possessive word + nounUse this form inside a noun phrase. A noun must come after the possessive word.
Possessive Determiners vs Pronouns
A2Use my book, her car, their bags before a noun. Use mine, hers, theirs when the noun is not repeated: This book is mine.
What you'll learn
- Choose my/your/his/her/our/their before a noun.
- Choose mine/yours/his/hers/ours/theirs without a noun.
- Switch correctly between This is my bag and This bag is mine.
- Remember that his stays the same in both positions.
Structure
noun + be + possessive pronounUse this form when the noun after the possessive word is not repeated.
Build a sentence
Owner
Noun
hercar
her car
Before a noun, use her, not hers.
When to use
Before the thing
Name the owner inside the noun phrase: my phone, her desk, our plan. The possessive word comes before the noun.
After be
When the noun is already clear, use the standalone form: The red bike is mine. Those tickets are ours.
Avoid repetition
Use a possessive pronoun when the noun was said earlier: My coat is black, and hers is gray.
Markers
my ↔ mineyour ↔ yoursher ↔ hersour ↔ ourstheir ↔ theirshis ↔ his
Common mistakes
Wrong
This is mine book.
Correct
This is my book.
Before a noun, use my, your, his, her, our, their. Mine cannot go directly before book.
Wrong
The bag is my.
Correct
The bag is mine.
After be, when there is no noun after the possessive word, use mine, yours, hers, ours, theirs, or his.
Wrong
This is hers coat.
Correct
This is her coat.
Inside the noun phrase, choose her + noun, not hers + noun.
Wrong
Those seats are their.
Correct
Those seats are theirs.
After are, use the standalone form because no noun follows.
Wrong
The jacket is hiss.
Correct
The jacket is his.
His is already complete. It does not change to hiss.
Common misconceptions
❝ All standalone possessive words end in -s. ❞
Not all of them. His stays his. Mine also has no final -s.
❝ If a word shows ownership, I can use the same form before a noun and after be. ❞
English uses two patterns: my book, her car, their bags before a noun; mine, hers, theirs after be without a noun.
Skills in this rule (5)
USE_MY_YOUR_HIS_HER_OUR_THEIR_BEFORE_NOUNw5Use my, your, his, her, our, and their before a noun
Put these words directly before the thing that belongs to someone: my bag, her phone, their house. They need a noun after them.
USE_MINE_YOURS_HIS_HERS_OURS_THEIRS_WITHOUT_NOUNw5Use mine, yours, his, hers, ours, and theirs without a noun
Use these forms when the noun is already clear or not repeated: This seat is mine. Those keys are theirs. Do not add another noun after them.
CHOOSE_THE_RIGHT_FORM_IN_THIS_IS_PATTERNSw5Choose the right form in patterns like this is my book and this book is mine
Use a possessive determiner before the noun inside the noun phrase, and use a possessive pronoun after be when the noun stands alone.
KNOW_HIS_AND_ITS_STAY_THE_SAMEw2Keep his and its the same before a noun and after be
His does not change: his bag / The bag is his. Its also stays the same: its color / The color is its, but this form is rare and learners mostly need to recognize it.
USE_POSSESSIVE_PRONOUNS_TO_AVOID_REPEATING_THE_NOUNw3Use possessive pronouns to avoid repeating the noun
When the noun is already known, replace my car / your seat / their bags with mine / yours / theirs. This makes the sentence shorter and natural.