A1 · Grammar
Possessive adjectives (my, your …)
After this page you can say who things belong to with my, your, his, her, its, our and their, and spell its/it's and their/they're correctly.
Rules
1.
my, your, his, her, its, our, their
- What's your name? – My name is Priya.
- Our flat is near the centre.
- Ben and Lucy live in Leeds with their children.
A possessive adjective goes before a noun. It tells you the owner: who has the thing.
Person → possessive adjective
- I → my · you → your
- he → his · she → her · it → its
- we → our · they → their
your is for one person and for more people: Anna, is this your coat? · Anna and Tom, is this your car?
I → my · you → your · he → his · she → her · it → its · we → our · they → their
Always before a noun: my phone, our teacher, their house.
2.
his or her? Look at the owner
- Marek is in Cardiff with his wife.
- Sofia is in Cardiff with her husband.
- Ahmed has two sisters. His sisters are doctors.
his: the owner is a man or a boy. her: the owner is a woman or a girl. The noun after it does not change the word.
One form for singular and plural
- my key → my keys
- her son → her sons
- their car → their cars
Possessive adjectives never change. They have no plural form: my key, my keys.
Look at the owner, not at the thing: Tom and his sister · Anna and her brother.
Same form for one or more: our friend, our friends.
3.
its for things and animals · its or it's?
- I like this café. Its cakes are great.
- The hotel is old, but its rooms are new.
- It's cold today. (= It is cold today.)
Use its for the owner when the owner is a thing or an animal. its has no apostrophe. it's is the short form of it is.
its or it's?
- its + noun: the city and its parks, the company and its workers
- it's = it is: It's late. It's my bag.
A test: can you say it is? Then write it's. If not, write its.
its = owner, no apostrophe · it's = it is
The cat is in its basket. It's very tired.
4.
their or they're? your or you're?
- Sam and Ellie live in Bristol. Their flat is small.
- They're on holiday this week.
- Is this your umbrella?
- You're late again!
their and your go before a noun. they're = they are. you're = you are. They sound the same, but the spelling is different.
Same sound, different word
- their + noun: their son · they're = they are: They're at work.
- your + noun: your bag · you're = you are: You're right.
there sounds the same too, but it is not a possessive adjective: There is a bank near here.
their = owner · they're = they are · there = a place, or there is / there are
your = owner · you're = you are
5.
No a, an or the before my, your …
- Where are my keys?
- Ben is my colleague.
- Please take off your shoes.
- My feet are cold.
Do not use a, an or the with my, your, his … The possessive adjective takes the place of the article.
Not with an article
- not: the my car → my car
- not: a my friend → my friend
For the body and for clothes, English uses my, your, his …: She has a ring on her finger. Wash your hands, please.
Never the my or a my: just my + noun.
Body and clothes: my head, your coat, his hands.
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