33 Possessive Adjective Examples Complete Guide with Exercises

Have you ever wondered if you should write “my” or “mine” before a noun? Understanding possessive adjectives can be tricky, but it’s a key part of speaking English well. Let’s explore 33 possessive adjective examples that will make your writing clearer and more accurate. With these easy-to-follow examples and rules, you’ll never mix up your possessive adjectives again.

 

Possessive Adjective Examples

Understanding Possessive Adjectives

Possessive adjectives are words that show ownership and always appear before a noun. Think of them as ownership labels that tell us who something belongs to. Unlike possessive pronouns that can stand alone, possessive adjectives need a noun to complete their meaning.

Basic Possessive Adjectives

• My (for I)
• Your (for you)
• His (for he)
• Her (for she)
• Its (for it)
• Our (for we)
• Their (for they)

Essential Rules for Using Possessive Adjectives

1. Always Precede Nouns

• Correct: “My book is here”
• Incorrect: “Book my is here”

2. No Apostrophes Needed

• Never use apostrophes in possessive adjectives
• “Its” is the possessive adjective (no apostrophe)
• “It’s” means “it is” or “it has”

3. Match the Subject

• Use the possessive adjective that matches the subject’s person and number
• Single owner = singular possessive adjective
• Multiple owners = plural possessive adjective

33 Possessive Adjective Examples in Context

Subject	Possessive Adjective	Example Noun	Complete Sentence
I	My	book	My book is on the table.
You	Your	car	Your car needs washing.
He	His	phone	His phone is ringing.
She	Her	bag	Her bag is heavy.
It	Its	tail	The dog wagged its tail.
We	Our	house	Our house is blue.
They	Their	toys	Their toys are everywhere.
I	My	computer	My computer crashed today.
You	Your	homework	Your homework is excellent.
He	His	guitar	His guitar needs tuning.
She	Her	garden	Her garden is beautiful.
It	Its	nest	The bird built its nest.
We	Our	team	Our team won the game.
They	Their	project	Their project won first place.
I	My	lunch	My lunch is packed.
You	Your	keys	Your keys are on the desk.
He	His	office	His office is upstairs.
She	Her	artwork	Her artwork sells well.
It	Its	battery	The phone lost its battery power.
We	Our	presentation	Our presentation starts soon.
They	Their	children	Their children are playing.
I	My	passport	My passport expires soon.
You	Your	schedule	Your schedule is full today.
He	His	bicycle	His bicycle needs repair.
She	Her	recipe	Her recipe tastes amazing.
It	Its	color	The chameleon changed its color.
We	Our	vacation	Our vacation starts tomorrow.
They	Their	business	Their business is growing.
I	My	glasses	My glasses are broken.
You	Your	opinion	Your opinion matters.
He	His	career	His career is successful.
She	Her	choice	Her choice was wise.
It	Its	program	The software updated its program.

Possessive Adjective Examples

FAQ Section

1. How do you identify possessive adjectives in a sentence?

Possessive adjectives are always found right before nouns and show ownership. Look for words like “my,” “your,” “his,” “her,” “its,” “our,” and “their” that appear directly before a noun. For example, in “My dog loves to play,” “my” is a possessive adjective because it shows who owns the dog and comes right before the noun “dog.”

To identify them easily:

1. Find the noun in the sentence
2. Look at the word right before it
3. Ask if that word shows ownership
4. Check if it’s one of the possessive adjectives listed above

2. What’s the difference between possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns?

The main difference lies in how they’re used in sentences:

• Possessive adjectives (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) must be followed by a noun
• Possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs) stand alone

Examples:

• Possessive adjective: “This is my car.”
• Possessive pronoun: “This car is mine.”

3. How do possessive adjectives change with plural nouns?

Possessive adjectives don’t change with plural nouns. The same form is used whether the noun is singular or plural:

• Singular: “my book”
• Plural: “my books”
• Singular: “their child”
• Plural: “their children”

4. When should you use ‘its’ vs ‘it’s’?

This common confusion can be easily resolved:

• Its (possessive adjective): Shows ownership (no apostrophe)
• It’s (contraction): Means “it is” or “it has” (with apostrophe)

Examples:

• The cat licked its paw. (showing ownership)
• It’s going to rain. (meaning “it is”)

5. How do possessive adjectives work in formal writing?

In formal writing, possessive adjectives follow these guidelines:

1. Be consistent with your point of view
2. Avoid overusing first-person possessives (my, our)
3. Use gender-neutral language when appropriate
4. Be clear about ownership in business or academic writing

Conclusion

Mastering possessive adjectives is essential for clear communication in English. Remember that they always come before nouns and show ownership. Practice using these 33 possessive adjective examples in your daily writing and speaking. Soon, choosing the right possessive adjective will become second nature. Keep practicing, and you’ll see your grammar improve quickly!