English Language Arts
Grade 9
15 min
Use possessive pronouns
Use possessive pronouns
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1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify possessive pronouns and differentiate them from possessive adjectives in complex sentences.
Correctly use possessive pronouns to avoid ambiguity and repetition in thesis-driven essays.
Eliminate common errors, such as using apostrophes in possessive pronouns (e.g., 'its' vs. 'it's', 'theirs' vs. 'their's').
Analyze how an author's use of possessive pronouns (e.g., 'our' vs. 'their') develops themes of belonging or exclusion in a literary text.
Apply the rule of using possessive forms before gerunds to enhance sentence structure and formal tone.
Revise sentences to ensure every possessive pronoun has a clear and logical antecedent.
Whose argument is it, anyway? 🤔 The tiny...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Possessive PronounA pronoun that replaces a noun phrase to show ownership or possession. It stands alone and does not modify a noun.The book is mine. (Here, 'mine' replaces 'my book'.) The other forms are yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs.
Possessive Adjective (or Determiner)A word that modifies a noun to show ownership. It always comes before the noun it describes.That is my book. (Here, 'my' describes the noun 'book'.) The other forms are your, his, her, its, our, their.
AntecedentThe noun or noun phrase that a pronoun refers to. A pronoun must always have a clear antecedent to avoid confusion.In 'The student submitted her essay,' the antecedent of 'her' is 'student'.
ContractionA shortened for...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The No-Apostrophe Rule
Possessive pronouns never use an apostrophe.
This is the most common source of error. Words like 'yours,' 'hers,' 'ours,' 'theirs,' and 'its' show possession on their own. An apostrophe in a pronoun almost always signals a contraction (e.g., it's = it is; who's = who is).
Pronoun vs. Adjective Function
Use a possessive adjective (my, your, her) before a noun. Use a possessive pronoun (mine, yours, hers) to replace a noun.
Choose the form based on the sentence's structure. If a noun follows, use the adjective form. If the word stands alone as the subject or object, use the pronoun form. (e.g., 'That is her argument.' vs. 'That argument is hers.')
Possessives Before...
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Challenging
In a story, the narrator describes the wealthy inhabitants of a mansion, stating, 'They moved through the halls with an assurance that the world was theirs.' How does the author's use of the possessive pronoun 'theirs' develop a theme of exclusion?
A.It shows that the inhabitants are confused about what they own.
B.It suggests the inhabitants share their world with everyone.
C.It establishes a clear boundary between the inhabitants (us) and everyone else (them), implying non-inhabitants do not belong.
D.It avoids repetition by replacing the phrase 'the inhabitants' world'.
Challenging
A student wrote this sentence for a formal rhetorical analysis essay: 'The audience was moved by him delivering the speech with such passion.' Which revision best applies the rule of using possessives before gerunds to enhance the formal tone?
A.The audience was moved by his delivering the speech with such passion.
B.The audience was moved by he who was delivering the speech with such passion.
C.The audience was moved by his delivery of the speech with such passion.
D.The audience was moved when he delivered the speech with such passion.
Challenging
Evaluate the following thesis statements. Which one most effectively uses possessive pronouns to achieve clarity, conciseness, and a strong analytical voice?
A.In 'The Great Gatsby,' Gatsby's dream is a critique of the American Dream, and his dream's failure reveals its emptiness.
B.In 'The Great Gatsby,' Gatsby's dream serves as a critique of the American Dream; its failure reveals the latter's inherent emptiness.
C.In 'The Great Gatsby,' Gatsby has a dream that is a critique of the American Dream, and the failure of his dream reveals the emptiness of it.
D.In 'The Great Gatsby,' Gatsby's dream and the American Dream are critiqued, and their failures reveal their emptiness.
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