Hello, I'm an expert in the field of linguistics with a focus on English grammar. I'm here to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of possessive adjectives.
A possessive adjective is a type of adjective that is used to indicate possession or ownership. It essentially tells us to whom or what the noun that follows it belongs. Unlike other adjectives that describe qualities or characteristics of a noun, possessive adjectives are all about the relationship of possession between the noun and the entity that owns it.
Here's a step-by-step breakdown of how possessive adjectives work:

1. Position in a Sentence: Possessive adjectives come before the noun they modify. They act as a bridge between the owner and the object owned.

2. Agreement with the Owner: Possessive adjectives must agree with the gender and number of the owner. For example, "his" is used for a singular male owner, while "their" is used for plural owners.

3. Replacement of a Noun: In some cases, possessive adjectives can replace a noun that has been previously mentioned, to avoid repetition.

4. List of Possessive Adjectives: The English language has a specific set of possessive adjectives that are used depending on the context and the owner. The list includes "my," "your," "his," "her," "its," "our," and "their."

5. Examples: Let's look at some examples to solidify the concept:
- "My car is parked outside." Here, "my" indicates that the car belongs to the speaker.
- "Your book is on the table." In this sentence, "your" shows that the book belongs to the person being addressed.
- "His dog is very friendly." The use of "his" tells us that the dog belongs to a male individual previously mentioned or understood from the context.
- "Her bicycle is blue." "Her" signifies that the bicycle is owned by a female person.
- "Its tail is long." "Its" is used for objects or animals when the gender is not specified or when the object is gender-neutral.
- "Our house is very old." "Our" indicates that the house is owned by the speaker and others included in "us."
- "Their cat is missing." "Their" is used when the owner is a group of people or when the gender is not specified.

It's important to note that possessive adjectives should not be confused with possessive pronouns. While possessive adjectives modify a noun, possessive pronouns can stand alone without a following noun. For instance, "mine" can replace "my book" if the context is clear, as in "This book is yours, and that one is mine."

Now, let's transition to the Chinese translation of the explanation above.

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It comes before a noun in the sentence and lets us know to whom the noun belongs. ... It can also be used to replace a noun. Here is a list of the possessive pronouns: mine yours his hers its. A possessive adjective is an adjective that is used to show ownership.read more >>