📘 Part of the Complete English Course · Beginner (A1), week 8
We use possessive words to show who something belongs to: my phone, her car, Tom's bag.
The rules
Possessive adjectives
| Person | Possessive | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I | my | My name is Leila. |
| you | your | Is this your bag? |
| he | his | His wife is a teacher. |
| she | her | Her son is five. |
| it | its | The cafe changed its name. |
| we | our | Our house is small. |
| they | their | Their kids go to my school. |
's for people
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Tom's car | the car of Tom |
| my mum's birthday | the birthday of my mum |
| the kids' room | the room of the kids (plural: s') |
Remember
- Use his for a man and her for a woman: Ali and his wife. Maria and her husband.
- Its (no apostrophe) = belonging to it. It's = it is.
- Use 's with people and animals: my sister's phone, the dog's bed.
- Whose…? asks who owns something: Whose jacket is this?
Listen and repeat
- This is my husband, Raj, and our daughter, Priya.
- Is this your seat?
- My brother's name is Sam.
- Whose phone is this? It's Lisa's.
Common mistakes
| Not this | Say this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| She loves her husband. | her for a woman. | |
| my father's car | Use 's for people. | |
| Is this your bag? | you → your. |
Check yourself
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Frequently asked questions
When do we use my / your / 's in English?
We use possessive words to show who something belongs to: my phone, her car, Tom's bag. Use his for a man and her for a woman: Ali and his wife. Maria and her husband.
What are common mistakes with my / your / 's?
Say 'She loves her husband.', not 'She loves his husband.' (her for a woman). Say 'my father's car', not 'the car of my father' (Use 's for people). Say 'Is this your bag?', not 'Is this you bag?' (you → your).
What level is this my / your / 's lesson?
It's a Beginner (A1) lesson, week 8 of the free Complete English Course. It takes about 10 minutes and ends with a quiz.