Αγγλικά

possessive

gb/pəzˈɛsɪv/ us/pəzˈɛsɪv/
B1 Αγγλικά
Σημασίες
0 σημασίες
adjective B2 property
1

jealous and controlling in relationships

wanting to keep someone only for yourself

Μοτίβο χρήσης: be possessive (about/over) [someone/something]
Συχνό λάθος:
Learners sometimes use possessive to mean simply 'owning' something; in this sense it usually implies jealousy or control.
Συνώνυμα
jealous (Similar feeling, but possessive emphasizes wanting control or ownership.) | controlling (Focuses on behavior; possessive often involves jealousy and exclusivity.)
Αντώνυμα
trusting (Not jealous; comfortable with the other person’s independence.) | laid-back (Relaxed and not controlling in relationships.)
Συνδυασμοί λέξεων
a possessive boyfriend |a possessive girlfriend |a possessive partner |a possessive attitude |become possessive |get possessive |overly possessive |dangerously possessive |possessive jealousy |possessive behavior
Θέματα
relationships |emotions |behavior
Παραδείγματα
  • He got possessive whenever she talked to other guys at parties.
  • She ended the relationship because his possessive behavior kept getting worse.
  • I’m not possessive, but I don’t like people reading my private messages.
Παραδείγματα για μαθητές
  • He is possessive of his girlfriend.
  • Don’t be possessive.
adjective technical B1 property
2

showing who owns something

used to show that something belongs to someone

Μοτίβο χρήσης: [possessive] + noun
Συχνό λάθος:
Learners often confuse plural -s (cats) with possessive ’s (cat’s) and sometimes add an apostrophe to regular plurals (cat’s for cats).
Συνώνυμα
genitive (More technical term used in grammar.)
Αντώνυμα
nonpossessive (Not used to show ownership or association.)
Συνδυασμοί λέξεων
possessive pronoun |possessive adjective |possessive determiner |possessive noun |possessive form |possessive ending |possessive marker |possessive apostrophe |a possessive construction |a possessive phrase
Θέματα
language |grammar |education
Παραδείγματα
  • In “Sarah’s book,” “Sarah’s” is a possessive noun.
  • My and your are possessive words that come before nouns.
  • The apostrophe can mark a possessive ending in English.
Παραδείγματα για μαθητές
  • “My” is a possessive word.
  • “Tom’s” is possessive.
Ουσιαστικό technical B2 rule
3

the possessive form of a word

the grammar form that shows belonging

Μοτίβο χρήσης: the possessive (of) [word/phrase]
Συχνό λάθος:
Learners may think the possessive always means literal ownership; it can also show relationships (the company’s policy, today’s news).
Συνώνυμα
genitive (Technical grammar term for the same case.)
Αντώνυμα
common case (The unmarked case of a noun (not possessive) in English grammar.)
Συνδυασμοί λέξεων
use the possessive |form the possessive |the possessive case |the possessive form |the possessive of a noun |plural possessive |singular possessive |double possessive |possessive ending |possessive marker
Θέματα
language |grammar |education
Παραδείγματα
  • To make the possessive, add ’s to most singular nouns.
  • Teachers often call it “the possessive” when they mean the ’s form.
  • The possessive of children is children’s.
Παραδείγματα για μαθητές
  • Add ’s to make the possessive.
  • The possessive of Anna is Anna’s.
Γραμματική
Λημματική μορφή
possessive
IPA
GB/pəzˈɛsɪv/
US/pəzˈɛsɪv/
Συλλαβές και τόνος
pos - sess - ive (3 συλλαβές)
Stress on 2nd syllable (sess)
Τύποι λέξης
Adjective
  • Base: possessive
Noun
  • Base: possessive
  • Plural: possessives
Οικογένεια λέξεων
Forms
possessives noun
Core family
possess verb B2 possession noun A2
Related words
possessor noun B2 possessively adverb
Advanced or less common
dispossess verb dispossession noun
Εκφράσεις

get possessive

1
/ɡˈɛt pəzˈɛsɪv/
fixed phrase

start acting jealous and controlling

to begin to feel and act jealous

Παραδείγματα
  • He tends to get possessive when he’s stressed.
  • I didn’t realize I would get possessive about the baby’s first milestones.
  • Try not to get possessive over your coworkers’ time.

possessive adjective

1
/pəzˈɛsɪv ˈæd͡ʒɪktɪv/
fixed phrase technical

word like my before a noun

a word like my or your that comes before a noun

Παραδείγματα
  • In “my phone,” “my” is a possessive adjective.
  • A possessive adjective is followed by a noun: “their house,” not “their is big.”
  • “Her” can be a possessive adjective (“her car”) or an object pronoun (“I saw her”).

possessive apostrophe

1
/pəzˈɛsɪv əpˈɔstɹəfi/
fixed phrase

apostrophe for ownership

An apostrophe that shows something belongs to someone.

Παραδείγματα
  • The editor fixed the possessive apostrophe in “the cats’ bowls.”
  • A possessive apostrophe is not used with possessive pronouns like “hers.”
  • They debated whether to write “Jess’” or “Jess’s” as the possessive apostrophe form.

possessive apostrophe

1
/pəzˈɛsɪv əpˈɔstɹəfi/
fixed phrase technical

apostrophe used to show possession

an apostrophe that shows belonging

Παραδείγματα
  • Don’t forget the possessive apostrophe in “the students’ projects.”
  • The possessive apostrophe goes before the s in most singular nouns: “the cat’s bowl.”
  • “Its” has no possessive apostrophe, but “it’s” is a contraction.

possessive case

1
/pəzˈɛsɪv kˈeɪs/
fixed phrase technical

grammar case marking possession

a grammar form that shows belonging

Παραδείγματα
  • “Maria’s” is in the possessive case.
  • In English, the possessive case is usually formed with ’s.
  • Some phrases use the possessive case to show time: “a day’s work.”

possessive determiner

1
/pəzˈɛsɪv dɪtˈɚmɪnɚ/
fixed phrase technical

determiner showing ownership

A word like my or their before a noun.

Παραδείγματα
  • In “our house,” “our” is a possessive determiner.
  • She replaced “the report” with “her report” by adding a possessive determiner.

possessive determiner

1
/pəzˈɛsɪv dɪtˈɚmɪnɚ/
fixed phrase technical

determiner showing belonging

a word like my or their before a noun

Παραδείγματα
  • In modern grammar, my and your are often called possessive determiners.
  • A possessive determiner usually comes at the start of a noun phrase: “his new job.”
  • “Its” is a possessive determiner, while “it’s” means “it is.”

possessive pronoun

1
/pəzˈɛsɪv pɹˈoʊnaʊn/
fixed phrase technical

pronoun that shows ownership

a word like mine or yours

Παραδείγματα
  • “Mine” is a possessive pronoun.
  • Use a possessive pronoun when the noun is already clear: “Is this your bag?” “No, it’s hers.”
  • In “The choice is yours,” “yours” is a possessive pronoun.

possessive pronoun

1
/pəzˈɛsɪv pɹˈoʊnaʊn/
fixed phrase technical

pronoun showing ownership

A word like “mine” or “theirs” that means something belongs to someone.

Παραδείγματα
  • “That seat is mine” uses a possessive pronoun.
  • Don’t write “her’s”; the correct possessive pronoun is “hers.”
  • In “The choice is yours,” “yours” is a possessive pronoun.

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