"My" is a possessive adjective. It modifies nouns to show ownership, like "my book" or "my car."
Possessive adjectives come before nouns and answer "whose?" For example:
Unlike possessive pronouns (like "mine"), possessive adjectives always attach to a noun.
| Type | Examples | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Descriptive | red, happy, tall | Describe qualities |
| Quantitative | many, few, several | Show quantity |
| Possessive | my, your, his | Show ownership |
People often confuse "my" with the possessive pronoun "mine." While both show ownership, "my" requires a noun ("my house"), while "mine" replaces the noun ("The red one is mine").
Another confusion is with "I," the subject pronoun. "I" is the doer of the action ("I ran"), while "my" shows possession ("my run").
When I teach English classes, students frequently ask about "my." One exercise I use is having them fill in the blank: "_____ backpack is under the desk." The correct answer is "My," showing it's their possession. This helps clarify that "my" modifies the noun "backpack."
Understanding whether "my" is a pronoun or adjective helps with proper sentence structure. According to the English Grammar Organization, using the wrong part of speech can create confusion. For example, saying "Mine book" instead of "My book" sounds incorrect because "mine" can't modify a noun.