Possessive Adjectives

What is a Possessive Adjective?

possessive adjective is an adjective that indicates possession and precedes a noun.

Examples of Possessive Adjectives

Some examples of possessive adjectives would be the following:

My bedroom has yellow walls.

Their school’s mascot is the dolphin.

Did you forget to write your name on your homework?

Why You Should Use Possessive Adjectives in Your Writing

The primary reason for using possessive adjectives in your writing is to prevent ambiguity and to define relationships.


Preventing Ambiguity: Possessive adjectives are clear indicators as to who or what you are referencing. There’s a difference between saying, “Hand me the report,” vs. “Hand me his report,” or “Hand me her report.”


Defining Relationships: With possessive adjectives, you can clearly establish the relationships between items or individuals. The difference between “Candice is an aunt,” and “Candice is their aunt,” shows specifically the relationship between the two individuals.

Download a Free Worksheet on Possessive Adjectives!

Click the image below to download your free worksheet on possessive adjectives!

Possessive Adjectives and Possessive Pronouns Worksheet

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