A1 Grammar: Possessives

A1 Grammar: Possessives
ESL Structure Curriculum

ESL Grammar Course

A1: Beginner

A collection of objects showing possession

Possessive Adjectives & ‘s

We use possessives to show that something belongs to someone or something. There are two main ways to show possession in English: with possessive adjectives and with the possessive ‘s.

Scope & Content:

  • Possessive Adjectives: `my, your, his, her, its, our, their`
  • Possessive ‘s (Genitive Case): `Maria’s car`, `the dog’s toy`

⚠️ Attention: Common Challenges

1. `His` vs. `Her`: English has specific words for male (`his`) and female (`her`) possession. You must choose the correct one based on the owner.

  • “John has a car. It is his car.”
  • “Maria has a book. It is her book.”

2. `Its` vs. `It’s`: This is a very common mistake! `Its` is for possession. `It’s` is a contraction of “it is”.

  • “The dog wagged its tail.” (Possession)
  • “It’s a beautiful day.” (It is a beautiful day.)

3. Possessive `’s` is not “is”: The `’s` for possession can look like the contraction of “is”, but the meaning is completely different. Context is key.

  • “That is Maria’s house.” (Possession: the house of Maria)
  • “Maria‘s a doctor.” (Contraction: Maria is a doctor)

Practice Quiz

1. This is not my pen. It is ____ pen.

2. That is ____ car. He bought it yesterday.

3. The cat is chasing ____ tail.

4. This is my ____ house.

5. What is ____ name?

6. We live here. This is ____ home.

7. That is ____ bike. They ride it every day.

8. I am reading a book by Charles Dickens. It is one of ____ famous novels.

9. ____ a very cold day today.

10. Where is the ____ office?