessive pronouns are used to replace a previously mentioned noun.
It always appears with a noun ( eg, her dress, my pen, our house)	They stand alone and do not come before the noun.
E.g.: This is my Book	E.g.: This Book is mine.

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