We use possessive pronouns to refer to a specific person/people or thing/things (the "antecedent") belonging to a person/people (and sometimes belonging to an animal/animals or thing/things).

We use possessive pronouns depending on:

  • number: singular (e.g: mine ) or plural (e.g: ours)
  • person: 1st person (eg: mine ), 2nd person (e.g: yours ) or 3rd person (e.g: his)
  • gender: male (his ), female (hers)

Below are the possessive pronouns, followed by some example sentences. Notice that each possessive pronoun can:

  • be subject or object
  • refer to a singular or  plural antecedent
numberpersongender (of "owner")possessive pronouns
singular1stmale/ femalemine
2ndmale/ femaleyours
3rdmalehis
femalehers
plural1stmale/ femaleours
2ndmale/ femaleyours
3rdmale/ female/ neutertheirs
  • Look at these pictures. Mine  is the big one. (subject = My picture)
  • I like your flowers. Do you like mine ? (object = my flowers)

  • I looked everywhere for your key. I found John's key but I couldn't find yours . (object = your key)
  • My flowers are dying. Yours  are lovely. (subject = Your flowers)

  • All the essays were good but his  was the best. (subject = his essay)
  • John found his passport but Mary couldn't find hers . (object = her passport)
  • John found his clothes but Mary couldn't find hers . (object = her clothes)

  • Here is your car. Ours  is over there, where we left it. (subject = Our car)
  • Your photos are good. Ours  are terrible. (subject = Our photos)

  • Each couple's books are colour-coded. Yours  are red. (subject = Your books)
  • I don't like this family's garden but I like yours . (object = your garden)

  • These aren't John and Mary's children. Theirs  have black hair. (subject = Their children)
  • John and Mary don't like your car. Do you like theirs ? (object = their car)
Notice that the following (with apostrophe [' ]) do NOT exist: her's, your's, their's

Notice that the interrogative pronoun whose  can also be a possessive pronoun (an interrogative possessive pronoun). Look at these examples:

  • There was $100 on the table and Tara wondered whose  it was.
  • This car hasn't moved for two months. Whose  is it?

sources : Original Link