Possessive Pronouns: How to Use Them Correctly

What Are Possessive Pronouns?

A possessive pronoun replaces a noun phrase that expresses ownership. Instead of repeating Sarah's report, you write hers. Possessive pronouns stand alone — they do not precede a noun.

• This report is mine. (not: this report is mine report)
• The decision is theirs to make.
• Which jacket is yours?
• The project and all its components were reviewed.

The complete set of possessive pronouns in English: mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs, whose.

Possessive Pronouns vs. Possessive Adjectives

Possessive adjectives (also called possessive determiners) look similar but function differently: they precede a noun rather than replacing it.

Note that his and whose serve as both possessive adjective and possessive pronoun. The others have distinct forms.

No Apostrophes in Possessive Pronouns

None of the possessive pronouns use an apostrophe. This is one of the most important rules in English punctuation, and one of the most commonly broken.

• its (possessive) — never it's (which means "it is" or "it has")
• whose (possessive) — never who's (which means "who is" or "who has")
• theirs — never their's (this form does not exist)
• yours — never your's (this form does not exist)
• hers — never her's (this form does not exist)
• ours — never our's (this form does not exist)

The confusion arises because English does use apostrophes to show possession with nouns (the company's report, the manager's decision). Pronouns are an exception to this rule — they have their own possessive forms that do not require an apostrophe-s.

Its vs. It's

Its (no apostrophe) is the possessive pronoun for things, animals, and entities. It's (apostrophe) is a contraction of it is or it has.

• The software has its limitations. (possessive)
• It's been a productive quarter. (it has)
• The company released its annual report. (possessive)
• It's important to verify the data. (it is)

The test: substitute it is or it has. If the sentence makes sense, use it's. If not, use its. For the complete guide, see its vs. it's.

Whose vs. Who's

Whose is the possessive form of who (and also of which in relative clauses). Who's is a contraction of who is or who has.

• Whose report is this? (possessive — to whom does it belong?)
• Who's presenting at the meeting? (who is)
• The researcher whose paper was cited in the report... (possessive relative pronoun)
• Who's been managing this account? (who has)

The same test applies: substitute who is or who has. If the sentence works, use who's. If not, use whose.

Their, Theirs, and They're

Their is the possessive adjective. Theirs is the possessive pronoun. They're is the contraction of they are.

• The team submitted their report. (possessive adjective before noun)
• The decision is theirs. (possessive pronoun, stands alone)
• They're presenting the findings tomorrow. (they are)

For the full breakdown of all three forms, see the guide on their, there, and they're.

Using Possessive Pronouns After Gerunds

A common error in formal writing is using an objective pronoun instead of a possessive adjective before a gerund. The gerund is a noun form (the -ing form used as a noun), so what precedes it should be possessive, not objective:

• Incorrect: I appreciate him presenting the findings.
• Correct: I appreciate his presenting the findings.
• Incorrect: The manager approved of them working overtime.
• Correct: The manager approved of their working overtime.

In informal speech, the objective form is common and widely tolerated. In formal academic and professional writing, the possessive before the gerund is the standard form.

Reflexive Pronouns vs. Possessive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns (myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, themselves) are related but serve a different function. They refer back to the subject of the clause, not to ownership. A common error is using a reflexive pronoun where a possessive or personal pronoun is correct:

• Incorrect: Please send the report to myself.
• Correct: Please send the report to me.
• Correct: I reviewed the report myself. (reflexive — I performed the action on myself)

Reflexive pronouns are used either reflexively (the subject acts on itself) or for emphasis. They should not substitute for personal or possessive pronouns.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why don't possessive pronouns use apostrophes when possessive nouns do?

Possessive pronouns evolved as a distinct grammatical set with built-in possessive meaning — they do not need the apostrophe-s that signals possession on nouns. The possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs) were specifically developed to show ownership without additional marking. Adding an apostrophe to them is applying a noun rule to a pronoun category that follows different conventions.

Is "whose" ever used for things, not just people?

Yes. Whose can function as a relative possessive for non-human antecedents when the alternative (of which) would be awkward: a policy whose implications are unclear is smoother than a policy the implications of which are unclear. This usage is standard in formal writing.

What is the difference between "mine" and "my"?

My is a possessive adjective — it modifies a noun: my report. Mine is a possessive pronoun — it stands alone, replacing a noun phrase: the report is mine. They express the same ownership relationship but function in different grammatical positions.

Can possessive pronouns be used with "of"?

Yes, in the double genitive or of-possessive construction: a colleague of mine, a friend of yours, an idea of theirs. This construction is standard in English and uses the possessive pronoun after of. It means the same as one of my colleagues but has a different emphasis. A colleague of me is incorrect; the possessive form is required after of in this construction.