Possessive pronouns are words used to show ownership or possession. They tell us who something belongs to without repeating the noun. Possessive pronouns help make sentences shorter, clearer, and less repetitive.
For example:
- This is my book. → This book is mine.
In the first sentence, my is a possessive adjective because it comes before a noun (book). In the second sentence, mine is a possessive pronoun because it replaces the noun phrase.
Understanding possessive pronouns is important for writing and speaking English clearly.
1. What Are Possessive Pronouns?
Possessive pronouns replace nouns to show possession. They answer the question “Whose is it?”
Common possessive pronouns include:
| Subject Pronoun | Possessive Pronoun | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I | mine | The blue car is mine. |
| you | yours | The choice is yours. |
| he | his | That jacket is his. |
| she | hers | The red bag is hers. |
| it | its (rarely used alone) | The dog wagged its tail. |
| we | ours | The victory is ours. |
| they | theirs | The house is theirs. |
Examples in sentences:
- This seat is mine.
- That phone is yours.
- The responsibility is ours.
- The final decision is theirs.
Notice that possessive pronouns do not need a noun after them.
Incorrect:
- This is mine book.
Correct:
- This book is mine.
2. Possessive Pronouns vs Possessive Adjectives
Students often confuse possessive pronouns with possessive adjectives.
Possessive adjectives include:
- my
- your
- his
- her
- its
- our
- their
The key difference is that possessive adjectives must come before a noun, while possessive pronouns replace the noun.
Examples:
Possessive adjective:
- This is my car.
- That is her laptop.
- We finished our homework.
Possessive pronoun:
- This car is mine.
- That laptop is hers.
- The homework is ours.
Another comparison:
- Their house is large.
- The large house is theirs.
Using possessive pronouns avoids repeating the noun house.
3. Possessive Pronouns in Sentences
Possessive pronouns often appear after a linking verb such as is, are, was, were, or be.
Examples:
- The decision is yours.
- The credit is hers.
- The responsibility is his.
- The victory was ours.
They can also appear at the end of a sentence.
Examples:
- This book is mine.
- That umbrella is yours.
- The tickets are theirs.
In conversation, possessive pronouns are very common.
Example dialogue:
A: Is this your bag?
B: No, it isn’t mine.
A: Then whose is it?
B: I think it’s hers.
4. Independent Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns are sometimes called independent possessive pronouns because they can stand alone without a noun.
For example:
- My idea is better than yours.
- Our team played better than theirs.
- Her presentation was clearer than his.
In these sentences, the nouns are understood:
- yours = your idea
- theirs = their team
- his = his presentation
This makes English sentences more natural and less repetitive.
5. Possessive Pronouns in Comparisons
Possessive pronouns are commonly used when comparing things.
Examples:
- My car is newer than yours.
- Our school is bigger than theirs.
- His score was higher than hers.
Without possessive pronouns, the sentences would be longer:
- My car is newer than your car.
- Our school is bigger than their school.
Possessive pronouns make the sentence simpler and smoother.
6. Possessive Pronouns Do Not Use Apostrophes
A common mistake is adding an apostrophe (’) to possessive pronouns.
Possessive pronouns never use apostrophes.
Correct:
- yours
- hers
- ours
- theirs
- its
Incorrect:
- your’s
- her’s
- our’s
- their’s
Apostrophes are used for contractions, not possessive pronouns.
Example:
- it’s = it is
- its = possessive
Compare:
- The dog wagged its tail.
- It’s raining outside.
7. Special Case: “Its”
The possessive form of it is its, but it is usually used as a possessive adjective, not a pronoun.
Example:
- The company changed its policy.
Unlike others, its rarely stands alone like “mine” or “yours.”
8. Possessive Pronouns with “of”
Sometimes possessive pronouns appear with of.
Examples:
- A friend of mine called yesterday.
- That student of hers is very talented.
- A colleague of his recommended the book.
This structure is common in conversation and writing.
Example:
- A student of mine won a competition.
Meaning:
- One of my students won a competition.
9. Common Mistakes with Possessive Pronouns
1. Using possessive pronouns with nouns
Incorrect:
- This is mine car.
Correct:
- This is my car.
- This car is mine.
2. Adding apostrophes
Incorrect:
- That bag is her’s.
Correct:
- That bag is hers.
3. Confusing “its” and “it’s”
Incorrect:
- The company changed it’s policy.
Correct:
- The company changed its policy.
10. More Example Sentences
Here are additional examples of possessive pronouns in everyday English.
- This seat is mine, not yours.
- That responsibility is hers.
- The idea was his.
- The final choice is yours.
- The victory was ours after a long game.
- The house on the corner is theirs.
Short conversational examples:
A: Is this your pen?
B: No, mine is blue.
A: Whose jacket is this?
B: It’s his.
A: Are these your tickets?
B: No, they’re theirs.
Conclusion
Possessive pronouns are an important part of English grammar because they show ownership while replacing nouns. Words like mine, yours, his, hers, ours, and theirs allow speakers to avoid repeating nouns and make sentences smoother.
Key points to remember:
- Possessive pronouns show possession.
- They replace nouns, so no noun comes after them.
- They differ from possessive adjectives, which come before nouns.
- They do not use apostrophes.
- They are common in comparisons and conversations.
By practicing possessive pronouns in sentences and conversations, learners can improve both their writing and speaking fluency in English.
英語文法における所有代名詞（Possessive Pronouns）
所有代名詞（しょゆうだいめいし）は、所有（だれのものか）を表すための代名詞です。ある物が誰のものかを示すときに使われ、同じ名詞を繰り返さずに文を短く、わかりやすくする役割があります。
例：
- This is my book.
（これは私の本です。） - This book is mine.
（この本は私のものです。）
最初の文では my は名詞 book の前にあるので 所有形容詞です。
2つ目の文では mine が名詞の代わりになっているので 所有代名詞です。
所有代名詞を理解することは、英語の読み書きや会話にとても重要です。
1. 所有代名詞とは何か
所有代名詞は、名詞の代わりに使われて所有を表す言葉です。
つまり「だれのもの？」という質問に答える言葉です。
主な所有代名詞は次の通りです。
| 主格代名詞 | 所有代名詞 | 例文 |
|---|---|---|
| I | mine | The blue car is mine.（青い車は私のものです。） |
| you | yours | The choice is yours.（選択はあなたのものです。） |
| he | his | That jacket is his.（あのジャケットは彼のものです。） |
| she | hers | The red bag is hers.（赤いバッグは彼女のものです。） |
| it | its | The dog wagged its tail.（犬は自分のしっぽを振りました。） |
| we | ours | The victory is ours.（勝利は私たちのものです。） |
| they | theirs | The house is theirs.（その家は彼らのものです。） |
例文：
- This seat is mine.
（この席は私のものです。） - That phone is yours.
（その電話はあなたのものです。） - The responsibility is ours.
（その責任は私たちのものです。） - The final decision is theirs.
（最終決定は彼らのものです。）
所有代名詞の後には名詞は必要ありません。
誤り：
- This is mine book.
正しい文：
- This book is mine.
2. 所有代名詞と所有形容詞の違い
英語学習者はよく所有代名詞と所有形容詞を混同します。
所有形容詞には次のようなものがあります。
- my
- your
- his
- her
- its
- our
- their
大きな違いは、
- 所有形容詞は必ず名詞の前に置く
- 所有代名詞は名詞の代わりになる
という点です。
例：
所有形容詞：
- This is my car.
- That is her laptop.
- We finished our homework.
所有代名詞：
- This car is mine.
- That laptop is hers.
- The homework is ours.
別の例：
- Their house is large.
（彼らの家は大きい。） - The large house is theirs.
（その大きな家は彼らのものです。）
所有代名詞を使うことで、同じ名詞を繰り返さなくてよくなります。
3. 文の中での所有代名詞
所有代名詞はよくbe動詞の後に使われます。
例：
- The decision is yours.
- The credit is hers.
- The responsibility is his.
- The victory was ours.
また、文の最後にもよく置かれます。
例：
- This book is mine.
- That umbrella is yours.
- The tickets are theirs.
会話でも非常によく使われます。
会話例：
A: Is this your bag?
（これはあなたのバッグですか？）
B: No, it isn’t mine.
（いいえ、私のではありません。）
A: Then whose is it?
（では、誰のものですか？）
B: I think it’s hers.
（彼女のものだと思います。）
4. 独立所有代名詞
所有代名詞は 独立所有代名詞 と呼ばれることもあります。
これは、名詞なしで単独で使えるからです。
例：
- My idea is better than yours.
（私の考えはあなたのものより良い。） - Our team played better than theirs.
（私たちのチームは彼らのチームよりよくプレーした。） - Her presentation was clearer than his.
（彼女のプレゼンは彼のものよりわかりやすかった。）
これらの文では、名詞が省略されています。
- yours = your idea
- theirs = their team
- his = his presentation
英語ではこのようにすることで、自然で簡潔な文章になります。
5. 比較での所有代名詞
所有代名詞は比較文でもよく使われます。
例：
- My car is newer than yours.
（私の車はあなたの車より新しい。） - Our school is bigger than theirs.
（私たちの学校は彼らの学校より大きい。） - His score was higher than hers.
（彼の点数は彼女の点数より高かった。）
もし所有代名詞を使わない場合：
- My car is newer than your car.
所有代名詞を使うと、文が短く自然になります。
6. 所有代名詞にはアポストロフィーを使わない
よくある間違いは、所有代名詞に**アポストロフィー（’）**を付けることです。
所有代名詞にはアポストロフィーを使いません。
正しい形：
- yours
- hers
- ours
- theirs
- its
誤り：
- your’s
- her’s
- our’s
- their’s
アポストロフィーは短縮形に使われます。
例：
- it’s = it is
- its = 所有
例：
- The dog wagged its tail.
（犬はしっぽを振った。） - It’s raining outside.
（雨が降っています。）
7. 「its」の特別な使い方
its は it の所有形です。しかし多くの場合、所有代名詞ではなく所有形容詞として使われます。
例：
- The company changed its policy.
（その会社は方針を変えました。）
他の所有代名詞（mine や yours）のように単独で使われることはあまりありません。
8. 「of」と一緒に使う所有代名詞
所有代名詞は of と一緒に使われることもあります。
例：
- A friend of mine called yesterday.
（私の友人の一人が昨日電話してきました。） - That student of hers is very talented.
（彼女の生徒の一人はとても才能があります。） - A colleague of his recommended the book.
（彼の同僚の一人がその本を勧めました。）
例：
- A student of mine won a competition.
（私の生徒の一人が大会で優勝しました。）
9. よくある間違い
① 所有代名詞の後に名詞を置く
誤り：
- This is mine car.
正しい文：
- This is my car.
- This car is mine.
② アポストロフィーを付ける
誤り：
- That bag is her’s.
正しい文：
- That bag is hers.
③ its と it’s を混同する
誤り：
- The company changed it’s policy.
正しい文：
- The company changed its policy.
10. 追加の例文
日常英語での例：
- This seat is mine, not yours.
（この席は私のもので、あなたのではありません。） - That responsibility is hers.
（その責任は彼女のものです。） - The idea was his.
（そのアイデアは彼のものでした。） - The final choice is yours.
（最終的な選択はあなたのものです。） - The victory was ours after a long game.
（長い試合の後、勝利は私たちのものになりました。） - The house on the corner is theirs.
（角の家は彼らのものです。）
会話例：
A: Is this your pen?
（これはあなたのペンですか？）
B: No, mine is blue.
（いいえ、私のは青です。）
A: Whose jacket is this?
（これは誰のジャケットですか？）
B: It’s his.
（彼のものです。）
A: Are these your tickets?
（これらはあなたのチケットですか？）
B: No, they’re theirs.
（いいえ、彼らのものです。）
まとめ
所有代名詞は、所有（だれのものか）を示しながら名詞の代わりになる重要な文法項目です。
mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs などの言葉を使うことで、同じ名詞を繰り返さずに自然な英語を作ることができます。
重要なポイント：
- 所有代名詞は所有を表す
- 名詞の代わりに使う
- 所有形容詞とは役割が違う
- アポストロフィーは使わない
- 比較文や会話でよく使われる
所有代名詞をしっかり練習することで、英語の会話力や文章力を大きく向上させることができます。
