Possessive Pronouns versus Contractions Mini-Lesson #90 From the UWF Writing Lab’s 101 Grammar Mini-Lessons Series

Possessive Pronouns Writers often mistake possessive pronouns for contractions. These are possessive pronouns: its, her, his, our, mine, their, whose and your. Remember, the possessive pronouns do not require apostrophes. Other common possessive personal pronouns include his, hers, yours, ours, theirs, and mine.

Contractions The following are contractions: it’s (it is and it has) they’re (they are), who’s (who is), and you’re (you are). Remember, a contraction is a shortened form of a word or words in which the omitted letters are replaced by an apostrophe. Also, remember that contractions are often too informal for some academic and professional writing.

Pronunciation Words that have similar sounds are called homophones. Examples of homophones are the following: their, they’re, and there. Because these words sound similar, people often spell these words in their sentences incorrectly. Incorrect: Their were no questions following the speaker’s address. Incorrect: They’re were no questions following the speaker’s address. Correct: There were no questions following the speaker’s address.

Practice! This situation, difficult though it was, was their’s to make. theirs Their were no questions following the speaker’s address. there Whose leading the workshops today, and whose missing from the list of workshop speakers? Who’s / who’s

More Practice! The house is mines, the car is your’s, but the bank account is our’s. mine / yours / ours That helmet is her’s, but the bike is your’s. hers / yours