his
This word is used to show that something belongs to or is associated with a male person or animal previously mentioned. It functions as both a possessive determiner used before a noun and a possessive pronoun used on its own.
Examples
3 of 5He put his keys in his pocket before leaving.
He put his keys in his pocket before leaving.
The candidate must submit his application by the end of the day.
The candidate must submit his application by the end of the day.
That blue bike over there is his.
That blue bike over there is his.
Synonyms
Word Family
Memory Tip
Think: 'His' ends with 's' just like 'possesS'. It tells you who owns the 'S'tuff.
Quick Quiz
John is very happy because ___ team won the game.
Correct!
The correct answer is: his
Examples
He put his keys in his pocket before leaving.
everydayHe put his keys in his pocket before leaving.
The candidate must submit his application by the end of the day.
formalThe candidate must submit his application by the end of the day.
That blue bike over there is his.
informalThat blue bike over there is his.
The researcher explains his methodology in the second section of the paper.
academicThe researcher explains his methodology in the second section of the paper.
The CEO will present his vision for the company during the meeting.
businessThe CEO will present his vision for the company during the meeting.
Synonyms
Word Family
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
on his own
on his own / by himself
all his own work
all his own work
by his side
by his side
Often Confused With
He's is a contraction for 'he is' or 'he has', whereas 'his' shows possession.
Him is an object pronoun (Look at him), while his is possessive (Look at his car).
Usage Notes
His does not change its form regardless of whether the noun following it is singular or plural (e.g., 'his dog' and 'his dogs' are both correct).
Common Mistakes
Learners often write 'hes' or 'he's' when they mean 'his' to show possession.
Memory Tip
Think: 'His' ends with 's' just like 'possesS'. It tells you who owns the 'S'tuff.
Word Origin
Derived from the Old English word 'his', which was originally the genitive (possessive) case of both 'hē' (he) and 'hit' (it).
Grammar Patterns
Cultural Context
While 'his' was traditionally used as a generic pronoun for any person, modern English often prefers 'their' to be gender-neutral.
Quick Quiz
John is very happy because ___ team won the game.
Correct!
The correct answer is: his
Related Grammar Rules
Related Phrases
Related Vocabulary
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