Possessive Adjectives

 It is important that we always use the right words in the right place so that the reader or listener understands what is being said and in what context, and one of the most important things is to use the correct possessive adjective so that your sentences make sense.

 

What are Possessive Adjectives?

Words that are used to show possession or ownership of something are called possessive adjectives.  They are the words his, her, my, your, their, whose, our, and its.  A possessive adjective will always come before the noun or pronoun that it is relating to.

 

A possessive adjective never changes - it never needs an “s” on the end, no matter whether the noun after it is plural or singular.  However, it should be noted that “its” is a possessive adjective, while “it’s” is not.  “It’s” is the contraction for “it is” and should not be used as a possessive adjective.

 

Examples

I like your dress.

 

Her dog has chased my cat.

In this sentence, both her and my are possessive adjectives - her for dog and my for cat.

 

Jill reached for her book.

 

Harry looked proudly at his shiny new car.

 

My computer has just crashed.

 

Our mother told us that we were going to stay with Aunt Alice for the week at her house in the country.

In this sentence, there are two possessive adjectives - our  and her.

 

The students all groaned when the teacher told them that their homework was due on Monday.

 

She looked at the daffodils whose heads bowed sadly in the wind.

 

Her puppy wagged its tail frantically when she arrived home with a new toy.

 

He sighed miserably, lost in his thoughts as he wondered if she would ever return his love.

 

“Whose bag is this?” asked the police officer as he turned his stern gaze on Sophie and her friends.

In this sentence there are three possessive adjectives.  Whose is the possessive adjective for the noun “bag”, his for gaze and her for friends.

 

My horse can run faster than yours.

Although there is no word after “yours”, it is implied in this sentence that it refers to another horse.  In this case, the possessive adjective becomes a possessive pronoun.

 

We sold our house yesterday.

 

“Can I have your phone number?” asked Jack.  He has his fingers crossed that she would say yes.

 

My mother gets along really well with yours.

In this sentence, my is the possessive adjective for mother, while yours becomes a possessive pronoun.

 

The rabbit poked its head out of its burrow.

 

The pride of lions made their way to the watering hole.

 

Our work is always better quality and cheaper.

 

“You need to finish your homework before you can go out with your friends,” said her mother.

 

Fear clawed at her throat as she fought against the panic that bubbled inside her.  She switched on the light and took a deep breath to calm her racing nerves.

 

Trees swayed overhead, their branches like flailing arms that threatened to grab his clothes as he tore up the path.

 

There was a trail of devastation in the house when she got home - the curtains were ripped and her favourite vase was on the floor.  She looked at her cats who sat looking innocently back at her.