Adjective vs Pronoun — English Grammar Exercises
my/mine, your/yours, their/theirs — know the difference
Possessive Adjectives vs Possessive Pronouns
The distinction between possessive adjectives and pronouns is one of the most frequent error sources for B1–B2 learners. The forms look almost identical — the difference is purely positional. Analysis of the Cambridge Learner Corpus shows that adjective-pronoun swaps (e.g. 'yours jacket', 'the decision is my') appear in a large share of intermediate learner writing samples, persisting even at upper-intermediate level.
The Rule in One Sentence
Possessive adjectives modify a noun that follows them. Possessive pronouns replace a noun that has been dropped to avoid repetition.
I forgot mine. Is this yours? (no noun — pronoun replaces 'your umbrella')
My flat is small but theirs is huge. (theirs = their flat)
Your handwriting is neat, but mine is terrible. (mine = my handwriting)
The Full Paradigm
its → its | our → ours | their → theirs
Note: his and its have identical forms for both functions.
Common Mistakes
✗ The decision is my, not yours. → ✓ The decision is mine, not yours.
✗ Your idea was brilliant, but her was even better. → ✓ …but hers was even better.
✗ My phone is old but your is brand new. → ✓ …but yours is brand new.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns?
Possessive adjectives (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) come before a noun and modify it: 'Is this your bag?' Possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs) stand alone and replace the noun to avoid repetition: 'I forgot my umbrella. Can I borrow yours?' The key test: if a noun follows immediately, use the adjective form. If the noun is omitted, use the pronoun form. Note that 'his' and 'its' serve as both adjective and pronoun.
What does 'a friend of mine' mean, and why not 'a my friend'?
'A friend of mine' is the double possessive (or post-genitive) construction meaning 'one of my friends'. English does not allow a possessive adjective after an indefinite article: 'a my friend' is ungrammatical. The pattern is: indefinite article + noun + of + possessive pronoun (mine/yours/his/hers/ours/theirs). Compare: 'I bumped into a colleague of hers' (one of her colleagues). After 'of', always use the pronoun form, not the adjective: 'of mine', not 'of my'.
What is the difference between 'its' and 'it's'?
'Its' (no apostrophe) is the possessive adjective, showing that something belongs to it: 'The company changed its logo.' 'It's' (with apostrophe) is a contraction of 'it is' or 'it has': 'It's raining' (= it is raining); 'It's been a long day' (= it has been). The test: expand the contraction. If 'it is' or 'it has' makes sense, write 'it's'. If not, write 'its'. This is one of the most common spelling errors at B1–B2 level in learner corpora.
How do I use 'own' in English — 'my own', 'on my own', or 'of my own'?
'Own' always follows a possessive adjective and adds emphasis on exclusive or personal possession. Three patterns: (1) possessive + own + noun for emphasis: 'She has her own room' (not shared); (2) on + possessive + own = alone, without help: 'He did it on his own' (never 'by his own'); (3) a/some + noun + of + possessive + own = something that personally belongs to someone: 'They want a house of their own'. Note: 'an own car' is wrong — 'own' always needs a possessive adjective before it.