Possessive Adjectives - Meaning, Definition and Examples

Like possessive nouns and possessive pronouns, possessive adjectives are also used to show possession or ownership of a particular object. To learn more about possessive adjectives, its meaning, definition, usage, and examples, check out the topics given below.

Table of Contents

• What Are Possessive Adjectives?
  • Definition of a Possessive Adjective
• Examples of Possessive Adjectives
• Difference between Possessive Adjectives and Possessive Pronouns
• Check Your Understanding of Possessive Adjectives
• Frequently Asked Questions on Possessive Adjectives in English

What Are Possessive Adjectives?

Any word that is used to describe the ownership or possession of something by someone can be called a possessive adjective.

Definition of a Possessive Adjective

A possessive adjective, according to the Collins Dictionary, is “an adjective such as ‘my’ or ‘your’ which shows who or what something belongs to or is connected with”. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a possessive adjective is “a pronominal adjective expressing possession”.

Examples of Possessive Adjectives

Learning how to use possessive adjectives effectively is vital. All you need to understand is that possessive adjectives are meant to describe the nouns that act as the subject or object in a sentence. The examples given below will definitely help you out.

• Ram is my brother.
• Mikki told me that he met your son in Chennai.
• Can you please fill my water bottle?
• We travelled to Bangalore in my sedan car.
• Did you pick up your bag from the deposit counter?
• My laptop is broken and has to be serviced.
• Aldrin and I went to Tambaram on his bike.
• Her father is working as a heavy vehicle mechanic in Saudi Arabia.
• Sanju borrowed my red shirt as it was the dress code for an event.
• Shadow is their pet dog.

Difference between Possessive Adjectives and Possessive Pronouns

There are only a few points that differentiate a possessive adjective from a possessive pronoun. Once you know how to identify the difference, everything else becomes easy.

Check Your Understanding of Possessive Adjectives

Fill in the blanks with appropriate possessive adjectives in the following sentences:

1. Have you met ______ father? Don’t I look just like him?.

2. Sid bought a new bike. Did you see _____ new bike?

3. Mazeeka and Gowtham are getting married. _________ wedding reception begins at 5 p.m. tomorrow.

4. We just moved into the locality recently and found that nobody likes _______ neighbour.

5. ________ English teacher asked us to complete the grammar exercises on possessive adjectives before Friday.

6. ________ house in Ooty is a farmhouse. He goes there every summer.

7. Sharanya is leaving tomorrow. Do you know when ______ flight to London is?

8. I have to buy some acrylic colours to finish _____ painting.

9. Did you ask her where _______ husband works?

10. Can you bring ______ certificate file when you come?

Let us find out if you have understood how to use possessive adjectives.

1. Have you met my father? Don’t I look just like him?

2. Sid bought a new bike. Did you see his new bike?

3. Mazeeka and Gowtham are getting married. Their wedding reception begins at 5 p.m. tomorrow.

4. We just moved into the locality recently and found that nobody likes our neighbour.

5. Our English teacher asked us to complete the grammar exercises on possessive adjectives before Friday.

6. His house in Ooty is a farmhouse. He goes there every summer.

7. Sharanya is leaving tomorrow. Do you know when her flight to London is?

8. I have to buy some acrylic colours to finish my painting.

9. Did you ask her where her husband works?

10. Can you bring my certificate file when you come?