What is the Difference Between Possessive Pronouns and Possessive Adjectives?

The main difference between possessive pronouns and possessive adjectives lies in their function within a sentence:

1. Possessive Pronouns: These are used to replace nouns, indicating ownership or possession without being followed by a noun. Examples include mine, yours, ours, his, hers, its, and theirs. For instance, "This book is mine" or "These shoes are yours."
2. Possessive Adjectives: Also called possessive determiners, these are used to modify nouns, indicating ownership or possession. They are followed by a noun. Examples include my, your, our, his, her, its, and their. For instance, "This is my book" or "These are your shoes."

In summary:

• Possessive pronouns replace nouns and stand alone (e.g., mine, yours, ours).
• Possessive adjectives modify nouns and are followed by a noun (e.g., my, your, our).

Comparative Table: Possessive Pronouns vs Possessive Adjectives

Here is a table comparing possessive pronouns and possessive adjectives:

Both possessive pronouns and possessive adjectives show ownership, but they are used differently in sentences. Possessive pronouns, also known as independent possessive pronouns or absolute possessive pronouns, replace nouns in a sentence and stand alone. Examples include mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, and theirs.

On the other hand, possessive adjectives, also called possessive determiners, describe nouns in a sentence and are used with a noun to modify it. Examples include my, your, his, her, its, our, and their. Possessive adjectives cannot stand alone and must be used with a noun.

Some forms of possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns are the same, such as his and its, so you need to look at how they are used in a sentence to determine the difference.