Possessive pronouns

by Michael
(Johnson, VT, US)

How come it's not yours', but yours? Also, when can I use "me, I, myself, mine"? -Thanks!

Comments for Possessive pronouns

Dec 07, 2010

I, me, myself, mine
by: Ola Zur

Hi Michael,

"Yours" is the correct form. All the other forms are incorrect.
Why is it like this? I don't know :)
This is simply the rule.

Regarding your second question:
I = the speaker or the writer, when he's the one doing the action.
Example: "I am reading a book."
(The speaker is the doing the reading.)

ME = the speaker or the writer, when he's the one affected by the action (when he's the object).
Examples:
"He hit me!" (The speaker was affected by the hitting)
"She likes me?"
"Give me your sandwich."

MYSELF = the speaker or the writer, when he's the one doing the action and he's also the one affected by the action.
Examples:
"I hit myself!" (The speaker did the action, and he also received it?)
"I like myself."
"I paid myself."

MINE = belonging to the speaker or the writer.
Examples:
"This house is mine." (The house belongs to the speaker.)
"It's your car, not mine."
"Her cooking is better than mine."

I hope this answers your question. For more data on pronouns, you can visit my English Parts of speech section.

Ola Zur is the editor of www.really-learn-english.com, an illustrated guide to English.

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