Personal pronouns have two possessive forms. The forms mine, yours, ours, hers, his and theirscannot be used before a noun. The formsmy, your, our, her, his and their are actually possessive adjectives. They are always used before a noun.
Compare:
That coat is mine. (NOT That coat is my. A possessive adjective cannot be used without a noun.)
That is my coat. (NOT That is mine coat.)
Test your knowledge of the possessive forms of personal pronouns with this simple exercise.
1This is my pen. Where is ...............?
Wrong!
Use the possessive pronoun "yours" because it replaces "your pen."
2This property is mine. Have you got any properties of ............... own?
Wrong!
Use the possessive adjective "your" before the noun "own."
3My car goes really fast. What about ...............?
Wrong!
Use the possessive pronoun "yours" because it means "your car."
4Is he not a friend of ...............?
Wrong!
Use the possessive pronoun "yours" after "of" in the phrase "a friend of yours."
5A cousin of ............... works abroad.
Wrong!
Use the possessive pronoun "mine" after "of" in the phrase "a cousin of mine."
6Once I lent him a book of ............... and never got it back.
Wrong!
Use the possessive pronoun "mine" after "of" in the phrase "a book of mine."
7She got the National Award for a painting of ...............
Wrong!
Use the possessive pronoun "hers" after "of" in the phrase "a painting of hers."
8A neighbor of ............... has filed a suit against us.
Wrong!
Use the possessive pronoun "ours" after "of" in the phrase "a neighbor of ours."
Answers
- This is my pen. Where is yours?
- This property is mine. Have you got any properties of your own?
- My car goes really fast. What about yours?
- Is he not a friend of yours?
- A cousin of mine works abroad.
- Once I lent him a book of mine and never got it back.
- She got the National Award for a painting of hers.
- A neighbor of ours has filed a suit against us.
