Nouns and determiners A1 A2

Possession

Use 's, of, my, mine, and related forms to show ownership and relationships.

Isinasalin ang mga paliwanag...

Ipinapakita muna ang orihinal na aralin sa Ingles.

Biswal na gabay

Possession: name the thing or not?

Possession = OWNER ↔ THING

Will you SAY the noun (thing name)?

YES → BEFORE the noun
       my / David's + noun
       This is my coat.
       David's sister is here.

NO  → ALONE
       the thing name is already clear
       mine / Anna's
       This coat is mine.

PART / ROLE inside a bigger thing → of
       The end of the film was surprising.

If you name the thing, put the possession form before it; if the thing is understood, use the alone form; use of for part/role links.

Introduction

Possession means a link

Possession shows a link between a noun and an owner or source: ownership, family, parts, roles, or belonging. It does not always mean legal ownership. My phone is new. David's sister is here. English normally shows the link in three ways: a possessive word before a noun, an 's form after the owner, or an of phrase after the thing. The useful question is: is the possessive word before a noun, or does it replace the noun?

Core Balarila A1 Bokabularyo A1 Neutral

My phone is new.

A possessive determiner before a noun shows who the noun is connected to.

Mga batayang bahagi

Basahin ang pangungusap nang parirala-parirala, hindi salita-sa-salita.

My phone

possessive_determiner_before_noun

A possessive determiner comes before the noun it identifies.

Pag-aralan bilang isang yunit

is new

predicate

This says something about the possessed thing.

Core Balarila A1 Bokabularyo A1 Neutral

David's sister is here.

Possession can describe relationships such as family.

Mga batayang bahagi

Basahin ang pangungusap nang parirala-parirala, hindi salita-sa-salita.

David's sister

owner_s_relationship

's can show a family relationship, not only ownership.

Pag-aralan bilang isang yunit

is here

predicate

This gives the situation of that person.

Core logic

Before a noun or instead of a noun

Use possessive determiners before a noun: my, your, his, her, its, our, their. They point to which noun you mean. This is my coat. Is that your laptop? Use possessive pronouns without a noun: mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs. They replace a full noun phrase, often to avoid repetition. This coat is mine means this coat is my coat. No, it isn't yours means it isn't your laptop. Do not use the before my, your, or another possessive determiner.

Core Balarila A1 Bokabularyo A1 Neutral

This is my coat.

My is a possessive determiner, so it must go before a noun.

Mga batayang bahagi

Basahin ang pangungusap nang parirala-parirala, hindi salita-sa-salita.

This is my coat

this_is_possessive_determiner_noun

Use my before a noun.

Pag-aralan bilang isang yunit

Core Balarila A1 Bokabularyo A1 Neutral

This coat is mine.

Mine is a possessive pronoun, so it replaces the noun phrase instead of standing before a noun.

Mga batayang bahagi

Basahin ang pangungusap nang parirala-parirala, hindi salita-sa-salita.

This coat

possessed_thing_as_subject

The thing being identified is the subject.

is mine

standalone_possessive_pronoun

Mine replaces my coat and stands alone.

Pag-aralan bilang isang yunit

Question Balarila A1 Bokabularyo A1 Neutral

Is that your laptop?

In questions, the possessive determiner stays before the noun.

Mga batayang bahagi

Basahin ang pangungusap nang parirala-parirala, hindi salita-sa-salita.

Is that

yes_no_question_frame

This starts a yes/no question with be.

your laptop

possessive_determiner_noun

Your comes before the noun laptop.

Pag-aralan bilang isang yunit

Negative Balarila A1 Bokabularyo A1 Neutral

No, it isn't yours.

A possessive pronoun can stand alone after a negative verb form.

Mga batayang bahagi

Basahin ang pangungusap nang parirala-parirala, hindi salita-sa-salita.

No, it isn't

negative_short_answer

A negative short answer follows normal be grammar.

yours

standalone_possessive_pronoun

Yours replaces your laptop.

Pag-aralan bilang isang yunit

Core pattern

Owner + 's + noun

With people, animals, and many groups, put the owner first and add 's: owner + 's + noun. Mia's keys are on the table. For a regular plural ending in s, put only an apostrophe after the s: My parents' house is near the station. For an irregular plural, add 's: The children's room is quiet. With names ending in s, both James's office and James' office are used; James's is common in learning materials. The noun after the 's form can be left out when it is clear from context.

Core Balarila A1 Bokabularyo A1 Neutral

Mia's keys are on the table.

For one person, add 's to the owner and place it before the noun.

Mga batayang bahagi

Basahin ang pangungusap nang parirala-parirala, hindi salita-sa-salita.

Mia's keys

owner_s_noun

Owner + 's comes before the thing owned.

Pag-aralan bilang isang yunit

are on the table

location_phrase

This says where the keys are.

Core Balarila A2 Bokabularyo A1 Neutral

My parents' house is near the station.

Parents is plural, so the possessive apostrophe comes after the plural s.

Mga batayang bahagi

Basahin ang pangungusap nang parirala-parirala, hindi salita-sa-salita.

My parents' house

plural_owner_apostrophe

A regular plural ending in s takes an apostrophe after the s.

Pag-aralan bilang isang yunit

is near the station

location_predicate

This describes where the house is.

Core Balarila A2 Bokabularyo A1 Neutral

The children's room is quiet.

Irregular plurals that do not end in s normally take 's.

Mga batayang bahagi

Basahin ang pangungusap nang parirala-parirala, hindi salita-sa-salita.

The children's room

irregular_plural_owner_s

Children is an irregular plural, so add 's.

Pag-aralan bilang isang yunit

is quiet

predicate

This describes the room.

Usage rules

Of for parts, roles, and long owners

Use of when the first noun is a thing, a part, a place, or a longer description. Of often builds a chain from the thing to its part, position, or source. The end of the film was surprising. It is also common for roles inside places or organizations: The manager of the restaurant called me. For a simple person owner in everyday speech, 's usually sounds better than of: My brother's car is outside, not the car of my brother. Organizations can use either pattern depending on style.

Core Balarila A2 Bokabularyo A2 Neutral

The end of the film was surprising.

Of is natural for parts or positions in things.

Mga batayang bahagi

Basahin ang pangungusap nang parirala-parirala, hindi salita-sa-salita.

The end of the film

of_part_phrase

Of links a thing to its part or position.

Pag-aralan bilang isang yunit

was surprising

predicate

This gives information about that part.

Core Balarila A2 Bokabularyo A1 Neutral

The manager of the restaurant called me.

Of is common for roles inside places or organizations.

Mga batayang bahagi

Basahin ang pangungusap nang parirala-parirala, hindi salita-sa-salita.

The manager of the restaurant

role_of_place

Of links a role to the place or organization it belongs to.

Pag-aralan bilang isang yunit

called me

action

This says what that person did.

Contrast Balarila A1 Bokabularyo A1 Neutral

My brother's car is outside.

With simple person owners, 's usually sounds more natural than of.

Mga batayang bahagi

Basahin ang pangungusap nang parirala-parirala, hindi salita-sa-salita.

My brother's car

person_owner_s_noun

For a simple person owner, 's is the normal everyday choice.

Pag-aralan bilang isang yunit

is outside

location_predicate

This says where the car is.

Sentence xray

Questions and negatives

Whose asks for the owner. In Whose coat is this?, whose belongs with coat and asks which person has the coat. A short answer can use 's without repeating the noun: It's Anna's means it is Anna's coat. Negatives follow the normal verb pattern. This isn't my seat keeps my before the noun seat. That bag isn't mine uses mine alone after be. The word order changes for questions, but the possessive form itself does not change.

Question Balarila A1 Bokabularyo A1 Neutral

Whose coat is this?

Whose asks which person owns or is connected to something.

Mga batayang bahagi

Basahin ang pangungusap nang parirala-parirala, hindi salita-sa-salita.

Whose coat

whose_question

Whose asks for the owner of the noun coat.

Pag-aralan bilang isang yunit

is this

identification_question

This asks about the item near the speaker.

Spoken Balarila A1 Bokabularyo A1 Neutral

It's Anna's.

's can stand alone when the noun is clear from context.

Mga batayang bahagi

Basahin ang pangungusap nang parirala-parirala, hindi salita-sa-salita.

It's Anna's

short_answer_with_understood_noun

Anna's means Anna's coat; the noun is understood.

Pag-aralan bilang isang yunit

Negative Balarila A1 Bokabularyo A1 Neutral

This isn't my seat.

A possessive determiner still goes before a noun in negative sentences.

Mga batayang bahagi

Basahin ang pangungusap nang parirala-parirala, hindi salita-sa-salita.

This isn't

negative_be_frame

A normal negative be form.

my seat

possessive_determiner_noun

My must stay before the noun seat.

Pag-aralan bilang isang yunit

Negative Balarila A1 Bokabularyo A1 Neutral

That bag isn't mine.

A possessive pronoun can stand alone in a negative sentence.

Mga batayang bahagi

Basahin ang pangungusap nang parirala-parirala, hindi salita-sa-salita.

That bag isn't

negative_subject_frame

The thing is the subject, followed by a negative be form.

mine

standalone_possessive_pronoun

Mine stands alone and replaces my bag.

Pag-aralan bilang isang yunit

Form variations

Forms to recognize

The form changes with the owner, not with the thing owned. Before a noun, use my, your, his, her, its, our, their. Alone, use mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs. His has the same form in both jobs; her changes to hers when it stands alone. Its is normally used before a noun, not as an everyday standalone pronoun. To add emphasis, put own after a possessive determiner: I have my own room. For one person among your contacts, use of plus a possessive pronoun: She is a friend of mine.

Core Balarila A2 Bokabularyo A1 Neutral

I have my own room.

Own adds emphasis to the possessive idea.

Mga batayang bahagi

Basahin ang pangungusap nang parirala-parirala, hindi salita-sa-salita.

my own room

own_emphasis

Own after a possessive determiner emphasizes personal possession or independence.

Pag-aralan bilang isang yunit

I have

have_frame

Have introduces possession.

Core Balarila A2 Bokabularyo A1 Neutral

She is a friend of mine.

A friend of mine is natural; a friend of me is not.

Mga batayang bahagi

Basahin ang pangungusap nang parirala-parirala, hindi salita-sa-salita.

a friend of mine

double_possessive_relationship

Of plus a possessive pronoun means one of my friends.

Pag-aralan bilang isang yunit

She is

identity_frame

This identifies the person.

Contrast

Its, it's, and apostrophe 's

Closest common confusion: possessive its versus the contraction it's. Its has no apostrophe and shows possession. It's means it is or it has. The hotel changed its name. It's open now means it is open now. The same written 's can have different jobs after names and nouns. If another noun follows, it is often possession, as in Anna's coat. If a verb idea follows, it may be a contraction, as in Anna's here. Read the whole sentence, not just the apostrophe.

Contrast Balarila A1 Bokabularyo A1 Neutral

The hotel changed its name.

Its has no apostrophe when it shows possession.

Mga batayang bahagi

Basahin ang pangungusap nang parirala-parirala, hindi salita-sa-salita.

its name

possessive_its_before_noun

Its is possessive and comes before a noun.

Pag-aralan bilang isang yunit

The hotel changed

subject_action

This gives the subject and action.

Contrast Balarila A1 Bokabularyo A1 Neutral

It's open now.

It's is a contraction and should not be confused with possessive its.

Mga batayang bahagi

Basahin ang pangungusap nang parirala-parirala, hindi salita-sa-salita.

It's open now

contraction_it_is

It's means it is, not possession.

Pag-aralan bilang isang yunit

Danger zone

Common traps

Common errors usually come from swapping the two possessive jobs. Not This is mine coat; say This is my coat, because a noun follows. Not That bag is my; say That bag is mine, because the possessive word stands alone. Not a friend of me; say a friend of mine. For a simple person owner, avoid the heavy of pattern in everyday speech: use Sarah's phone, not the phone of Sarah. Possessive pronouns never take apostrophes: yours, hers, ours, theirs.

Summary

Choose the right possession tool

Choose the possessive form by position and relationship. Before a noun, use my, your, his, her, its, our, their, or an owner + 's form. Without a noun, use mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs, or an 's form alone when the noun is understood. Use of especially for parts, things, roles, organizations, and long owner phrases. Check apostrophes carefully: parents' is plural possession, children's is irregular plural possession, and it's is a contraction, not a possessive.

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Kompanya & Suporta

Possession

Possession: name the thing or not?

Possession means a link

Mga batayang bahagi

Mga batayang bahagi

Before a noun or instead of a noun

Mga batayang bahagi

Mga batayang bahagi

Mga batayang bahagi

Mga batayang bahagi

Owner + 's + noun

Mga batayang bahagi

Mga batayang bahagi

Mga batayang bahagi

Of for parts, roles, and long owners

Mga batayang bahagi

Mga batayang bahagi

Mga batayang bahagi

Questions and negatives

Mga batayang bahagi

Mga batayang bahagi

Mga batayang bahagi

Mga batayang bahagi

Forms to recognize

Mga batayang bahagi

Mga batayang bahagi

Its, it's, and apostrophe 's

Mga batayang bahagi

Mga batayang bahagi

Common traps

Choose the right possession tool

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Mga Sanggunian

Kompanya

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