English Language Arts
Grade 7
15 min
Use possessive pronouns
Use possessive pronouns
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify possessive pronouns in various texts.
Distinguish between possessive pronouns (both adjective and absolute forms) and contractions.
Correctly match possessive pronouns with their antecedents in terms of number and gender.
Use possessive pronouns to clarify ownership and avoid vague pronoun references in their writing.
Revise sentences to replace vague pronoun references with appropriate possessive pronouns.
Explain the importance of clear pronoun references in effective communication.
Apply possessive pronoun rules in their own narrative and analytical writing.
Have you ever read a sentence and wondered, 'Whose is that?' or 'Who does that belong to?' 🤔 Unclear ownership can make writing confusing!
In this lesson, you'...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
PronounA word that replaces a noun or noun phrase to avoid repetition.Instead of 'Sarah went to Sarah's house,' we say 'Sarah went to *her* house.'
AntecedentThe noun or noun phrase that a pronoun refers back to.In 'The dog wagged *its* tail,' 'dog' is the antecedent for 'its'.
Possessive Pronoun (Adjective Form)A pronoun that shows ownership and modifies a noun, acting like an adjective. These are: my, your, his, her, its, our, their.*My* book is on the table. (modifies 'book')
Possessive Pronoun (Absolute Form)A pronoun that shows ownership and stands alone, replacing a noun phrase. These are: mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs.The book on the table is *mine*. (replaces 'my book')
Vague Pr...
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Key Rules & Conventions
Identify Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns indicate ownership. They come in two forms: adjective forms (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) which modify nouns, and absolute forms (mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs) which stand alone.
Recognize these specific words to understand who or what owns something. Remember 'his' can be both an adjective form and an absolute form.
Match Possessive Pronouns to Antecedents
A possessive pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number (singular or plural) and gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter).
If the antecedent is singular and feminine (e.g., 'Maria'), use 'her' or 'hers'. If it's plural (e.g., 'the team'), use 'their' or 'theirs'. This ensures cla...
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Challenging
Read the sentence: 'The committee, after a long debate, could not agree on its final decision, so the members recorded their individual votes.' Why are both 'its' and 'their' used correctly here?
A.'Its' refers to the committee acting as a single unit, while 'their' refers to the members acting as individuals.
B.'Its' is a mistake and should be 'their' in both cases.
C.'Their' is a mistake and should be 'its' in both cases.
D.'Its' refers to the debate, and 'their' refers to the committee.
Challenging
In a mystery story, a detective finds a notebook at a crime scene. The author writes: 'The detective read the journal. He found a clue about his partner.' This creates a vague reference. Which revision best uses a possessive pronoun to build suspense by clarifying ownership without revealing too much?
A.The detective read the journal. He found a clue about the partner's secret.
B.The detective read the journal. Inside, he found a clue about his own partner.
C.The detective read the journal. He found a clue about the victim's partner.
D.The detective read the journal. Its pages contained a clue about his partner.
Challenging
A student is taught that possessive pronouns must agree in number with their antecedent. They write: 'The jury delivered their verdict.' While 'their' is commonly used, why might a grammar purist argue that 'its' is more technically correct in this specific context?
A.Because 'jury' is always a plural noun.
B.Because the jury is acting as a single, unified body to deliver one verdict, so it should be treated as a singular antecedent.
C.Because 'verdict' is a singular noun, so the pronoun must be singular.
D.Because 'their' can only refer to people, not a group like a jury.
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