His, Her or Their?

Beginner (A1) 30 minutes
His, Her or Their? - ESL Possessive Adjective Games - Vocabulary, Grammar and Speaking: Matching, Forming Sentences

ESL Possessive Adjective Games - Vocabulary, Grammar and Speaking: Matching, Forming Sentences

In this engaging set of possessive adjective games, students practice talking about who owns different objects using his, her and their. In groups, students take turns turning over a picture card and a...

ESL Possessive Adjective Games - Vocabulary, Grammar and Speaking: Matching, Forming Sentences In this engaging set of possessive adjective games, students practice talking about who owns different objects using his, her and their. In groups, students take turns turning over a picture card and a possessive adjective card. If the cards match, the student makes a sentence, e.g. 'It's his bike'. If the group agrees that the match and sentence are correct, the student keeps the pair. If not, the cards are returned to the same places. Play passes after every turn. The student with the most pairs of cards wins the game. Next, one student shows a picture card to the other two students and says 'It's...' if it shows one object or 'They're...' if it shows more than one. The other two students race to find the correct possessive adjective card and say the complete sentence, e.g. 'It's their house'. The student who first selects the correct card and says the sentence correctly keeps both cards if the group agrees. The student with the most pairs wins. Students then rotate roles and play again.

My Things, Your Things

Elementary (A1-A2) 35 minutes
My Things, Your Things - ESL Possessive Adjectives Worksheet - Grammar Exercises: Matching, Labelling, Underlining, Gap-fill, Unscrambling, Correcting

ESL Possessive Adjectives Worksheet - Grammar Exercises: Matching, Labelling, Underlining, Gap-fill, Unscrambling, Correcting

This comprehensive possessive adjectives worksheet helps students identify and use possessive adjectives in sentences about everyday things. First...

ESL Possessive Adjectives Worksheet - Grammar Exercises: Matching, Labelling, Underlining, Gap-fill, Unscrambling, Correcting This comprehensive possessive adjectives worksheet helps students identify and use possessive adjectives in sentences about everyday things. First, students match sentence halves and underline the possessive adjective in each completed sentence. Students then complete a table with the possessive adjectives. Next, students underline the correct possessive adjectives in sentences. After that, students complete each second sentence with a possessive adjective, using the first sentence to help them. Students then read the first sentence and put the words in order in the second sentence, adding a possessive adjective. Finally, students look at pictures of people and the objects that belong to them. Students then underline the wrong possessive adjective in each sentence and write the correct word in the gap.

Possessive Adjectives Connect Four

Elementary (A1-A2) 20 minutes
Possessive Adjectives Connect Four - ESL Possessive Adjectives Game - Grammar: Gap-fill

ESL Possessive Adjectives Game - Grammar: Gap-fill

In this rewarding possessive adjectives game, students play Connect Four by completing sentences with my, your, his, her, its, our and their. In groups, two students play and a third student checks their answers. The two players choose 'X' or 'O'...

ESL Possessive Adjectives Game - Grammar: Gap-fill In this rewarding possessive adjectives game, students play Connect Four by completing sentences with my, your, his, her, its, our and their. In groups, two students play and a third student checks their answers. The two players choose 'X' or 'O'. Players then take turns choosing a square and saying the complete sentence with the possessive adjective. The third student checks the answer sheet. If the answer is correct, the player marks the square with their symbol. Play then passes to the other player. The first player to get four squares in a row wins the game. Students then swap roles and play Game Two, giving the third student a chance to play.

What's your favourite...?

Elementary (A1-A2) 30 minutes
What's your favourite...? - ESL Possessive Adjectives Game - Speaking and Writing Activity: Writing Short Answers, Asking and Answering Questions, Writing Sentences

ESL Possessive Adjectives Game - Speaking and Writing Activity: Writing Short Answers, Asking and Answering Questions, Writing Sentences

In this fun possessive adjectives game, students play a true or false guessing game about favourites to practice the possessive adjectives: my, your, his...

ESL Possessive Adjectives Game - Speaking and Writing Activity: Writing Short Answers, Asking and Answering Questions, Writing Sentences In this fun possessive adjectives game, students play a true or false guessing game about favourites to practice the possessive adjectives: my, your, his and her. First, students complete the 'My answer' column in a chart with five true and five false answers about their favourites. Students then take turns asking and answering questions using the possessive adjectives 'my' and 'your' and guessing whether their partner's answers are true or false. Their partner confirms whether each guess is correct and gives their real favourite if the original answer was false. Students record their partner's real answers in the chart and score one point for each correct guess. The student with the most points wins the game. Afterwards, students use the recorded answers to write ten sentences about their partner's favourites using 'his' or 'her'. Finally, students tell a new partner or the class about their partner's favourites.

Who Owns What?

Elementary (A1-A2) 20 minutes
Who Owns What? - ESL Possessive Adjectives Game - Grammar and Speaking: True or False, Correcting Sentences

ESL Possessive Adjectives Game - Grammar and Speaking: True or False, Correcting Sentences

In this free possessive adjectives game, students use pictures to identify who owns different objects and correct statements with 'his', 'her' and 'their'. In pairs, students take turns reading sentences...

ESL Possessive Adjectives Game - Grammar and Speaking: True or False, Correcting Sentences In this free possessive adjectives game, students use pictures to identify who owns different objects and correct statements with 'his', 'her' and 'their'. In pairs, students take turns reading sentences about the people and belongings on their worksheet and asking 'True or false?' Their partner checks the pictures on their own worksheet and answers 'True' or 'False'. For a false statement, they also say the correct complete sentence, e.g. 'False. It's her pen.' The reader checks the response against the pictures. If the response is correct, they tick beside the sentence to give their partner one point. If not, no point is scored. After both students have read all 12 sentences, they count the ticks and tell their partner their score. The student with the higher score wins the game. Finally, the class checks the answers.

Accurate Apostrophes

Pre-intermediate (A2) 25 minutes
ESL apostrophe games preview featuring grammar and speaking activities, matching exercises, sentence formation practice for pre-intermediate A2 level students

ESL Apostrophe Games - Grammar and Speaking: Matching, Forming Sentences, Freer Practice

In these two entertaining apostrophe games, students make nouns possessive by adding an apostrophe or apostrophe+s. Each student stands up with an apostrophe card and an apostrophe+s card...

ESL Apostrophe Games - Grammar and Speaking: Matching, Forming Sentences from Prompts, Freer Practice In these two entertaining apostrophe games, students make nouns possessive by adding an apostrophe or apostrophe+s. Each student stands up with an apostrophe card and an apostrophe+s card. Students then play a game where they listen to nouns and hold up the correct possessive ending card to make the noun possessive. If any students hold up the wrong card, they sit down and are out of the game. The last student left standing is the winner. After that, in two teams, one player from each team comes to the front of the class and stands in front of an apostrophe card and apostrophe+s card. Call out a singular or plural noun at random. The first player to grab the correct possessive ending card to make the noun possessive scores a point for their team. The winning player then tries to make a sentence using the possessive noun. If the player does this successfully, their team scores an extra point. Students then take it in turns to come to the front of the class and play for their team. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Happy Families

Pre-intermediate (A2) 25 minutes
ESL possessive nouns game preview featuring grammar and speaking activities, question-answer practice, group work exercises for pre-intermediate A2 students

ESL Possessive Nouns Game - Grammar and Speaking: Asking and Answering Questions, Freer Practice

In this productive possessive nouns game, students play a Happy Families card game to practice possessive nouns. Each card contains a picture of an object and the name of the person who the item...

ESL Possessive Nouns Game - Grammar and Speaking: Asking and Answering Questions, Freer Practice In this productive possessive nouns game, students play a Happy Families card game to practice possessive nouns. Each card contains a picture of an object and the name of the person who the item belongs to. There are also three small pictures at the bottom which are the other items the student needs to collect to complete the set. Students collect cards by taking it in turns to ask another group member for an item belonging to the set they want to collect, e.g. 'Do you have / Have you got Joshua's tennis racket?' If the group member has the card, they give it to the student. The student then gives the group member one of their unwanted cards in return, so students always have five cards. If the group member doesn't have the card, play passes to the next student. Students continue in this way until someone has collected a set of four cards. That student wins the round and scores a point. The students then shuffle the cards and deal them out again and so on. The student with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.

Possessive Adjectives and Pronouns

Pre-intermediate (A2) 35 minutes
ESL possessive adjectives and pronouns worksheet preview featuring vocabulary and grammar exercises, binary choice activities, gap-fill practice, speaking activities for pre-intermediate A2 students

ESL Possessive Adjectives and Pronouns Worksheet - Vocabulary and Grammar Exercises: Binary Choice, Gap-fill - Speaking Activity: Forming Sentences

This useful possessives worksheet helps students learn and practice possessive adjectives and pronouns. Students begin by completing a table with...

ESL Possessive Adjectives and Pronouns Worksheet - Vocabulary and Grammar Exercises: Binary Choice, Gap-fill - Speaking Activity: Forming Sentences This useful possessives worksheet helps students learn and practice possessive adjectives and pronouns. Students begin by completing a table with missing possessive adjectives and pronouns. Next, students circle the correct words to complete the grammar rules for using possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns. Students then complete sentences with the correct possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns. Students then move on to circle the correct possessive adjective or pronoun for each sentence shown. Next, students complete sentences with a suitable possessive adjective or possessive pronoun. Lastly, in pairs, students take it in turns to make sentences using possessive adjectives or pronouns by pointing at the people and matching them with the items that they think belong to them, e.g. 'That is his skateboard', or 'The skateboard is his'.

Possessive Nouns and Pronouns

Pre-intermediate (A2-B1) 25 minutes
ESL possessive nouns and pronouns worksheet preview featuring grammar exercises, rewriting phrases, gap-fill activities, reading comprehension questions for pre-intermediate A2-B1 students

ESL Possessive Nouns and Pronouns Worksheet - Grammar Exercises: Rewriting, Gap-fill, Answering Comprehension Questions, Writing Sentences

In this insightful possessives worksheet, students practice possessive nouns and possessive pronouns. Students begin by writing the correct...

ESL Possessive Nouns and Pronouns Worksheet - Grammar Exercises: Rewriting Phrases, Gap-fill, Answering Reading Comprehension Questions, Writing Sentences In this insightful possessives worksheet, students practice possessive nouns and possessive pronouns. Students begin by writing the correct possessive noun using 's or s'. Next, students fill in gaps in sentences with the correct possessive pronoun. After that, students complete a text using possessive nouns and pronouns from a box and answer comprehension questions about the text. Finally, students write about where they live in response to the text using possessive nouns and pronouns.

Possessive Pronoun Race

Pre-intermediate (A2) 25 minutes
ESL possessive pronouns game preview featuring grammar activities, matching exercises, sentence completion practice, group work for pre-intermediate A2 students

ESL Possessive Pronouns Game - Grammar: Matching, Sentence Completion

In this fast-paced possessive pronouns game, students race to complete sentences with possessive pronouns. Students take it in turns to pick up a sentence card and read it to the other two students. The students listen to the sentence and then race...

ESL Possessive Pronouns Game - Grammar: Matching, Sentence Completion In this fast-paced possessive pronouns game, students race to complete sentences with possessive pronouns. Students take it in turns to pick up a sentence card and read it to the other two students. The two students listen to the sentence and then race to grab the correct possessive pronoun card to finish the sentence. The first student to grab the correct card and say the possessive pronoun wins and keeps the two cards. The student with the most cards at the end of the game wins.

Possessive Pronouns

Pre-intermediate (A2) 30 minutes
ESL possessive pronouns worksheet preview featuring grammar exercises, identifying activities, multiple choice questions, table completion, sentence rewriting for pre-intermediate A2 students

ESL Possessive Pronouns Worksheet - Grammar Exercises: Identifying, Multiple Choice, Table and Sentence Completion, Rewriting Sentences, Unscrambling

In this free possessive pronouns worksheet, students practice the possessive pronouns: mine, yours, his, hers, ours, yours, theirs. First, students read...

ESL Possessive Pronouns Worksheet - Grammar Exercises: Identifying, Multiple Choice, Table and Sentence Completion, Rewriting Sentences, Unscrambling In this free possessive pronouns worksheet, students practice the possessive pronouns: mine, yours, his, hers, ours, yours, theirs. First, students read sentences and underline the possessive pronoun in each one. Students then write possessive pronouns in a table. Next, students complete sentences with possessive pronouns by circling the correct multiple-choice answers. Students then move on to complete each sentence with the correct possessive pronoun. After that, students rewrite sentences to include possessive pronouns. Lastly, students put words in the correct order to create sentences, adding a suitable possessive pronoun.

Whose is it?

Pre-intermediate (A2) 25 minutes
ESL possessive pronouns game preview featuring speaking activities, labelling exercises, sentence formation practice, pair work for pre-intermediate A2 students

ESL Possessive Pronouns Game - Speaking: Labelling, Forming Sentences

In this enjoyable possessive pronouns speaking activity, students play a memory game to practice possessive pronouns. Give each student a picture of an object and each pair a picture to share. The students then play a memory game where...

ESL Possessive Pronouns Game - Speaking: Labelling, Forming Sentences from Prompts In this enjoyable possessive pronouns speaking activity, students play a memory game to practice possessive pronouns. Give each student a picture of an object and each pair a picture to share. The students then play a memory game where they try to remember who owns what object. Students go around the class telling each other the object they have, including the object they share with their partner. Students then join back up with their partner and try to remember who owns which object by writing the name of the person under the corresponding picture on their worksheet. Students then use the information to make sentences with possessive pronouns, e.g. 'The dictionary is his'. 'The sunglasses are mine'. 'The MP3 player is hers', etc. Each object is then called out in turn. The first pair to make a correct statement with a possessive pronoun scores a point. The pair with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Correct it

Intermediate (B1) 15 minutes
ESL possessive adjectives and pronouns game preview featuring grammar activities, error correction exercises, pair work for intermediate B1 level students

ESL Possessive Adjectives and Pronouns Game - Grammar: Error Correction

In this handy possessive adjectives and pronouns error correction game, students correct sentences by changing subject pronouns to possessive adjectives or object pronouns to possessive pronouns. The sentences on the worksheet contain errors...

ESL Possessive Adjectives and Pronouns Game - Grammar: Error Correction In this handy possessive adjectives and pronouns error correction game, students correct sentences by changing subject pronouns to possessive adjectives or object pronouns to possessive pronouns. The sentences on the worksheet contain errors. There are subject pronouns where the possessive adjectives should be and object pronouns where the possessive pronouns should be. The students' task is to take it in turns to read a sentence to their partner and have them correct the mistake. Their partner listens to the sentence and repeats it back to their classmate, correcting it with either a possessive adjective or possessive pronoun. The student then writes their partner's answer in the space provided. The first pair of students to complete all the answers correctly wins.

Who does this belong to?

Intermediate (B1) 30 minutes
ESL possessives activity preview featuring speaking exercises, reading and listening practice, summarising activities, matching exercises for intermediate B1 students

ESL Possessives Activity - Speaking: Reading, Listening, Summarising, Matching

In this creative possessives speaking activity, students practice language for talking about possessions. Students take it in turns to read the text on their biography card to the other group members who listen and summarise the important facts on their...

ESL Possessives Activity - Speaking: Reading, Listening, Summarising, Matching In this creative possessives speaking activity, students practice language for talking about possessions. Students take it in turns to read the text on their biography card to the other group members who listen and summarise the important facts on their summary cards. Next, students take it in turns to give an object to the student with the matching biography card, explaining the reason for their choice, e.g. 'I think this is Richard's laptop because...' or 'This laptop belongs to Richard because...' When the students have placed all the cards, they are told that there should be three objects for each person. Students then review each person's belongings and make any necessary changes. When the groups have finished, they explain how they divided the possessions and why. Afterwards, review the correct answers with the class. As an extension, in their groups, each student writes down three of their favourite possessions on slips of paper and passes them to another group, who uses the target language to guess who wrote each possession and why.

Understanding Possessive Adjectives, Pronouns and Nouns

Possessive adjectives, pronouns and nouns show ownership or relationships, as in 'my bag', 'mine' and 'Sarah's sister'. Choosing the right form helps students make clear who or what they mean without unnecessarily repeating a noun.

This page covers possessive adjectives, pronouns and nouns from beginner (A1) to intermediate (B1), with 14 resources comprising games, worksheets and a speaking activity, including two free downloads.

Possessive adjectives come before a noun, while possessive pronouns stand in place of a possessive phrase. To form possessive nouns, add 's to singular nouns and irregular plurals such as 'children', and add an apostrophe after regular plurals ending in s: 'the child's bag', 'the children's bags' and 'the students' bags'.

Subject PronounPossessive AdjectivePossessive PronounExample Sentences
Imymine'That is my bag. The bag is mine.'
youyouryours'That is your coat. The coat is yours.'
hehishis'That is his phone. The phone is his.'
sheherhers'Those are her keys. The keys are hers.'
ititsNot normally used independently'The cat hurt its paw.'
weourours'This is our table. The table is ours.'
theytheirtheirs'That is their car. The car is theirs.'

How to Use Possessive Adjectives, Pronouns and Nouns

Choose the form according to the owner: The possessive adjective identifies the owner, not the number of objects. Compare 'her book' and 'her books' with 'their book' and 'their books'.

Decide whether to include the noun: Use 'This is my umbrella' when naming the object and 'This is mine' when the object is already clear. In a question and answer, the viewpoint changes: 'Is this your umbrella?' 'Yes, it's mine.'

Make the owner explicit when needed: Use a possessive noun if a pronoun would leave the owner unclear. 'This is Maya's notebook' identifies the person directly; 'This is her notebook' relies on the listener knowing who 'her' refers to.

3-Step Framework for Teaching Possessive Adjectives, Pronouns and Nouns

For learners moving from elementary to pre-intermediate work, introduce these stages across lessons as needed. Establish possessive adjectives before contrasting them with pronouns and adding possessive noun forms.

1. Connect People with Possessive Adjectives: Begin with sentence halves that students match before underlining the possessive adjective in each completed sentence. Follow with a reference table and picture-based corrections about people's belongings. This links the owner to the correct form before students express ownership in another way.

2. Contrast Adjectives and Pronouns: Use a worksheet in which students complete a table, choose words to complete grammar rules and fill sentence gaps with possessive adjectives or pronouns. They then point to pictured people and items and make sentences such as 'That is his skateboard' and 'The skateboard is his'. This prepares students to choose a form according to whether they include the noun.

3. Name the Owner with a Possessive Noun: Add practice with singular and plural owners through a team game. Players listen to a noun and race to select an apostrophe or apostrophe+s card, then try to make a sentence with the possessive noun for an extra point. Follow up by asking learners to compare naming an owner with using an adjective or pronoun, bringing the three forms together.

Common Mistakes with Possessive Adjectives, Pronouns and Nouns

Using a possessive adjective without its noun: When the possessive form stands alone, use a possessive pronoun. Incorrect: 'That bag is her.' Correct: 'That bag is hers.' Alternatively, include the noun: 'That is her bag.'

Confusing its with it's: 'Its' shows possession without an apostrophe. 'It's' is a contraction of 'it is' or 'it has', so check whether either full form fits the sentence. Incorrect: 'The cat hurt it's paw.' Correct: 'The cat hurt its paw.'

Common Questions About Teaching Possessive Adjectives, Pronouns and Nouns

What is a free worksheet for teaching possessive pronouns?

The free worksheet Possessive Pronouns introduces the forms through identification and a reference table before moving to sentence practice. Students choose and supply possessive pronouns, rewrite sentences to include them and reorder words while adding a suitable pronoun. This gives teachers a progression from recognising forms to using them.

What is a fun game for practicing possessive nouns?

The game Happy Families gives students a reason to repeat possessive nouns as they collect matching cards. They ask classmates for named people's belongings, such as 'Joshua's tennis racket', and exchange an unwanted card when successful. Collecting a set of four wins the round, giving the questions a clear purpose.

What speaking activity can I use for practicing possessives?

In the speaking activity Who does this belong to?, students listen to biographies and summarise key facts. They then match objects to the people described, explaining their choices with possessive nouns and 'belongs to'. Comparing the clues gives students a reason to discuss ownership and justify their answers.

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