Personal pronouns have two possessive forms. The forms mine, yours, ours, hers, his and theirs cannot be used before a noun. The forms my, 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.
1. This is my pen. Where is ……………………………………………….?
a) your
b) yours
2. This property is mine. Have you got any properties of ……………………………………………. own?
a) your
b) yours
3. My car goes really fast. What about ……………………………………………..?
a) your
b) yours
4. Is he not a friend of …………………………………………?
a) your
b) yours
5. A cousin of …………………………………………… works abroad.
a) my
b) mine
6. Once I lent him a book of ……………………………………………. and never got it back.
a) mine
b) my
7. She got the National Award for a painting of ……………………………………………..
a) her
b) hers
8. A neighbor of …………………………………………….. has filed a suit against us.
a) our
b) ours
Answers
1. Where is yours?
2. Have you got any properties of your own?
3. What about yours?
4. Is she not a friend of yours?
5. A cousin of mine works abroad.
6. Once I lent him a book of mine and never got it back.
7. She got the National Award for a painting of hers.
8. A neighbor of ours has filed a suit against us.
