Possessive Pronouns
Learn how a possessive pronoun shows ownership and can stand in for an entire noun phrase, without repeating the noun it refers to.
Mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs
A possessive pronoun replaces a noun phrase that shows ownership.
A possessive pronoun shows that something belongs to a person or thing, and it takes the place of a whole noun phrase, such as my book or her car.
In the sentences This is my book. This book is mine., the word mine is a possessive pronoun. It replaces the phrase my book without repeating the word book.
Possessive pronouns are closely related to, but not the same as, the possessive words that come directly before a noun, such as my and her.
Before you begin
Possessive pronouns are related to personal pronouns.
Each possessive pronoun corresponds to a personal pronoun, such as I and mine, or they and theirs.
If you have not yet covered personal pronouns, reviewing that lesson first may make this one easier to follow.
The central idea
A possessive pronoun stands alone. A possessive word before a noun does not.
Compare the two ways of showing that something belongs to Anna.
01
Before a Noun
Her comes directly before the noun and describes it.
This is her car.
02
Replacing the Noun Phrase
Hers stands on its own and replaces the whole phrase her car.
This car is hers.
The useful question is: Is a noun still needed after the word?
her car → a noun is needed
hers → no noun is needed
If the word must be followed by a noun to make sense, it is not a possessive pronoun on its own.
The possessive pronoun forms
Each personal pronoun has a matching possessive pronoun.
Singular possessive pronouns
I → mine
you → yours
he → his
she → hers
This umbrella isn’t mine; I think it’s yours.
Plural possessive pronouns
we → ours
they → theirs
Our team finished first, and ours was the fastest time.
It has no separate possessive pronoun
It does not have a standalone possessive pronoun in common use. The possessive form its is generally used directly before a noun instead.
Possessive pronouns replace a noun phrase
A possessive pronoun can take the place of “possessive word + noun.”
Avoiding repetition
Is this your coat, or is it my coat? → Is this your coat, or is it mine?
Their house is bigger than our house. → Their house is bigger than ours.
In each pair, the possessive pronoun replaces the second, repeated noun phrase.
Possessive pronouns can also be the subject or object of a sentence
Mine is on the top shelf. I found yours near the door.
Because a possessive pronoun already stands for a full noun phrase, it can function anywhere in a sentence that a noun phrase normally would.
Possessive pronouns and possessive nouns
Possessive pronouns never use an apostrophe.
A possessive noun, such as Maria’s or the students’, shows ownership with an apostrophe. A possessive pronoun shows ownership with its own separate word instead.
01
Possessive Noun
Uses an apostrophe with a specific named noun.
Maria’s book
02
Possessive Pronoun
Never uses an apostrophe.
This book is hers.
Words that sound alike
Some possessive forms are easy to confuse with contractions.
Its and it’s
its → shows possession, no apostrophe
it’s → short form of it is or it has
The cat licked its paw. It’s getting late.
Whose and who’s
whose → shows possession, no apostrophe
who’s → short form of who is or who has
Whose jacket is this? Who’s coming to the meeting?
A useful decision guide
Check whether a noun is still needed after the word.
01
Does the word come directly before a noun?
It is a possessive word used to describe that noun, such as my or her.
02
Does the word stand alone in place of a noun phrase?
It is a possessive pronoun, such as mine or hers.
03
Does the word contain an apostrophe?
Then it is either a possessive noun or a contraction, not a possessive pronoun.
04
Could the word be replaced with “is” or “has”?
If so, it is a contraction, such as it’s or who’s, not a possessive form.
Common mistakes
Do not add an apostrophe to a possessive pronoun.
Possessive pronouns never take an apostrophe.
Not: This book is her’s.
Correct: This book is hers.
Unlike possessive nouns, possessive pronouns are complete words on their own.
Its is not the same word as it’s.
The dog wagged its tail. (possession)
It’s a warm afternoon. (it is)
Confusing these two words is one of the most common mistakes with possessive forms in English.
Do not repeat the noun after a possessive pronoun.
Not: This book is mine book.
Correct: This book is mine.
A possessive pronoun already replaces the noun, so the noun should not appear again.
Check your understanding
Possessive pronoun or possessive word before a noun?
Choose the correct description for the highlighted word.
This suitcase is mine.
✅ Exactly! Mine stands alone and replaces the phrase my suitcase.
❎ Not quite. Check whether a noun is still needed after this word.
A possessive pronoun does not need a noun after it.
I left my keys on the table.
✅ Exactly! My comes directly before the noun keys.
❎ Not quite. This word is followed by a noun, so it describes that noun.
The blue car is theirs.
✅ Exactly! Theirs stands alone and replaces a noun phrase such as their car.
❎ Not quite. No noun follows this word.
The dog wagged its tail.
✅ Exactly! Its comes directly before the noun tail.
❎ Not quite. A noun follows this word directly.
Choose the best explanation
Select the sentence that explains the possessive form correctly.
Why is “This book is hers” correct rather than “This book is her’s”?
✅ Exactly! Unlike possessive nouns, possessive pronouns never take an apostrophe.
❎ Not quite. Think about how possessive pronouns differ from possessive nouns.
Why does “Whose jacket is this?” use whose rather than who’s?
✅ Exactly! Whose asks who something belongs to, while who’s means “who is” or “who has.”
❎ Not quite. Try replacing the word with “who is” and see if the sentence still makes sense.
Which pair correctly matches a possessive word before a noun with its matching possessive pronoun?
✅ Exactly! Our comes before a noun, and ours stands alone in its place.
❎ Not quite. Look for the pair where the second word can stand completely alone.
Try it another way
Complete the sentence with the correct possessive pronoun.
Type the possessive pronoun that fits each sentence.
✅ Exactly! Yours replaces the phrase your pen.
❎ Not quite. Use the possessive pronoun form of you.
✅ Exactly! Theirs replaces the phrase their garden.
❎ Not quite. Use the possessive pronoun form of they.
✅ Exactly! His is used both before a noun and as a standalone possessive pronoun.
❎ Not quite. Use the possessive pronoun form of he.
Edit the sentence
Rewrite each sentence using a possessive pronoun.
Replace the repeated noun phrase with the correct possessive pronoun.
Is this your umbrella, or is it my umbrella? (replace the second mention)
✅ Exactly! Mine replaces the repeated phrase my umbrella.
❎ Not quite. Replace my umbrella with the possessive pronoun for I.
Their house is bigger than our house. (replace the second mention)
✅ Exactly! Ours replaces the repeated phrase our house.
❎ Not quite. Replace our house with the possessive pronoun for we.
This book is her’s. (correct the possessive pronoun)
✅ Exactly! Hers is a complete word and never takes an apostrophe.
❎ Not quite. Remove the apostrophe from the possessive pronoun.
Quick review
A possessive pronoun stands in for the whole noun phrase.
Possessive pronouns — mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs — show ownership and replace an entire noun phrase.
A possessive word placed directly before a noun, such as my or her, still needs that noun to follow it.
It does not have its own standalone possessive pronoun; its is used before a noun instead.
Possessive pronouns never take an apostrophe, unlike possessive nouns.
Its and whose show possession; it’s and who’s are contractions of is or has.
Remember
Ask whether a noun is still needed after the word.
If a noun must follow, the word is a possessive form used to describe that noun. If the word can stand completely on its own, it is a possessive pronoun, and no apostrophe belongs anywhere near it.