Possessive pronouns nd their two forms and syntactic functions in the sentence Context Introduction

Possessive pronouns used as adjectives

Possessive pronouns can be used adjectivally – meaning before a noun. However, the pronoun does not necessarily have to appear directly before it, which means one or more adjectives or sometimes adverbs or other words may be placed between the pronoun and noun. In this function, together with a noun, they are also called possessive determiners. Compare the following forms:

Possessive pronoun before the noun (adjectival use as determiner)

English possessive pronoun	Examples
my	my phone
your	your car
his	his computer
her	her handbag
its	its colour
our	our house
your	your friend
their	their garden

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  Example sentences that show the adjectival use (as determiner before the noun) of possessive pronouns in various positions:
  
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    “Can you lend me your mobile phone?”
    
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      The pronoun precedes the noun directly.
      
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    “I know Jacky’s brother. He’s called ‘little eye’, but his real name is Eric.”
    
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      Pronoun and noun enclose the adjective ‘real’ here.
      
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    “Our two children are playing in the garden.”
    
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      Here, the numeral ‘two’ is put between pronoun and noun.
      
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    “My very old email account has been closed.”
    
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      In this example, the adjective ‘old’ together with its adverb ‘very’ appears between pronoun and noun.
      

Possessive pronouns used instead of nouns

Possessives can also be utilised substantivally (as a substitute for nouns). If that is the case, the associated noun is mentioned elsewhere in the sentence or context:

Possessive pronouns as a substitute for nouns (substantival use)

English possessive pronoun	Examples
mine	book → this is mine
yours	ball → this is yours
his	umbrella → this is his
hers	oranges → these are hers
its	doors → these are its
ours	guitar → this is ours
yours	computer → this is yours
theirs	glass → this is theirs

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  Some example sentences that demonstrate the use of the English possessive pronouns in place of nouns, which means substantivally. In these occurrences, the related noun is part of the preceding statement:
  
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    “Are these your glasses? – Yes, they’re mine.”
    
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    “Have you heard their idea? Ours is better.”
    
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    “I forgot my pen. Can I borrow yours?”
    

Further explanations related to the ‘Possessive pronouns’

The following additional explanations are related to the topic ‘Possessive pronouns in English grammar’ and could also be helpful:

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  Countable nouns in English
  
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  Uncountable nouns in English
  
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  Personal pronouns (‘I, you, he’, etc.)
  
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  Interrogative pronouns in English
  
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  Relative pronouns in English
  
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  Exercise 1: possessive pronouns (my, your, his, her, its, our, their)