STRUCTURE AND WRITTEN EXPRESSION SKILL 44: DISTINGUISH POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES AND PRONOUNS

LONGMAN COMPLETE COURSE FOR THE TOEFL TEST

STRUCTURE AND WRITTEN EXPRESSION

SKILL 44: DISTINGUISH POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES AND PRONOUNS

Possessive adjectives and pronouns both show who and what “owns” a noun. However, possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns do not have the same function, and these two kinds of possessives can be confused on the TOEFL test. a possessive adjective describes a noun; it must be accompanied by a noun. A possessive pronoun takes the place of a noun: it cannot be accompanied by a noun.

POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES	POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS
my your his her its our their	mine yours his hers --- ours theirs
must be accompanied by a noun	cannot be accompanied by a noun

These examples show the types of errors that are possible with possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns on the TOEFL test.

Each morning they read theirs* newspapers.

Could you give me your*?

In the first example, the possessive pronoun theirs is incorrect because it is accompanied by the noun newspapers. The possessive adjective there is needed. In the second example, the possessive adjective your is incorrect because it is not accompanied by a noun, and yours is needed in the second example

EXERCISE 44: Each of the following sentences contains at least one possessive pronoun or adjectives.. Circle the possessives in these sentences. Then indicate if the sentences are correct (C) or incorrect (I).

……………	3	Mary and Mark invited theirs parents to see their new apartment.
……………	4	When my roommate paid her half of the rent, I paid mine.
……………	5	All students need to bring theirs own pencils and answer sheets to the exam.
……………	6	All her secretaries are working late tonight to finish her report..
……………	7	The horse trotting around the track won its race a few minutes ago.
……………	8	Before the report is finalized, the information in their notes and our must be proofed.
……………	9	She worked all day cooking and making decorations for her son’s birthday party.
……………	10	The weather in the mountains this weekend will be extremely cold, so please take your heavy jackets..

ANSWER KEY

1	I	(her should be hers)
2	C
3	I	(theirs should be their)
4	C
5	I	(theirs should be their)
6	C
7	C
8	I	(our should be ours)
9	C
10	I	(yours should be your)