A pronoun is a part of speech that is used instead of a name. Not "Peter Vasilyevich", but "he", not "the author of these lines", but "I". Possessive pronouns, just like personal pronouns, allow you to make a message more concise. Compare: “Peter Vasilyevich’s shoes” and “his shoes”. in English, as well as in Russian, they answer the questions “whose” (Whose?), “to whom does it belong?”.

This is my hat. - This is my hat.

Her cat trampled on my tulips! - Her cat trampled on my tulips!

Your offer is very attractive, but I've already found the job. - Your offer is very attractive, but I have already found a job.

Types of pronouns

Possessive pronouns in English can be divided into two large groups depending on what kind of grammatical form they take - absolute or relative. Pronouns in absolute form are quite independent, while relative pronouns cannot be used autonomously - only before a noun.

Compare:

This is my suitcase (This is my suitcase). - This suitcase is mine (This suitcase is mine).

As you can see, in Russian the form of the pronoun has not changed. In both cases, we use the same word - "my". However, these two sentences have a different semantic emphasis. The second statement is more categorical. But it's not only that. An independent possessive pronoun is often necessary in order not to clutter up speech with unnecessary repetition. For example, take this dialogue:

No, it is not my car. (No, this is not my car.).

And now another version of the same dialogue:

Is it your car? (This is your car?).

No, it is not mine. (No, not mine.).

And if two people know what they are talking about, then the dialogue can look even shorter.

Is it yours? (This yours?).

No, it isn't mine. (No, not mine).

Relative possessive pronouns in English, as already mentioned, are used only before nouns. There are several subtleties: if there is a pronoun, then the article is no longer needed. A pronoun can be followed by another adjective. For example: my funny red ball is my funny ringing ball. However, there are two adjectives that are used before relative possessive pronouns: both (both) and all (all). For example: All my balls are red (All my balls are red).

A summary table of pronouns in English is given below.

Personal pronouns	Possessive pronouns (relative form)	Possessive pronouns (absolute form)	Example
I	my	mine	I am a musician. This is my violin. The violin is mine.
We	our	ours	We are students. This is our room. That computer is ours.
You	your	yours	You are a student. Is that book yours? Is that your book?
He	his	his	He is a freelancer. This is his site. This site is his.
She	her	hers	She is playing her violin. The violin is hers.
It	its	its	It is a cat. This is its house and this mat is its.
They	their	theirs	They are good friends. They are walking with their children. Children are theirs.

Main difficulties

Learning forms is usually easy, just like understanding and translating English texts. But with the reverse translation, from Russian into English, some difficulties arise. For example, "I called him" and "this is his hat." It would seem that we see here two completely identical words - “his”. But can we translate them the same way? If you understand the essence of possessive pronouns well, then you will not get confused in this situation. The possessive pronoun is used here only in the second case. Whose hat is this? - His. That is - his. But in the sentence “I called him,” the pronoun in no way characterizes ownership. This is a pronoun in the genitive case, answering the question "who?", respectively, here you need to use the pronoun he in the genitive case - him.

There is another common mistake. In Russian there is a universal pronoun "his". There is no such thing in English, we will say instead of “ours” - her, instead of “ours” - theirs, and so on. And what is important, this pronoun in some cases replaces the definite article, especially before nouns that mean personal things, close people or parts of the body. For example, "He put on his glasses." As you can see, we consider it superfluous to indicate that he put on his own glasses. This is implied. When building a phrase in English, we must use either a possessive pronoun before the word points. In this case, it is the pronoun that will sound more natural. He puts on his glasses.

How to learn possessive pronouns in English

On the advice of experienced teachers, it will not be difficult to study grammar if you follow these rules: do not rush, analyze all the grammatical rules with examples, and make tables yourself. In fact, pronouns are one of the simplest topics that the English language contains. Exercises in which possessive pronouns are repeated in one form or another can be found in a wide variety of tasks. The main exercise to consolidate the above material, which is found in textbooks or tests, is sentences with missing words, where you need to insert the correct form of the possessive pronoun. In most cases, to master this topic, it is enough to complete 4-5 of these exercises and analyze several texts.

We quite often use in our speech, both in Russian and in English. Why do you think? Yes, because without them we will not be able to say who or what the object or object belongs to. They indicate ownership and answer the question Whose? - Whose? Whose? Whose? Whose? By the way, in English, possessive pronouns are used even more often than in Russian. In some cases, we can skip the pronoun, but in English it needs to be put. For example:

She put her gloves in her pocket.
She put her gloves in her pocket.

Possessive pronouns in English correspond to personal pronouns. They have two forms - attached and absolute.

Attached form

This form of possessive pronouns is called attached, since it is used only together with a noun, as if joining it: possessive pronoun + noun. Such a pronoun is an attribute to a noun and always comes before it. The article is not used in this case.

This is my dog.
it my dog.

Yesterday I saw your sister.
Yesterday I saw your sister.

Their children are at school now.
Them the kids are at school now.

If there are other definitions before the noun, then the possessive pronoun precedes the whole phrase:

Where's your new green folder?
Where your new green folder?

If the sentence contains the words all or both, then the possessive pronouns are placed after them:

Both her daughters are married.
Both her daughters are married.

All my friends have cars.
Everyone has my friends have cars.

It is worth remembering that in English there is no pronoun "one's own". One of the possessive pronouns is used instead:

He loves his wife.
He loves his his) wife.

I met my friend.
I met my my) friend.

As we said earlier, in some cases in Russian, possessive pronouns are omitted. This happens when we talk about our relatives, body parts, clothing or personal items. But in English, in such cases, the possessive pronoun is mandatory:

My mother came to me.
Mom came to me.

I washed my hands.
I washed my hands.

Absolute form

If a possessive pronoun is used without a noun, actually replacing it, then it is put in the absolute form. This form is used to avoid repetition of already named nouns.

This is my car and that is yours.
This is my car, and that one yours.

Whose glasses are that? – It's mine.
Whose glasses are these? - My.

In a sentence, such a pronoun can be

• subject to:

Our house is small and theirs is big.
Our house is small them- big.

Is this your dog? - no, mine is at home.
Is it your dog? - Not, my at home.

• nominal part of the predicate:

These are my children and those are hers.
These are my children, and those her.

Here is my wife. And where is yours?
Here is my wife. And where your?

• addition:

His daughter is older than yours.
His daughter is older than yours.

Your place is not far from mine.
Your home is not far from my.

Since possessive pronouns are used quite often in English, you need to know them and be able to put them into practice. To apply your new knowledge in conversational speech, check out the channel "English - Speak Freely!", where people from different countries hone their English. We are waiting for you on the air!

Here you can take a lesson on the topic: Possessive pronouns and the possessive case in English. Possessive Pronouns and Possessive Case.

In this lesson, we will look at another group of English pronouns called possessives, as well as other ways of indicating possession in English.

Possessive pronouns occupy a special place in the classification of English pronouns. They indicate belonging and answer the question whose? (whose?) . The function of possessive pronouns is to define a noun. Sometimes they are used in a special form and without nouns, but still indicate belonging to someone. For example:

It "s my house. - This is my house. (Whose?)
It "s mine. - This is mine (whose?)

I. Thus, English possessives have 2 forms:
- main (used before nouns)
- absolute (used independently)

Let's look at each form in more detail.

1. Main form possessive pronouns:

my /mai/ - mine
your / jɔ: / - yours / yours
his /hiz/ - his
her /hз:/ - her
our /"auə/ - our
their /ðзə/ - their

Possessive pronouns in the main form are used before nouns as a determiner, thereby eliminating the need for an article. Also sometimes, to distinguish from the absolute form, they are called "possessive adjectives". In many English sentences, depending on the context, these pronouns can be translated as "one's own". Here are some examples of the use of basic possessive pronouns:

Jane is her sister. Jane is her sister.
It "s raining outside. Take your umbrella. - It's raining outside. Take / those of your / your (your) umbrella.
Please meet my husband. - Please, meet my husband.
Their son is so rude. “Their son is such a brute.
The mouse is carrying its cheese. - The mouse carries her (his) cheese.

Quite often, the basic form of possessive pronouns is confused with personal pronouns in the objective case. (my - me, your - you, his - him, etc.) However, the difference is that personal object pronouns correspond to the accusative (whom? what?) or dative case (to whom? what?), while the possessive ones correspond to the special possessive case (whose?), which is absent in Russian. Below is a table of personal and possessive pronouns for comparison, as well as examples of usage:

Tell me (OM*) more about your (PM*) studies. - Tell me more about your (your) studies.
give me (OM) my (PM) coat. I "m leaving. - Give me my raincoat. I'm leaving.
The food in their shop is always fresh. - The food in their store is always fresh.
Look at them! They think it's funny. - Look at them! They think it's funny.
Let her play! It "s her turn. - Let her play! Her turn.

It can be seen from the examples that even with external similarity, and sometimes complete coincidence in spelling, the object and possessive cases differ in meaning. The possessive case always implies ownership (my coat is my cloak, her turn is her turn, etc.)

* OM=objective pronoun, PM=possessive pronoun.

Possessive pronouns in the basic form are often used in English proverbs. For example:

The cobbler should stick to his last. - The shoemaker needs to hold on to his last. / Feet feed the wolf's legs.
My house is my castle. - My home is my castle.
Stretch your arm no further than your sleeve will reach. - Extend your arm along the length of your sleeve. / Live not the way you want, but the way you can.
You cannot judge a tree by its bark. - You can't judge a tree by its bark./ Appearances are deceiving.
You made your bed, now lie in it. - As you make a bed for yourself, lie down in it. / He made porridge himself, and disentangle it himself.

2. Absolute form possessive pronouns:

mine /main/ - mine
yours / jɔ: z / - yours / yours
his /hiz/ - his
hers /hз:z/ - her
its /its/ - his/her (inanimate)
ours /"auəz/ - our
theirs /ðзəz/ - their

Absolute possessive pronouns are also called "independent" because, unlike basic ones, they are used in sentences. no nouns. For example:

Is that his car? -No, it's mine. - Is that his car? - No, she's mine.

The functions of the possessive pronouns of the absolute form are varied. In sentences, they can act as subject, object or nominal part of the predicate. For example:

I don "t like the food in this restaurant. Ours is much better. - I don't like the food in this restaurant. Ours is much better. (subject)
Liza's hair is much longer than mine. - Lisa's hair is much longer than mine. (Supplement)
Whose is this dog? - It "s theirs. - Whose dog is this? - Theirs. (nominal part of the predicate)

Sometimes you can find the absolute form of possessive pronouns and in folk wisdom For example in statements:

Roll my log and I will roll yours. / Scratch my back and I "ll scratch yours. - Roll my log, and I'll shake yours. / Scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours. / You - to me, I - to you.

II. Besides possessive pronouns, there is another way to express possessive(Possessive case) in English: using an apostrophe (") and the letter "s" at the end of the word indicating the owner. For example:

This is Richard's office. - This is Richard's office.
Lena is Natalia "s daughter. - Lena is Natalia's daughter.
Spring is Sean's favorite season. - Spring is Sean's favorite season.

You can also use the preposition "of" to make it possessive, but it will sound a bit sloppy when referring to people. But about the accessories of inanimate things or animals, this is the best choice. For example:

This is the office of Richard./ Lena is the daughter of Natalia./ Spring is the favorite season of Sean. (not quite right)
This is the beginning of the story. (correct) - This is the beginning of the story.
The windows of this room are shut. (correct) - The windows of this room are closed.

The possessive "s" can also be used when talking about organizations or a group of people. The preposition "of" can also be used in this case. For example:

The company's success depends on its staff. = The success of the company depends on its staff. - The success of a company depends on its staff.
The government's decision is to sign a treaty. = The decision of the government is to sign a waste. - The government's decision is to sign the agreement.

There are cases when nouns in the possessive case are already end with "s", then at the end of the word is added just an apostrophe ("). For example:

The Browns "children are well-behaved. - The Browns children know how to behave well.
My brothers "rooms are always messy. - My brothers' rooms are always messy.

Possessive nouns, like pronouns, can sometimes be used in absolute form. For example:

I don "t like Tom" s garden but I like Ann "s. - I don't like Tom's garden, but I like Anin.

As a result, it should be noted that the possessive case has been used in English since ancient times, as evidenced by national folklore. Yes, in many English proverbs using "s to express possessiveness:

Beauty lies in lover "s eyes. - Beauty is in the eyes of a lover.
Calamity is man "s true touchstone. - Grief is the best way to test a person. / A person is known in trouble.
As plain as the nose on a man "s face. - As obvious as the nose on a person's face. / Clear as God's day.
Children are poor men "s riches. - Children are the wealth of the poor.

Thus, we have considered another large group of English pronouns, along with the features of the possessive case. Read sentences, repeat pronouns, and put theory into practice. This will bring good results.

Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5

It may seem that they are one and the same, but this is a deep delusion. We think that this is probably how it should be, because in the native language in two phrases different in meaning, the same word is used: “ his coat" and "meet his In the underground". But in English, two different kinds of pronouns are used here. Oh, how lucky we are with Russian!

Object and possessive pronouns in English. What is the difference?

Let's see what they look like first object and possessive pronouns in English.

If we pay attention to examples of possessive pronouns in English, we will see that they are found in tandem with nouns.

1. His father was very angry. “His father was very angry.

2. My pencil isn't broken. My pencil is not broken.

3. Where are their children? – Where are their children?

4. We want to see our results! We want to see our results!

5. Who is her husband? - Who is her husband?

6. What is your name? – What is your name? (literal translation)

The task of the so-called "object pronouns" to complement the verb (action), that is, to be an “object”. In other words, object and possessive pronouns in English perform different roles in a sentence.

Object pronouns in English table with examples

To sort out this confusion, nothing less than " object pronouns in English table with examples».

pronoun	example	translation
	Give this bag to me !	Give me that bag!
	He is willing to call you .	He is ready to call you.
	talk to him .	Talk to him.
	I didn't see her yesterday.	I didn't see her yesterday.
	They don't love us .	They do not like us.
Them	I want to invite them to the party.	I want to invite them to a party.
	Nobody is watching TV. turn it off!	Nobody watches TV. Turn off His!

Object pronouns in English table showed us that in this case we are not talking about expressing the belonging of an object to something or someone. In such sentences, we specify to whom or what the speaker's action is directed to. It turns out something like this.

Possessive pronouns + noun

Verb + object pronouns

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As you know, all parts of speech are divided into independent and auxiliary. As in Russian, pronouns in English belong to an independent part of speech, which denotes an object or is its attribute, but does not name persons and objects directly. These words do not name relations and properties, they do not give a spatial or temporal characteristic.

Pronouns (Pronouns) in English replace the noun, which is why they are called “in place of the name” - He, you, it. These words can also be used instead of an adjective - Such, that, these. As in Russian, so in English, there are a lot of such lexical units, but it is necessary to know them and use them correctly. Therefore, we proceed directly to the study.

According to their meaning, Pronouns can be classified into several groups. I suggest that you familiarize yourself with this classification and the features of each of the groups:

Personal (Personal) - the most important and common pronouns. In a sentence, they act as the subject. And the word "I (I)" is always capitalized, regardless of whether it is at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence. And the pronoun you (you, you) expresses both the plural and the singular.

It should also be remembered that lexemes he (he) and she (she) use when they want to designate an animated person, and it- to refer to animals, abstract concepts and inanimate objects. BUT "they" It is used both for inanimate objects and for animate persons.

Personal pronouns in English are declined by case. In the case when they play the role of a subject in a sentence, they are in the nominative case, and when they play the role of an object, they are in the object case. To make it clearer to you, study the table

Face	Nominative case		Objective case
	Singular
1	I	I	me	me, me
2	you	you	you	you, you
3	he	he	him	him, his
	she	she is	her	her, her
	it	it, he, she	it	him, her, him, her
	Plural
1	we	we	us	us, us
2	you	you	you	you, you
3	they	they	them	them, them

Possessive pronouns

English possessive pronouns (Possessive) we discussed in detail in the previous article. But still, let me remind you that they express belonging, have two forms - an adjective and a noun, answer the question “Whose?” and do not change in numbers. There is also a special absolute form. Look at the table, how Possessive Pronouns are declined:

pronouns
the form	personal	possessive	absolute
unit. number	I he she it	my his her its	mine his hers her its his/her
Plural number	we you they	our your their	ours yours theirs

Demonstrative pronouns in English

Demonstrative or demonstrative - point to a person or object. Demonstrative pronouns in English do not change by gender, but decline by number, that is, they have singular and plural forms. Wherein " this"They call an object that is next to the speaker, and the word" that” denotes an object located at a considerable distance.

In addition, “that” can be translated into Russian as “this, this”. Demonstrative pronouns in English in a sentence can act as a subject, object, attribute or noun.

Reflexive pronouns in English

Reflexive or reflexive - express a reflexive meaning, show that the action is directed to the actor himself, therefore, reflexive pronouns in English in a sentence correspond in form to the subject.

Their distinguishing feature is that they end in "- self"in the singular or "- selves" in plural)". In Russian, this is the verbal suffix “-sya (-s)” or the pronoun “himself (himself, himself, himself)”: He cut himself - He cut himself

Singular		Plural
myself		ourselves
yourself		yourselves	yourself (themselves)
himself	himself (himself)	themselves
herself
itself
oneself indefinite personal form

Indefinite pronouns in English

Indefinite is one of the most numerous groups of English pronouns. In sentences, nouns and adjectives can be replaced. Indefinite pronouns in English can be conditionally divided into words, formed from “no” (no, not at all), “any” (any, a few, a little) and “some” (a few, a little).

no		any		some
noone/nobody	nobody	anyone/anybody	someone/someone, anyone	someone/somebody	somebody/someone
nothing	nothing	anything	something/something, whatever	something	something
nowhere	nowhere	anywhere	somewhere/somewhere, anywhere/anywhere	somewhere	somewhere
		anyhow	somehow / somehow, somehow	somehow	somehow / somehow
		any day/any time	whenever	some time/some day	someday

Other Indefinite Pronouns include: every, each, both, all, few, little, many, much.

Interrogative pronouns in English

Interrogatives are very similar to relative ones, but perform completely different functions in a sentence where they are subject, adjective or object: Who is there? - Who's there? Sometimes they can be a nominal part of the predicate. Interrogative pronouns in English are also called "question words":

• who? - who?
• which? - which the?
• whom? - whom? to whom?
• where? - where?
• what? - what?
• whose? - whose?
• when? - when?
• why? - why?

Other pronouns

We have looked at the main and more numerous pronouns in more detail, but there are other groups of pronouns in English:

• Universal: all, both, everyone, everybody, everything, every, either, each
• Dividers: another, other
• Negative: no, nobody, nothing, no one, neither, none
• Relative: that, which, whose, who