Possessive Adjectives and Pronouns
My/mine, your/yours, their/theirs — know the difference. Learn the rules, then practise.
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Possessive adjectives and pronouns
| Person | Adjective (+ noun) | Pronoun (alone) |
|---|---|---|
| I | my | mine |
| you | your | yours |
| he | his | his |
| she | her | hers |
| it | its | — |
| we | our | ours |
| they | their | theirs |
✅ A possessive adjective comes before a noun: my book, her car.
✅ A possessive pronoun stands alone: This book is mine. The car is hers.
No apostrophe on possessive pronouns
yours, hers, ours, theirs, its — never write your's, her's, their's.
its vs it's
- its = possessive: The dog wagged its tail.
- it's = it is or it has: It's raining. It's been a long day.
whose vs who's
- whose = possessive: Whose bag is this?
- who's = who is or who has: Who's coming?
of mine, of yours; own
The double genitive: a friend of mine, that idea of yours. Use my own, her own for emphasis: She has her own car.
Common mistakes
| ❌ | ✅ |
|---|---|
| The cat licked it's paw. | The cat licked its paw. |
| This book is your's. | This book is yours. |
| Who's car is this? | Whose car is this? |
| a friend of me | a friend of mine |
| mine own room | my own room |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a possessive adjective and a possessive pronoun?
A possessive adjective comes before a noun: my book, her car, their house. A possessive pronoun stands alone and replaces the noun: 'This book is mine', 'The car is hers'. The adjectives are my, your, his, her, its, our, their; the pronouns are mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs.
What is the difference between 'its' and 'it's'?
'Its' (no apostrophe) is the possessive adjective: 'The dog wagged its tail.' 'It's' (with an apostrophe) is the short form of 'it is' or 'it has': 'It's raining', 'It's been a long day'. If you can replace it with 'it is' or 'it has', use 'it's'; otherwise use 'its'.
Do possessive pronouns ever take an apostrophe?
No. Yours, hers, ours, theirs, and its never take an apostrophe. Forms like 'your's', 'her's', or 'their's' are always wrong. The apostrophe in 'it's' only ever marks 'it is' or 'it has', never possession.
What is the difference between 'whose' and 'who's'?
'Whose' is the possessive form — it asks who something belongs to: 'Whose bag is this?' 'Who's' is the short form of 'who is' or 'who has': 'Who's coming?', 'Who's finished?'