There are many kinds of adjectives. Among them there is a category of limiting adjectives. They help to define or ‘limit’ a noun or pronoun by telling which one, what kind, or how many.
This sandwich is delicious.
In the category of limiting adjectives there are possessive adjectives. Possessive Adjectives modify the noun following it in order to show possession. These adjectives are my, your, his, her, its, our, their.
I told my cousin that I like someone, then she told that to her friend, and that friend told to his friends, and now everyone knows everything.
Here is a chart to help you learn which possessive adjective to use.
Person | Subject | Object | Possessive Adjective | Possessive Pronoun |
First Singular | I | Me | My | Mine |
Second Singular | You | You | Your | Yours |
Third Singular | He | Him | His | His |
She | Her | Her | Hers | |
It | It | Its | Its | |
First Plural | We | Us | Our | Ours |
Second Plural | You | You | Your | Yours |
Third Plural | They | them | Their | theirs |
The possessive adjective needs to agree with the possessor and not with the thing that is possessed. However, the verb that is used needs to be in agreement with the noun – if the noun is singular then the verb is singular; if the noun is plural then the verb is plural.
She has a boyfriend. Her boyfriend is very kind.
Peter likes to cook. His cooking skills are great.
Possessive adjectives are often confused with possessive pronouns. A possessive adjective is used to describe a noun, and it comes before it. On the other hand, a possessive pronoun is used instead of a noun.
Your car is black (Your is an adjective which modifies the word car.)
Mine is white. (Mine is a pronoun which functions as the subject of the sentence.)
Do not confuse its and it’s.
Its is the possessive adjective for it.
It’s is a contraction of it is.
Example:
It is a beautiful day = It’s a beautiful day.
The dog was wiggling its tail.
Do not confuse their and they’re.
Their is the possessive adjective for they.
They’re is a contraction of they are.
Example:
They are best friends = They’re best friends.
I wanted to see their dog.