A pronoun with examples explains how words substitute for nouns to show ownership, agreement in gender, and proper antecedent reference in sentence structure.
Possessive Pronouns and Ownership Rules
Possessive pronouns can also show ownership just like nouns.
- This is my car.
- Is that your car?
Use the correct form of the personal possessive pronouns and do not use an apostrophe to indicate possessions:
| Personal Pronoun Form | Possessive Pronoun / Form |
|---|---|
| My | mine |
| Your | yours |
| His | hers |
| It’s | ours |
| Theirs | whose |
- The Commission on Election failed to publish its findings.
The word "its" is not a contraction between the words it and is.
The word is used to convey the idea that the Commission on Election owns the findings. We can says then that its is a personal possessive pronoun.
It's a lovely guitar.
The word it’s in the sentence is a constriction of the words it and is. Moreover, there is no idea of ownership being expressed.
Thus, it's is not a possessive pronoun.
How to Form Possessive Indefinite Pronouns
It is necessary to use the apostrophe and s to show the possessive forms of indefinite pronoun others, the apostrophe is added at the end of s without adding an additional s.
| Singular Indefinite Possessive | Other Forms / Plural Possessive |
|---|---|
| Anyone’s job | someone's key |
| Everybody’s car | each one's privilege |
| One’s relatives | other's affairs (singular other) |
| Another’s books | others' affairs (plural others) |
How Do Pronouns Agree with Antecedents in Gender and Number?
A pronoun must agree with its antecedent as to person, number, and gender.
Classification of Gender (according to distinctions in sex)
- Masculine gender- he, him, father, son
- B. Feminine gender- she, her, daughter, sister
- C. Common gender- child, adult, cousin, neighbor
- D. Neuter gender- computer, desk, mirror, bus
When the pronouns all, any, some, and none refer to a number, they are generally regarded as plural. When they refer to quantity or to a mass, they are regarded as singular.
- All were waiting their turn. (All is plural)
- There is no bread in the box. All of it has been eaten. (All is singular)
A compound antecedent can be two antecedents connected by and.
The coach and the players agreed on their game plan. (The pronoun "their" to a compound antecedent made up of the words coach and the layers.)
In a compound antecedent, if both antecedents are singular and refer to different persons or things, the compound antecedent is considered to the plural.
This also true if at least one of the antecedents is plural. The pronoun that refers to the compound antecedent must also be plural.
- Francis and his father postponed their trip.
In the compound antecedent, if both antecedents making up the compound antecedent are singular and refer to the same person or thing, the compound antecedent is considered to be singular. The pronoun that refers to the compound antecedent must also be singular.
- The judge and executioner abhor his duties. (If the judge is also the executioner then the compound antecedent is considered to be singular. In this case, the pronoun his agrees with its antecedent in number.)
Collective noun is singular when they designate a group acting as a unit. They are plural when the members that make up the group are acting independently. The pronoun must then agree with its antecedent as to number.
Collective noun names a group of individual persons or things. It can take a singular form, although it is made up of two or more persons or things, if the collective noun acts as a unit.
| Collective Nouns (Group 1) | Collective Nouns (Group 2) |
|---|---|
| Audience | class |
| Crowd | family |
| Jury | team |
Exercise: Pronouns and Antecedents
- The class was divided in (its, their) opinion of the new president of the university.
- (Who, Whom) is speaking please?
- She and (I, me) volunteered to go to Bora cay Beach to see the white sand.
- It was (they, them) who persuaded us to see a fortune teller.
- They wanted (us, we) girls to prepare the food for the party.
- He is willing to hire (whoever, whomever) comes first.
- That was (she, her) calling in the telephone.
- Don't mind (my, me) complaining.
- (It's, its) a fact; Paula is shorter than Tinting and (I, me).
- Everyone must keep (himself, themselves) busy.
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Key Takeaways
- Possessive pronouns indicate ownership without requiring an apostrophe (e.g., mine, yours, its).
- Indefinite pronouns form possessives by placing an apostrophe at the end of s without adding an extra letter (e.g., others').
- Pronouns must consistently match their antecedents in gender, person, and number.
- Collective nouns can take singular or plural pronouns depending on whether the group acts as a single unit or independently.
Quick Practice
Test your understanding of pronoun rules by selecting the correct options for sentences #1 and #3 from the exercise above, and write your answers in the comments below!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a possessive pronoun with examples?
A possessive pronoun indicates ownership or possession without using a noun. Examples include mine, yours, his, hers, ours, and theirs.
How do you form possessive indefinite pronouns?
Indefinite pronouns show possession by adding an apostrophe after the final s without adding another s, such as in anyone's or others'.
Do collective nouns take singular or plural pronouns?
Collective nouns take singular pronouns when the group acts as a unified whole, and plural pronouns when the members act independently.