Grammar · Pronouns
Possessives: My, Mine & Whose
My, mine and whose are small words about who has something. Learn them with the film Toy Story.
Grammar › Pronouns › Possessives: My, Mine & Whose
The rule in one sentencePut my before a noun (my hat), but use mine alone, with no noun after it (the hat is mine).
About the film
Toy Story is a film from 1995 about toys that come alive when people leave the room. Woody is a cowboy doll, and his owner Andy writes his name on Woody’s boot. Then Andy gets a new toy, Buzz Lightyear, and Woody thinks: “Andy is my boy, and that place on the bed is mine!”
What does it do?
These words tell us who has something. My always comes before a noun: my hat, my boot, my friend.
Mine stands alone. There is no noun after it: the hat is mine. To ask about the owner, use whose: Whose toy is this?
Imagine Woody saying these. The first two tiles mean the same thing. My has a noun after it. Mine has no noun, because the noun is already inside it.
Buzz is my new toy. This new toy is mine.
Andy can say both. Use “my” with a noun. Use “mine” at the end, with no noun.
Visual guide
Teacher Teddy’s illustrated guide to this rule is being drawn — the full swipe-through infographic will appear here soon.
How to make it
my — before a noun
My name is Woody.
This is not my hat.
Put “not” before “my”.Is this my boot?
The noun still comes after “my”.mine — alone
The boot is mine.
That space toy is not mine.
It is Andy’s toy.Is this hat mine or yours?
“Mine” can end a question too.When to use each one
my — with a noun
mine — no noun after it
Words that help: my or mine?
Look at the word after it.
my → a noun comes next
mine → nothing comes next
Common mistakes
❌ This is mine hat.
✅ This is my hat.
A noun (hat) comes next, so use “my”.
❌ The boot is my.
✅ The boot is mine.
Nothing comes after it, so use “mine”.
❌ Who’s toy is this?
✅ Whose toy is this?
“Who’s” means “who is”. To ask about the owner, use “whose”.
❌ Rex is a friend of my.
✅ Rex is a friend of mine.
After “a friend of”, always use “mine”.
One more thing
This part is a little harder. You can come back to it later.
“Whose” works with or without a noun. You can say Whose hat is this? or just Whose is this? The answer can be mine, yours, or a name with ’s.
✅ Whose boot is this? It is Andy’s.
✅ Whose is this old hat? It is mine.
Practice: choose the right word
Eight questions. Choose one word. You get the answer, and why.
1. Woody is ___ favourite toy.
A noun (toy) comes next → my.
2. This cowboy hat is ___.
Nothing comes after it → mine.
3. ___ boot is this?
You are asking about the owner → whose.
4. Rex is a friend of ___.
After “a friend of” → mine.
5. Is this ___ bed?
A noun (bed) comes next → my.
6. The new space toy is not ___.
Nothing comes after it → mine.
7. “Whose hat is this?” “It is ___.”
The answer has no noun → mine.
8. ___ name is Woody.
A noun (name) comes next → my.
Your turn
Choose one ending. Then listen to your sentence.
Every sentence here is correct. Pick the one that is true for you. Say it out loud too!
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