Welcome to your A1 English grammar lesson on Possessive Adjectives! If you’re just starting to learn English, or want to make sure you have the basics down, you’re in the right place. This lesson will help you understand and use possessive adjectives correctly. Let’s make English grammar easy and fun!

What are Possessive Adjectives?

Possessive adjectives are small words we use to show who owns something or who something belongs to. Think of them as little helpers that tell us “this thing belongs to me,” “that thing belongs to you,” and so on. They always come before a noun.

For example, if you want to say that a book belongs to you, you don’t just say “book me.” You say “my book.” “My” is the possessive adjective!

Meet the Possessive Adjectives

Here are the possessive adjectives in English. It’s good to learn them by heart:

• My – used when something belongs to me. Example: This is my pen.
• Your – used when something belongs to you. Example: Is this your bag?
• His – used when something belongs to him (a boy or a man). Example: That is his car.
• Her – used when something belongs to her (a girl or a woman). Example: Her dress is beautiful.
• Its – used when something belongs to it (an animal or a thing). Example: The dog wagged its tail.
• Our – used when something belongs to us (more than one person including me). Example: This is our house.
• Your – used when something belongs to you (more than one person – plural ‘you’). Example: Is this your classroom? (talking to a group)
• Their – used when something belongs to them (more than one person or thing). Example: Their children are playing outside.

Notice that “your” is used for both singular “you” and plural “you”. You can usually understand which one it is from the context.

How to Use Possessive Adjectives in Sentences

Let’s see how we use these possessive adjectives in sentences. Remember, they always go before the noun they describe.

Examples with ‘My’ and ‘Your’

Let’s start with the most common ones: “my” and “your”.

• My name is Alex. (Belongs to me – my name)
• This is my phone. (Belongs to me – my phone)
• What is your name? (Belongs to you – your name)
• Is this your book? (Belongs to you – your book)

Examples with ‘His’ and ‘Her’

Now, let’s look at “his” and “her”.

• John is a student. His favorite subject is English. (Belongs to John – his favorite subject)
• Mary is a teacher. Her students are very clever. (Belongs to Mary – her students)
• That is Tom. His shirt is blue. (Belongs to Tom – his shirt)
• She is Sarah. Her hair is long. (Belongs to Sarah – her hair)

Examples with ‘Its’

“Its” is for animals and things.

• The cat is playing with its toy. (Belongs to the cat – its toy)
• The tree lost its leaves in the winter. (Belongs to the tree – its leaves)
• The company announced its new product. (Belongs to the company – its new product)

Examples with ‘Our’ and ‘Their’

Finally, “our” and “their” for groups of people.

• We are friends. This is our school. (Belongs to us – our school)
• They are my neighbors. Their house is next to mine. (Belongs to them – their house)
• We love our city. (Belongs to us – our city)
• They sold their old car. (Belongs to them – their old car)

Common Mistakes to Avoid with Possessive Adjectives

Sometimes, English learners make small mistakes with possessive adjectives. Let’s look at some common ones so you can avoid them!

Confusing Possessive Adjectives with Possessive Pronouns

Possessive adjectives (like my, your, his, her, its, our, their) are different from possessive pronouns (like mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs). Possessive adjectives come before nouns. Possessive pronouns stand alone.

• Incorrect: This book is mine book.
• Correct: This is my book. (possessive adjective ‘my’ before ‘book’)
• Correct: This book is mine. (possessive pronoun ‘mine’ stands alone)

Using ‘Its’ and ‘It’s’

Be careful with “its” and “it’s”. “Its” (without an apostrophe) is the possessive adjective. “It’s” (with an apostrophe) is a contraction of “it is” or “it has”.

• Correct: The dog wagged its tail. (possessive adjective ‘its’)
• Correct: It’s a beautiful day. (contraction of ‘it is’)

Let’s Practice!

Now it’s time to practice using possessive adjectives! Fill in the blanks with the correct possessive adjective (my, your, his, her, its, our, their).

1. This is ___ book. (It belongs to me)
2. What is ___ name? (I am asking you)
3. She is Maria. ___ favorite color is red. (Red is Maria’s favorite color)
4. He is John. ___ car is new. (The car belongs to John)
5. The cat is sleeping in ___ bed. (The bed belongs to the cat)
6. We are a family. This is ___ house. (The house belongs to us)
7. They are students. ___ teacher is very nice. (The teacher belongs to them)
8. Is this ___ pen? (I am asking you)
9. I love ___ job. (The job belongs to me)
10. They like ___ new apartment. (The apartment belongs to them)

Answers to the Practice Exercises

1. This is my book.
2. What is your name?
3. She is Maria. Her favorite color is red.
4. He is John. His car is new.
5. The cat is sleeping in its bed.
6. We are a family. This is our house.
7. They are students. Their teacher is very nice.
8. Is this your pen?
9. I love my job.
10. They like their new apartment.

Practice Speaking with Possessive Adjectives

Grammar is important, but speaking is even more important! To improve your spoken English, try using possessive adjectives when you talk about things around you. For example, describe your family members, your friends, your belongings using “my,” “your,” “his,” “her,” “our,” and “their.”

For even more practice and to improve your spoken English confidence, try Lingofrnd.com! Lingofrnd is your AI spoken English teacher. You can practice using possessive adjectives in conversations and get instant feedback. Download the Lingofrnd app today and start speaking English with confidence!

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve learned about possessive adjectives in English. You now know how to use my, your, his, her, its, our, and their to show who owns something. Keep practicing, and you’ll become more and more confident in your English. Remember to use Lingofrnd.com for speaking practice and to take your English to the next level. Happy learning!

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