Expressing Possession

In English, we express possession through various forms, including possessive determiners, possessive pronouns, apostrophes with “s”, and the verbs “have” and “have got”. Here’s an easy-to-follow guide for mastering each form.

💡 How to Use Possessive Determiners:

1️⃣ Step 1: Identify the owner (who possesses the item).
2️⃣ Step 2: Match the owner with the correct determiner:

• 🙋‍♂️ I → my
• 🙋 You → your
• 👨 He → his
• 👩 She → her
• 🐕 It → its
• 🙋‍♂️🙋‍♀️ We → our
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 They → their
• 3️⃣ Step 3: Add the noun being possessed.

Examples:

🐈 My cat: This is my cat.
🐇 Your rabbit: That is your rabbit.
👩‍❤️‍👨 His wife: This is his wife.
👩‍👩‍👧‍👦 Her sister: That is her sister.
⚽ Its ball: This is its ball.
🐎 Our horse: This is our horse.
👨‍👩‍👦 Their son: That is their son.
📖 My book: This is my book.
🖊️ Your pen: That is your pen.
🎩 His hat: This is his hat.
👗 Her dress: That is her dress.
🍴 Its fork: This is its fork.
🎒 Our backpack: This is our backpack.
🚗 Their car: That is their car.
🏠 My house: This is my house.
🐕 Your dog: That is your dog.
🛌 His bed: This is his bed.
👡 Her shoes: That is her shoes.
📦 Its box: This is its box.
🪑 Our chair: This is our chair.🧸 Their toys: Those are their toys.

2. Possessive Pronouns

💡 Possessive pronouns replace nouns to indicate ownership. They do not require a noun after them.

💡 Key Features

• Stand alone (e.g., This book is mine, not yours).
• Never followed by a noun (e.g., This is mine, not This is mine book).

🌟 Subject Pronouns and Possessive Pronouns

In English, possessive pronouns indicate ownership and can replace nouns. Here’s a simple guide to connect possessive determiners with their corresponding pronouns:

💡 How to Use Possessive Pronouns:

💡 Possessive pronouns are used to indicate ownership. Unlike possessive determiners, they replace the noun entirely. Here are four essential rules to help you master them: 💡

1️⃣ Use Possessive Pronouns to Replace a Noun:

💡Possessive pronouns can replace a noun phrase that includes a possessive determiner (e.g., “my,” “your”). This simplifies the sentence.

Examples:

• 🏠 This house is mine.
• 📱 That phone is yours.
• 🎩 The hat is his.
• 👜 The bag is hers.
• ⚽ This ball is its.
• 📖 These books are ours.
• 🚗 The car is theirs.
• 🎒 That backpack is yours.
• 📺 The TV is mine.
• 🖥️ The computer is theirs.
• 🌳 The garden is ours.
• 🍽️ The table is hers.
• 📜 The certificate is his.
• 📞 This phone call is mine.
• 🚲 That bicycle is yours.

2️⃣ Possessive Pronouns Stand Alone:

💡 Possessive pronouns are not followed by a noun. They replace the entire noun phrase.

Examples:

• 🎓 This degree is mine, not yours.
• 💼 The job offer is his, not theirs.
• 🛋️ The sofa is hers, not ours.
• 🐕 The dog is theirs, not yours.
• 📗 This notebook is ours, not hers.
• 🖊️ The pen is mine, not theirs.
• 🎥 The camera is yours, not mine.
• 🚪 The room is his, not hers.
• 🏠 The home is ours, not yours.
• 🎒 The backpack is hers, not mine.
• 📖 This book is mine, not hers.
• 🚗 The car is theirs, not ours.
• 📞 The phone is yours, not his.
• 📦 The package is mine, not yours.
• 📅 The calendar is theirs, not ours.

3️⃣ Avoid Redundancy with Possessive Pronouns:

💡 Possessive pronouns should not be used with a noun. For instance, avoid saying “This is mine book.”

Examples:

• 📝 Correct: This notebook is mine.
• 📝 Incorrect: This notebook is mine notebook.
• 📱 Correct: That phone is yours.
• 📱 Incorrect: That phone is yours phone.
• 🎩 Correct: The hat is his.
• 🎩 Incorrect: The hat is his hat.
• 👜 Correct: The bag is hers.
• 👜 Incorrect: The bag is hers bag.
• ⚽ Correct: This ball is its.
• ⚽ Incorrect: This ball is its ball.
• 📖 Correct: These books are ours.
• 📖 Incorrect: These books are ours books.
• 🚗 Correct: The car is theirs.
• 🚗 Incorrect: The car is theirs car.
• 🎓 Correct: The degree is mine.

4️⃣ Use Possessive Pronouns to Avoid Repetition:

💡 Possessive pronouns help avoid repeating a noun that has already been mentioned.

Examples:

• 📚 This book is mine, and that one is yours.
• 🏠 That house is ours, but this one is theirs.
• 🎓 This diploma is mine, and that one is hers.
• 🎩 The hat is his, and the scarf is hers.
• 📞 The phone is yours, and the charger is theirs.
• 🚗 This car is ours, and that one is theirs.
• 🖋️ The pen is mine, and the pencil is hers.
• 🖼️ The painting is theirs, but the frame is ours.
• 🌳 The garden is ours, and the flowers are theirs.
• ✈️ This ticket is mine, and that one is yours.
• 🎒 This backpack is hers, and that one is mine.
• 📦 The package is yours, but the contents are ours.
• 📔 This journal is mine, and the notebook is his.
• 📖 These textbooks are theirs, and the novels are ours.
• 🎮 This console is yours, and the controller is mine.

3. Apostrophe with “S”

💡 An apostrophe with “s” (‘s) is used to show possession for both singular and plural nouns.

✨ Rules for Apostrophes

Apostrophes are used in English to indicate possession. There are two primary rules for their usage:

1️⃣ Apostrophe with Singular Nouns:

💡 To show that something belongs to a singular noun, add an apostrophe + “s” (‘s).

Examples:

• 🐕 The dog’s leash is on the table.
• 👩‍🏫 The teacher’s lesson was very informative.
• 🚗 The car’s engine needs repair.
• 👩‍👩‍👦 The family’s photo album is on the shelf.
• 🎨 The artist’s brush is missing.
• 📚 The book’s cover is torn.
• 🎓 The student’s grades are excellent.
• 👨‍🍳 The chef’s special is delicious.
• 🌳 The tree’s leaves are turning yellow.
• 🏠 The house’s roof was recently painted.
• 🐈 The cat’s toy is under the couch.
• 💻 The laptop’s battery is low.
• 🕰️ The clock’s hands stopped moving.
• 📞 The phone’s screen is cracked.
• ✈️ The airplane’s landing gear is being checked.

2️⃣ Apostrophe with Plural Nouns:

💡 For plural nouns that already end in “s,” add only an apostrophe (‘).
💡 For plural nouns that do not end in “s,” add an apostrophe and “s” (‘s).

Examples:

• 🐕 The dogs’ toys are in the basket.
• 👩‍🏫 The teachers’ lounge is closed.
• 👨‍👩‍👧 The families’ gathering was enjoyable.
• 📚 The books’ pages are worn out.
• 🌳 The trees’ roots are deep.
• 🛏️ The beds’ sheets were changed.
• 🕶️ The sunglasses’ frames are stylish.
• 🖼️ The paintings’ colors have faded.
• ✏️ The pencils’ tips are sharp.
• 🏠 The houses’ gardens are blooming.
• 🚗 The cars’ parking spaces are full.
• 👜 The bags’ straps were repaired.
• 🍽️ The plates’ edges are chipped.
• 📓 The notebooks’ covers are colorful.
• 👟 The shoes’ soles are worn out.
• 🧑‍🎄 The children’s gifts are in the bedroom.
• 👩‍🍳 The people’s reactions were positive.
• 🧑‍⚕️ The women’s clinic is open.
• 🧑‍🏭 The men’s locker room is on the left.
• 🎨 The artists’ gallery is beautiful.
• 🛍️ The shoppers’ bags were heavy.
• 🐑 The sheep’s wool is thick.
• 🦆 The geese’s feathers are soft.
• 🧑‍🏫 The professors’ meeting was long.
• 🧑‍🚀 The astronauts’ mission was successful.
• 🧑‍🍳 The chefs’ competition was intense.
• 🕊️ The doves’ flight was graceful.
• 🐕 The wolves’ howls echoed in the forest.
• 🦁 The lions’ territory was vast.
• 👨‍⚖️ The judges’ decision was unanimous.

4. The Verb “Have”

💡 The verb “have” is commonly used to indicate possession, relationships, and more.

💡 Key Forms of “Have”

Examples:

• 🖥️ I have a computer.
• 📱 You have a phone.
• 🚗 He has a car.
• 📖 She has a book.
• ⚽ It has a new ball.
• 👫 We have tickets for the concert.
• 🎒 They have backpacks.

“Have Got”

💡 “Have got” is often used in British English as an alternative to “have.”

• Examples:

  🛏️ I have got a comfortable bed.

• 🎸 You have got a guitar.
• 🎩 He has got a hat.
• 📚 She has got a pile of books.
• 🐕 It has got a soft blanket.
• 🎟️ We have got tickets for the show.
• 🎒 They have got new backpacks.