Possessive
INSTRUCTIONS: Use the words from Table I to complete the following exercise. Please read the following information first.
Geraldine is telling the story.
Geraldine thinks Mary has taken her coat.
Two days ago, .................. saw Mary wearing .................. coat. .................. knew .................. was .................., because ..................
had a coffee stain on the left sleeve. .................. explained to .................. that .................. was .................., but .................. said
.................. was .................., refused to give .................. back and stormed off. .................. followed .................. as .................. took
the liberty of going shopping in .................. coat. First of all, .................. purchased cigarettes and put .................. in the pocket
of .................. coat. Ugh! How dare ..................! .................. hate the smell of cigarettes!
Next, .................. popped into a "Greasy Spoon" cafe. (Due to the greasy atmosphere and rancid cooking smells, all working men's
cafes have that nickname, because all .................. food is fried in oil or lard.) .................. peered in through the window and
noticed .................. was sitting down on one of the greasy chairs. Oh, no! Not only is .................. coat going to stink of fried food,
but .................. is also going to have greasy stains on ..................!
As .................. watched, .................. started to undo .................. coat and then took .................. off. .................. waited
until .................. had removed ..................and hung .................. up with some grubby workmen's coats on coat hooks in the
corner. .................. decided .................. would be a good idea to wait until.................. wasn't looking, then .................. could rush in
and grab the coat. .................. glanced away for a few minutes to blow .................. nose and when.................. looked back, the coat
had gone. Racing into the cafe, .................. looked frantically about .................. and noticed an old tramp limping out of another door
with .................. coat gracing .................. rounded shoulders. .................. desperately shouted, "Stop! Thief!" Mary looked up in
surprise. "Quick Mary, " .................. yelled, "That tramp has walked off with .................. coat!"
"No, .................. hasn't," she replied. ".................. looked so cold, poor thing, .................. told .................. .................. could
have ..................."
"What! .................. gave .................. coat away!"
"Of course not! Although .................. coats are similar, that was a green coat; .................. one is brown, so that one was definitely
not ..................! Can't.................. get special glasses or tablets for .................. colour-blindness?"
ANSWER KEY
Two days ago, I saw Mary wearing my coat. I knew it was mine, because it had a coffee stain on the left sleeve. I explained to her that it was mine,
but she said it was hers, refused to give it back and stormed off. I followed her as she took the liberty of going shopping in my coat. First of all, she purchased cigarettes and
put them in the pocket of my coat. Ugh! How dare she! I hate the smell of cigarettes!
Next, she popped into a "Greasy Spoon" cafe. (Due to the greasy atmosphere and rancid cooking smells, all working men's cafes have that nickname, because all their food is
fried in oil or lard.) I peered in through the window and noticed she was sitting down on one of the greasy chairs. Oh, no! Not only is my coat going to stink of fried food,
but it is also going to have greasy stains on it!
As I watched, she started to undo my coat and then took it off. I waited until she had removed it and hung it up with some grubby workmen's coats on coat hooks in the
corner. I decided it would be a good idea to wait until she wasn't looking, then I could rush in and grab the coat. I glanced away for a few minutes to blow my nose and
when I looked back, the coat had gone. Racing into the cafe, I looked frantically about me and noticed an old tramp limping out of another door with my coat gracing his rounded
shoulders. I desperately shouted, "Stop! Thief!" Mary looked up in surprise. "Quick Mary, " Iyelled, "That tramp has walked off with my coat!"
"No, he hasn't," she replied. "He looked so cold, poor thing, I told him he could have it."
"What! You gave my coat away!"
"Of course not! Although our coats are similar, that was a green coat; your one is brown, so that one was definitely not yours! Can't you get special glasses or tablets
for your colour-blindness?"
GAPPED EXERCISE FOR ELEMENTARY/PRE-INTERMEDIATE PRACTICE
INSTRUCTIONS: Use the above rules to complete the following exercise
SUBJECT PRONOUNS
1. Egbert is not English; ............... is Australian
2. Dominic and Kaye are in love; ............... are going to get married.
3. This is Lyn's first job and ............... is very nervous.
4. Have ............... seen my new car? No, ............... haven't.
5. ............... are going on holiday at the end of the month.
6. Will you look after our cat please? ............... will need food and water whilst ............... are away.
OBJECT PRONOUNS
1. Help ............... to prepare for my exam please.
2. Your dog keeps jumping up at me; please tell ............... to stop.
3. Give ............... some advice please; we are so worried.
4. Carl and Ellie rode their bicycles to Juliette's house; she was out, so they didn't see ................
5. The police are patrolling the town centre. Have you seen ...............?
6. Dave is very thirsty. Would you give ............... something to drink please?
7. Albert says he knows ..............., because he met ............... at your party last week.
POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES
1. Alfred and Henry are in ............... car.
2. Gertrude is cleaning ............... teeth.
3. Tom is drinking ............... drink.
4. Is this ............... hamburger?
5. I am working on ............... homework.
6. Please give the dog ............... bone now.
POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS
1. That is Clara's shoe; that's ................
2. This is Jennifer and Tom's home; it's ................
3. That is Peter's car over there; it's ................
4. "Whose money is this? Is it ...............?" "No, it's not ..............., because I didn't have any."
ANSWER KEY
Subject Pronouns Object Pronouns Possessive Adjectives Possessive Pronouns
1. he 1. me 1. their 1. hers
2. they 2. it 2. her 2. theirs
3. she 3. us 3. his 3. his
4. you, I 4. her 4. your 4. yours
5. We 5. them 5. my 5. mine
6. It, we 6. him 6. its
7. you, you
