Possessives: what they are and how they’re used in English

Possessives in English play a vital role in expressing ownership or close relationships between nouns, answering the question of “who or what something belongs to.” Whether through possessive pronouns, possessive adjectives, or specific noun forms, these structures help make sentences clear and precise. This guide breaks down the various ways possession is indicated in English—from standalone possessive pronouns like “mine” to the nuanced use of apostrophes with singular and plural nouns—offering practical examples and tips to enhance your understanding and application of possessives in everyday communication.

Possessive pronouns

Possessive pronouns (independent possessive pronouns): These replace a noun and show possession without needing another noun to follow.

• Mine – This is mine.
• Yours – This is yours.
• His – This is his.
• Hers – This is hers.
• Its – This is its.
• Ours – This is ours.
• Theirs – This is theirs.

Possessive adjectives (dependent possessive pronouns): These are used before a noun to indicate who owns or is associated with it.

• My – This is my dog.
• Your – This is your dog.
• His – This is his dog.
• Her – This is her dog.
• Its – This is its collar.
• Our – This is our dog.
• Their – This is their dog.

Possessive forms of nouns

• Singular Nouns: Add an apostrophe followed by an ‘s’ (‘s).
  Example: The cat’s tail (the tail belonging to the cat)
• Plural Nouns Ending in ‘s’: Just add an apostrophe after the ‘s’.
  Example: The cats’ tails (the tails belonging to multiple cats)
• Plural Nouns Not Ending in ‘s’: Add an apostrophe followed by ‘s’ (‘s).
  Example: The children’s toys (the toys belonging to the children)
• Compound Nouns: The last word in the compound takes the possessive form. Example: My brother-in-law’s car
• Joint Possession: If two or more people possess something together, only the last name takes the possessive form. If they have possession separately, each name takes the possessive form.
  Example: John and Mary’s house (they share the house)
  Example: John’s and Mary’s houses (each has their own house)

Special cases

• Animals, Organizations, Countries: Often treated with the possessive form, though sometimes there’s debate on usage: The dog’s bark / The company’s policy / India’s history
• Inanimate Objects: Some style guides prefer the “of” construction for inanimate objects for clarity, though possessive forms are widely used: The book’s cover vs. The cover of the book
• Time and Distance: Can be treated as possessive: A day’s work An hour’s delay

Tips

• Be consistent in your use of possessives within your writing or project.
• In spoken English, possessive forms are often indicated by context rather than explicit possessive markers.
• Watch out for contractions like “it’s” (it is or it has) which are not possessive forms.

In summary

This article explains the use of possessives in English to denote ownership or association. Possessive pronouns (e.g., “mine,” “yours,” “hers”) stand alone to replace nouns, while possessive adjectives (e.g., “my,” “your,” “their”) precede nouns to describe ownership (e.g., “my dog”). For nouns, possession is shown by adding “‘s” to singular nouns (e.g., “the cat’s tail”), an apostrophe after “s” for plural nouns ending in “s” (e.g., “the cats’ tails”), or “‘s” for irregular plurals (e.g., “the children’s toys”). Special cases include compound nouns (e.g., “brother-in-law’s car”), joint possession (e.g., “John and Mary’s house”), and possessives with animals, organizations, or time (e.g., “a day’s work”). The guide notes alternatives like the “of” construction for inanimate objects (e.g., “the cover of the book”) and cautions against confusing contractions like “it’s” with the possessive “its.” Mastering possessives enhances clarity in expressing relationships and is key to effective English usage.