Possessive pronouns

Possessives

1. Possessive pronouns

This jacket is mine.

Is this kite yours?

2. Which possessive pronoun should we use?

To use a possessive pronoun we will have as a reference the personal pronoun to which the possessor corresponds.

3. Characteristics of possessive pronouns

• Possessive pronouns vary according to the possessor and not according to the possession:
  

  Mary-jo has a dog. The dog is hers.

  In this example, the owner of the dog (possessor) is a girl, so the corresponding possessive pronoun is hers.

  

  Peter has a cat. The cat is his.

  In this example, the owner of the cat (possessor) is a boy, so the corresponding possessive pronoun is his.
• Possessive pronouns do not precede a noun:
  
  

  I have a pencil. This is my pencil.

  In this example we use a possessive adjective (my) because it precedes a noun (pencil).

  

  I have a pen. This pen is mine.

  Yo tengo un boli. Este boli es mio.

  In this example we use a possessive pronoun (mine) because it doesn't precede a noun.
• Possessive pronouns are used as the subject of a sentence to avoid unnecessary repeating of information:
  

  This is my book. Yours is there.

  In this example, yours replaces your book, whicn makes the sentence shorter and allows us not to repeat information we already know.

  

  I like this car, but theirs is amazing.

  In this example, theirs replaces their car.

Remember!