English Language Arts
Grade 11
15 min
Use possessive pronouns
Use possessive pronouns
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1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Distinguish between possessive pronouns (mine, yours) and possessive determiners (my, your) in analytical writing.
Correctly use possessive pronouns before gerunds to enhance sentence clarity and formality.
Eliminate ambiguity by ensuring every possessive pronoun has a clear and logical antecedent.
Correctly use possessive forms of indefinite pronouns (e.g., everyone's, somebody's) in synthesis essays.
Differentiate between and correctly apply contractions (it's, who's) and possessive pronouns (its, whose).
Revise complex sentences to correct common errors in possessive pronoun usage, improving the overall precision of their literary analysis.
Is it 'the credit is all her's' or 'the credit is all hers'? 🤔 Mast...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Possessive PronounA pronoun that demonstrates ownership and replaces a noun. It stands alone and is not followed by another noun.The critique of the American Dream is hers. (Hers replaces 'her critique'). Other examples: mine, yours, his, its, ours, theirs.
Possessive Determiner (or Possessive Adjective)A word that demonstrates ownership but functions as an adjective, modifying a noun or gerund that follows it.Her critique of the American Dream is insightful. (Her modifies 'critique'). Other examples: my, your, his, her, its, our, their.
AntecedentThe noun or noun phrase that a pronoun refers to. A clear antecedent is essential for avoiding ambiguity.In *The Great Gatsby*, Daisy fails to take responsibility for her actions. ('Daisy' is t...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The No-Apostrophe Rule for Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns (hers, yours, ours, theirs, its, whose) never use an apostrophe.
This is a common source of error, especially with 'its' vs. 'it's'. The apostrophe in a pronoun almost always signals a contraction (it's = it is; who's = who is). Possessive pronouns show ownership without needing an apostrophe.
Possessives Before Gerunds
Use a possessive determiner (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) or a possessive noun (Gatsby's) before a gerund.
In formal academic writing, the possessive form is required to modify a gerund that is acting as a noun. This clarifies that the action (the gerund) itself is what is being possessed or discussed. For example, 'The author disapproves of...
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Easy
Which of the following sentences correctly uses the possessive pronoun 'its'?
A.Its a common theme in American literature to explore the loss of innocence.
B.The committee presented it's findings on the novel's historical accuracy.
C.In Faulkner's prose, the town of Yoknapatawpha reveals its complex social structure.
D.The book is old; its' cover is faded and worn.
Easy
Identify the sentence that correctly uses the word 'whose'.
A.The author, whose work often critiques consumerism, is a key figure in postmodern literature.
B.Who's going to analyze the final chapter of *The Great Gatsby*?
C.The critic, who's opinion is widely respected, praised the new biography.
D.I need to find out whose responsible for organizing the study group.
Easy
According to the 'No-Apostrophe Rule' for possessive pronouns, which of the following is written incorrectly?
A.The responsibility is all yours.
B.The decision was theirs to make.
C.The book on the desk is hers.
D.That opinion of our's is not popular.
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