Skip navigation

Snap Language

Getting Smarter through Language

Possessive Determiners | (A-Level, Basic)

  Email this lesson

Prerequisites: For this lesson, you should know

Summary: Subject Pronoun - Possessive Determiner

Person Singular Plural
First I – my we – our
Second you – your you (you all) – your
Third he – his
she – her
it – its
they – their

This lesson has exercises.

Possessive Determiner: Ownership

We have or own things and animals. To show who has or owns something, we use a possessive determiner before it.

Examples: Singular possessive determiners showing ownership

— Is this my T-shirt?
— No, it’s his T-shirt.

I live here. This is my house.

Is this your book?

Is that John’s car or Mary’s car?
— It’s her car.

 

Examples: Plural possessive determiners showing ownership

— Are these Mary’s T-shirts?
— No, they are their T-shirts.

— Is this John’s book?
— No, it’s your book!

We live here. This is our house.

 

Possessive Determiner: Relationship or Association

When you say, “I have a friend,” it does not mean you own that friend. You are saying that there is a relationship between you and that person. You use possessive determiners to show that same relationship.

Possessive determiners also show an association between persons and things. When you say, “My name is Mark,” you do not “own” that name. That is the name associated with you.

Examples: Possessive determiners showing a relationship

This is my wife, Susan.

My friend John has two brothers. Those are his brothers.

— Does Mary have a sister?
— Yes, I’m her sister.

— Is your English teacher from Chicago?
— No, our teacher is from Los Angeles.

These are John’s parents, and this is their son Albert.

What is this dog doing here? Where are its owners?

 

Examples: Possessive determiners showing an association

My hair is brown

Is your name Marc?

I love listening to Beyoncé. Her voice is beautiful.

Look at these shirts. I like their colors.

This is a new house, but its window is already broken.

 

Practice

Practice 1. Fill in the blanks using a possessive determiner.

Practice 2. Fill in the blanks using a possessive determiner.

Practice 3. Write sentences using possessive determiners.

Congratulations on completing this lesson!

Card image cap

Thanks to our supporters!

This material has been made possible by supporters like you. Learn how you can support us.

Card image cap

“What should I learn next?”

Check out possessive pronouns or use the navigation buttons to choose another skill or another lesson in this skill.

 Thank you for Supporting Snap Language

Snap Language supporters make the creation of these materials possible.

Learn how you can support our work, get perks, and help us continue creating high-quality materials.

You can support us by simply white-listing this site.