Whose is it? My book, your bag, his coffee, her phone. The small words that show who owns what.
“If you know how to say 'I' and 'you', you are halfway to talking about everyone else. Today we connect a person to a thing: my book, your bag, his coffee.”
Last week, a student left a bag on the chair after class. I picked it up and asked the room, 'Whose bag is this?' Three students looked up. Anna said, 'Not mine.' Karim said, 'It is not my bag.' Then little Priya whispered, 'I think it is hers.' She pointed at the door, where another student had just left.
I ran out and called, 'Excuse me. Is this your bag?' The student turned, smiled, and said, 'Yes, that is mine. Thank you!' She took her bag and waved. In thirty seconds, six different words for ownership had been used naturally. That is how English works.
Every person has two possessive words in English. One goes before the noun. One stands alone.
I → my book, the book is mine
You → your bag, the bag is yours
He → his coffee, the coffee is his
She → her phone, the phone is hers
We → our house, the house is ours
They → their car, the car is theirs
It → its tail (no second form for 'it')
To ask who owns something, use 'Whose'.
Whose bag is this? It is hers.
Whose pen do you have? I have his.
Notice 'whose' is NOT 'who's'. Whose = ownership. Who's = 'who is'. Easy to mix up. Read it twice.
Click “Translate” below if you need any word in your own language.
Belongs to me. Goes before a noun.
My book is on the table.
Belongs to me. Stands alone.
That book is mine.
Belongs to you.
Is this your phone?
Belongs to you (alone).
This pen is yours.
Belongs to him. Same word for both forms.
His car is red.
The red car is his.
Belongs to her. Before a noun.
Her bag is small.
Belongs to her. Alone.
The bag is hers.
Belongs to us.
Our house is big.
Belongs to us. Alone.
The house is ours.
Belongs to them.
Their dog is friendly.
Belongs to them. Alone.
The dog is theirs.
Question word for ownership.
Whose keys are these?
Some languages do not change the word for 'his' and 'her' (like Persian, Turkish, or Hungarian). In English, we MUST. Mistake check: never say 'his sister' if you mean a woman's sister. Say 'her sister'.
Try these on paper or out loud. Mr. Gee's rule: practice today, do not save it for tomorrow.
Each person has TWO possessive forms: one goes before a noun (my, your, his, her), one stands alone (mine, yours, his, hers). 'Whose' asks who owns something.
Read aloud every day. Even if it sounds funny. Your tongue needs practice.
Free, instant translation. Powered by Google Translate. Opens in a new tab.