Possessive Pronouns in English
The dependent and independent forms of possessive pronouns. The declension, the rules of use and typical examples.
Possessive pronouns in English are: my, his, her, our, its, their, mine, ours, yours, his, hers, theirs.
1. Like personal pronouns the possessive pronouns in English have categories of gender, number and person.
2. Possessive pronouns have two forms: independent (or absolute) form and dependent (or united) form.
The dependent form of possessive pronouns
First person | Second person | Third person | |
Singular | my | your | his, her, its |
Plural | our | their |
The dependent form of possessive pronouns is used when the pronoun stands before the noun. In a sentence it usually acts as an attribute.
If you don’t stop taking my toys, I will take your ones.
Their friend is the strongest in our class.
The independent form of possessive pronouns
First person | Second person | Third person | |
Singular | mine | yours | his, hers |
Plural | ours | theirs |
The independent form of possessive pronouns is used when the noun is missing. In a sentence it usually acts as a subject, a predicate or an object.
3. Possessive pronouns in English are often used with parts of the body, clothes and garments that belong to a certain person.