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Possessive adjectives and subject pronouns (I/my, you/your, etc.)

Possessive adjectives and subject pronouns

Form

Grammar chart showing the relationship between subject pronouns and possessive adjectives in English with examples such as 'I/my', 'you/your', and 'he/his'.

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Use

I + verb / My + noun

We use subject pronoun + verb, and we use possessive adjective + noun.

  • These are Susan and Thomas; they are from Ohio. And that’s their house. 
  • I love my friend Sheila. 

Possessive adjectives are always singular

Adjectives in English have no plural form. Possessive adjectives are always singular.

  • These are their suitcases.
  • These are theirs suitcases.

It/its for things, they/their for people and things

We use he/his and she/her for people, and we use it/its for things. But in the plural, we use they/their for people and things.

  • The hotel has its own spa. It is a relaxing place. 
  • I like those chairs, they are beautiful. But their legs are too long. 

It’s for time and weather

We use it’s (=it is) to talk about the time or the weather.

  • It’s very windy today, but it’s sunny. 
  • ‘What time is it?’ ‘It’s three o’clock.’

Its or it’s?

Its = possessive adjective. It’s = it is (subject + verb be)

  • Look at that dog. It’s beautiful. I like its hair. 

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