What are Possessive Pronouns? Definition, Examples, Exercises

“This book is my book, and that pen is your pen.” Sounds repetitive, right? That’s where possessive pronouns come in! These pronouns help us talk about ownership in a smooth, natural way. Instead of saying “This phone belongs to me,” you can simply say, “This phone is mine.” Easy, right? In this blog, we will learn what are possesive pronouns with clear examples, fun tips, and common mistakes to avoid. 

Whether you are learning or teaching English for school, work, or daily conversation, understanding these pronouns can make a big difference.

What are Possessive Pronouns? 

Words used to indicate that you own or possess someone or something are known as possessive pronouns. These words show that they belong to that individual and no one else. It is possible to reduce repetition by using these pronouns in place of noun phrases.

Or 

In simple possessive pronouns replace noun phrases to show ownership or possession. Unlike possessive adjectives (my, your, his, her, our, their), possessive pronouns stand alone in a sentence and do not come before a noun.\

Also Read: 99+ Examples of Possessive Nouns

List of Possessive Pronouns

There are numerous possessive pronouns that you can use, and they can be singular or plural depending on whether they are referring to one person or several.

Singular possessive pronouns	Plural possessive pronouns
mine	ours
yours	yours
hers	theirs
his
its
theirs (sometimes—more on this later)

How to Use Possessive Pronouns?

After learning what are possessive pronouns, it is time to learn about the usage of these pronouns.

To make statements regarding ownership more succinctly and without repeating the nouns that denote the owner and the possession, possessive pronouns are used in place of nouns. Here we have added a few tips help you to know how to use these words correctly:

1. To Avoid Repetition: Instead of repeating the noun, use a possessive pronoun.

Example:

• Incorrect:  This is my book, and that is your book.
• Correct:  This is my book, and that is yours.

2. As the Subject or Object of a Sentence: Possessive pronouns can be used as subjects or objects in a sentence.
Example:

• Ours is the blue house. (subject)
• I thought that jacket was mine, but it’s actually his. (object)

3. In Short Responses: Possessive pronouns can replace a noun in short answers.
Example:

• “Whose phone is this?”- “It’s mine.”
• “Is this your pen?” -“No, it’s hers.”

Also Read: Possessive Adjective: Tips and Tricks, Definition, Rules

Exercise to Learn Possessive Pronouns

Now that we have understood what are possessive pronouns, it is essential to look at some questions designed to test the knowledge of students. Here are a few exercises to learn more about these pronouns:

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences using the correct possessive pronoun (mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs).

1. This phone doesn’t belong to me; it’s __________.
2. We bought this house last year, so now it’s __________.
3. That’s not her backpack; __________ is the red one.
4. I don’t know whose keys these are. Are they __________?
5. He forgot to take his lunchbox, so I gave him __________.
6. Their team played well, but our team won. The victory was __________.
7. She lost her jacket, so I lent her __________.
8. That book belongs to Sam. It’s __________.
9. This decision isn’t my responsibility; it’s __________.
10. I borrowed this pen from Ali. I think it’s __________.

Answers:

1. yours.
2. ours.
3. hers
4. yours
5. mine.
6. ours.
7. mine.
8. his.
9. theirs.
10. his.

Exercise 2: Rewrite the Sentences

Rewrite the following sentences using possessive pronouns instead of possessive adjectives.

1. This is my laptop. → This laptop is __________.
2. Is this your notebook? → Is this notebook __________?
3. That is her coat. → That coat is __________.
4. The red bicycle belongs to us. → The red bicycle is __________.
5. The new apartment belongs to them. → The new apartment is __________.
6. This is his book. → This book is __________. 
7. Are these your keys? → Are these keys __________.
8. That is their dog. → That dog is __________.
9. The blue car belongs to me. → The blue car is __________.
10. The big house belongs to her. → The big house is __________.

Answers: 

1. This laptop is mine.
2. Is this notebook yours?
3. That coat is hers.
4. The red bicycle is ours.
5. The new apartment is theirs.
6. This book is his.
7. Are these keys yours?
8. That dog is theirs.
9. The blue car is mine.
10. The big house is hers.

Also Read: Pronoun Exercise with Answers: PDF Available 

Difference Between Possessive Pronouns and Possessive Determiners

Possessive pronouns and possessive determiners both show ownership, but they function differently in a sentence. We have explained the difference between these two with examples:

Possessive Pronouns	Possessive Determiners
Always come before a noun	Stand alone in a sentence
Modify a noun	Replace a noun phrase
Examples: This is my pen. Is that your phone?	Examples: This pen is mine. Is that phone yours?

Related Reads

What are Possessive Nouns?	Learn English Grammar from Scratch
What are Relative Pronouns?	Emphatic Pronouns
What is the Difference Between Nouns and Pronouns?	Personal Pronoun Exercises in English

FAQs 

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