Possessives
Possessive determiners
Possessive determiners, also known as possessive adjectives, are words that modify a noun by indicating possession or ownership. They are used before a noun to show to whom the noun belongs. Common examples include “my,” “your,” “his,” “her,” “its,” “our,” and “their.” Here is a list of possessive determiners:
1. My
2. Your
3. His
4. Her
5. Its
6. Our
7. Their
These words are used to indicate possession or ownership in a sentence. For example:
– My car is parked outside.
– Your book is on the table.
– His dog is very friendly.
– Her house is big.
– Its color is red.
– Our team won the match.
– Their cat is sleeping.
Possessives
1. **My:** “My” is a possessive determiner used to indicate that something belongs to the speaker. It is used before a noun to show ownership or possession by the speaker.
Example: My car is parked in the garage.
In this sentence, “my” indicates that the car belongs to the speaker.
2. **Your:** “Your” is a possessive determiner used to indicate that something belongs to the person being spoken to. It is used before a noun to show ownership or possession by the listener.
Example: Is this your bag?
Here, “your” indicates that the bag belongs to the person being spoken to.
3. **His:** “His” is a possessive determiner used to indicate that something belongs to a male person or thing. It is used before a noun to show ownership or possession by a male.
Example: His house is on the corner.
In this sentence, “his” indicates that the house belongs to a male person.
4. **Her:** “Her” is a possessive determiner used to indicate that something belongs to a female person or thing. It is used before a noun to show ownership or possession by a female.
Example: I like her dress.
Here, “her” indicates that the dress belongs to a female person.
5. **Its:** “Its” is a possessive determiner used to indicate that something belongs to a non-human animal or thing. It is used before a noun to show ownership or possession by a non-human entity.
Example: The dog wagged its tail.
In this sentence, “its” indicates that the tail belongs to the dog.
6. **Our:** “Our” is a possessive determiner used to indicate that something belongs to the speaker and one or more other people. It is used before a noun to show shared ownership or possession.
Example: Our house is white.
Here, “our” indicates that the house belongs to the speaker and at least one other person.
7. **Their:** “Their” is a possessive determiner used to indicate that something belongs to a group of people. It is used before a noun to show ownership or possession by multiple individuals.
Example: They lost their keys.
In this sentence, “their” indicates that the keys belong to a group of people.
These possessive determiners are essential for indicating ownership or possession in a sentence and help to clarify relationships between individuals and objects.
Worksheet 1
Here’s a worksheet using the possessive determiners “my,” “your,” “his,” “her,” “its,” “our,” and “their”:
**Possessive Determiners Worksheet**
**Instructions:**
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate possessive determiner: “my,” “your,” “his,” “her,” “its,” “our,” or “their.”
1. ___ car is parked in the driveway.
2. Have you seen ___ new phone?
3. ___ sister is a doctor.
4. What is ___ favorite color?
5. The cat licked ___ paw.
6. ___ team won the game yesterday.
7. They’re going to ___ friend’s house for dinner.
8. Is that ___ book on the table?
9. ___ parents are coming to visit next week.
10. I need to find ___ keys before we leave.
**Answers:**
1. My
2. Your
3. His
4. Her
5. Its
6. Our
7. Their
8. Is that your
9. Our
10. My
Worksheet 2
Here’s a more challenging worksheet using the possessive determiners “my,” “your,” “his,” “her,” “its,” “our,” and “their”:
**Advanced Possessive Determiners Worksheet**
**Instructions:**
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate possessive determiner: “my,” “your,” “his,” “her,” “its,” “our,” or “their.”
1. Sarah and ___ friends went on a trip to Europe last summer.
2. Tom is looking for ___ lost wallet.
3. ___ dog is very friendly and loves to play fetch.
4. The children put on ___ coats and went outside to play.
5. The company is proud of ___ employees’ hard work.
6. I can’t find ___ glasses. Have you seen them anywhere?
7. John and Mary are celebrating ___ wedding anniversary next week.
8. The cat cleaned ___ fur and then took a nap in the sun.
9. Have you finished ___ homework yet?
10. The students submitted ___ essays to the teacher for grading.
**Answers:**
1. Their
2. His
3. Their
4. Their
5. Its
6. My
7. Their
8. Its
9. Your
10. Their
Possessive determiners
In conclusion, possessive determiners play a vital role in indicating ownership or possession in language. They help clarify relationships between individuals or entities and the objects they possess. Through words like “my,” “your,” “his,” “her,” “its,” “our,” and “their,” speakers can express ownership or association with nouns in a sentence. Mastery of possessive determiners is essential for effective communication, as they contribute to clarity and precision in expressing relationships and ownership. By understanding and using possessive determiners correctly, speakers can convey their intended meaning accurately and enhance the clarity of their communication.
