Lesson 3. Talk about what we have
Watch the video closely
Useful Expressions to talk about possession
The verb "to have"
In English, we use the verb "have" to show ownership. The form of the verb changes depending on the subject (the person or thing doing the action).
Have and Has (Positive)
Use have for: I, You, We, They.
Example: "I have three cats."
Use has for: He, She, It.
Example: "She has a dog."
Don't Have and Doesn't Have (Negative)
When you want to say you do not own something, use don't have or doesn't have.
Use don't have (do not have) for: I, You, We, They.
Example: "I don't have any dogs."
Use doesn't have (does not have) for: He, She, It.
Example: "She doesn't have a cat."
Note: Notice that after "doesn't," the word "has" changes back to "have".
Possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns
We use these words to show who something belongs to without using the verb "to have" every time.
Possessive Adjectives
These words come before a noun (the object).
My: "These are my cats."
Your: "This is your key."
Her: "This is her dog."
Possessive Pronouns
These words replace the noun. You do not need to say the object again after these words.
Mine: "These cats are mine."
Yours: "This key is yours."
Hers: "The dog is hers."
Look at the table below
Subject | Possessive Adjective | Possessive Pronoun |
I | My | Mine |
You | Your | Yours |
We | Our | Ours |
They | Their | Theirs |
He | His | His |
She | Her | Hers |
It | Its | Its |
Apostrophe
We can also show that something belongs to a person or animal by adding an apostrophe and the letter "s" after their name or noun.
For People:
Instead of "the daddy of Lily," we say: "Lily's daddy."
Example: "Lily's daddy is sitting next to her."
Instead of "the son of my parents," we say: "my parents' son"
Example: "My parents' son is really handsome."
For Animals/Objects:
Instead of "the ball of the dog," we say: "The dog's ball."
Example: "The dog's ball is in his mouth."
Practice
Watch the video and practice listening
The video uses clips from the TV series Modern Family to show how these grammar points are used in natural, everyday conversations. Here are notes on how you can use them:
1. The Verb "To Have"
In the real world, we use have and has to talk about the things we own, our relationships, or even the feelings.
Mitchell describes people in Vietnam by saying, "...they have these beautiful sun hats".
When talking about their social circle, Mitchell says, "We have tons of lesbian friends".
To describe a person's emotions, Mitchell tells Lily, "...Brett has feelings".
2. Possessive Adjectives and Pronouns
Possessive adjectives are very common in the video as characters talk about their families, friends, and backgrounds.
Lily introduces her friend's family by saying, "My friend Aldo's parents are Italian".
Mitchell explains a friend's background: "He's talking about his heritage".
Cameron talks to Lily about her background: "...respect to your heritage".
Mitchell talks about their child: "...teach our daughter about your country".
3. Apostrophe ('s)
In the video, you can see the apostrophe used in two different ways. It is important to know the difference!
For Ownership (Possession): * This shows that something belongs to a person.
Example: "Aldo's parents". This means "the parents of Aldo."
For Contractions (Shortening "is"):
Sometimes 's just means "is."
Example: "Aldo's talking about him being Italian". This means "Aldo is talking."
Example: "Crispin's forgetting that Brett has feelings". This means "Crispin is forgetting."
FAQ
1. Why does "has" change back to "have" after "doesn't"?
"Doesn't" already carries the third person singular meaning. The verb after it returns to its base form. This applies to all verbs, not just "have": she runs, but she doesn't run; he has, but he doesn't have.
2. What is the difference between a possessive adjective and a possessive pronoun?
A possessive adjective comes before a noun: "This is my bag." A possessive pronoun replaces the noun entirely: "This bag is mine." The meaning is the same. The position and structure are different.
3. When do I use the apostrophe "s" instead of "of"?
Both are correct, but in everyday English, the apostrophe "s" is more natural for people and animals. "Lily's daddy" sounds more natural than "the daddy of Lily." The "of" structure is more common for places or abstract things: "the capital of Vietnam," "the end of the movie."
4. What is the rule for words that already end in "s"?
For singular nouns ending in "s," add apostrophe "s" as normal: "James's car." For plural nouns ending in "s," add only the apostrophe: "my parents' house," "the students' books." Both rules appear in the lesson examples.
5. Can I use possessive pronouns alone without any context?
No. Possessive pronouns only make sense when the listener already knows what object you are referring to. "This is mine" works when both people can see the object. Saying "mine" out of nowhere leaves the listener confused about what you mean.