Plural of My: A Comprehensive Guide to Plural Possessive Pronouns in English

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Pronouns are essential building blocks in English grammar, helping us to avoid repetition and clarify ownership. Among these, the possessive adjective “my” is one of the first words English learners encounter. It allows speakers to show what belongs to them: my book, my idea, my family.

However, expressing plural possession in English—especially for “my”—can be confusing. Learners often wonder: Should I say my friends or our friends? Is there a word like mys for things that belong to more than one person? The answer is not always obvious, and misuse can lead to awkward or incorrect sentences.

This article will clarify the correct ways to express plural possession with “my”, explore related structures, and address frequent learner questions. Whether you’re a student, teacher, writer, or advanced learner, mastering these nuances will make your English clearer and more natural.

Table of Contents

3. Definition Section

3.1. What is “My”?

“My” is a possessive adjective (or possessive determiner) used to indicate ownership or association by the speaker. It is always used before a noun to show that the noun belongs to the speaker.

Grammatical classification: “My” is not a pronoun itself. It functions as a possessive adjective that modifies nouns.

Examples: my pen, my ideas, my teacher

3.2. Function of “My”

The primary function of “my” is to show ownership or a close connection between the speaker and the noun. It can refer to physical objects, people, ideas, feelings, or relationships.

  • Physical object: my phone
  • Person: my sister
  • Feeling: my happiness

Examples: my house, my parents, my hope

3.3. The Concept of Plural Possession

Plural possession refers to two main ideas in English:

  1. Owning multiple items: my books (I own more than one book)
  2. Multiple people owning something together: our books (the books belong to me and at least one other person)

English uses possessive adjectives to indicate who owns something and whether the noun owned is singular or plural. The form of the possessive adjective does not change depending on the number of things owned—it is the noun that becomes plural.

3.4. The Myth of a “Plural” for “My”

Many learners wonder if “my” has a plural form, such as mys or mies. In standard English, “my” does not change for singular or plural nouns. There is no word like “mys” in English.

To express plural possession, English speakers use:

  • “my” + plural noun: my dogs, my ideas
  • “our” for first-person plural ownership: our dogs, our ideas

4. Structural Breakdown

4.1. Structure of Possessive Adjectives

There are seven possessive adjectives in English, each indicating the owner. They do not change for the number or gender of the thing owned (except for “his”/”her”/”its”).

Person Possessive Adjective Owner(s) Example
1st person singular my the speaker (I) my car
2nd person singular/plural your the person spoken to (you) your shoes
3rd person singular (male) his male person (he) his hat
3rd person singular (female) her female person (she) her bag
3rd person singular (neutral) its animal or thing (it) its tail
1st person plural our the speaker + others (we) our house
3rd person plural their other people (they) their jobs

4.2. “My” with Singular and Plural Nouns

“My” can be used with both singular and plural nouns. The form of “my” does not change; only the noun changes to indicate one or more items.

Structure Example Meaning
my + singular noun my cat one cat owned by me
my + plural noun my cats more than one cat owned by me
my + singular noun my idea one idea I have
my + plural noun my ideas several ideas I have

4.3. Plural Possessive in First Person

When the owner is more than one person (the speaker plus others), use “our” instead of “my”.

  • My friends = friends that belong to me (one owner).
  • Our friends = friends that belong to me and at least one other person (multiple owners).

Examples:
– My house (I own the house)
– Our house (my family and I own the house)

4.4. Expressing Plural Possession: Different Scenarios

  • Plural objects, single owner: my books (I own multiple books)
  • Plural objects, multiple owners: our books (we own multiple books)
  • Mixed possession: my and your books (some books belong to me, others to you)

English allows for flexible structures to show exactly who owns what, especially with coordinated ownership.

4.5. Use of “My” with Collective Nouns

Collective nouns refer to groups but are grammatically singular. You still use “my”:

  • my family
  • my team
  • my audience

Even though the reference is to a group, the owner is still one person.

4.6. “My” in Compound and Coordinated Phrases

When listing multiple owners, English uses coordinated possessives:

  • My and your responsibilities (things that belong to me and things that belong to you)
  • Our responsibilities (shared responsibilities)
Structure Example Meaning
my and your + noun my and your ideas some ideas are mine, some are yours
our + noun our ideas ideas shared by both of us
Alice’s and my + noun Alice’s and my car The car belongs to Alice and me

5. Types or Categories

5.1. Singular vs. Plural Possession

Singular possession refers to one person owning something.
Plural possession can mean one person owning multiple things or several people sharing ownership.

  • Singular: my car (one owner, one car)
  • Plural objects: my cars (one owner, several cars)
  • Plural owners: our car (multiple owners, one car)
  • Plural owners and objects: our cars (multiple owners, several cars)

5.2. Inclusive vs. Exclusive Possession

Inclusive possession uses “our” when the speaker is included with others.
Exclusive possession uses “my” when only the speaker is the owner.

  • Exclusive: my project (belongs only to me)
  • Inclusive: our project (belongs to me and others)
  • Sometimes, names are used for clarity: John’s and my apartment

5.3. Joint vs. Separate Possession

  • Joint possession: my and Jane’s project (a project we both share)
  • Separate possession: my project and Jane’s project (two different projects)

The structure and punctuation make the meaning clear.

5.4. Pluralizing Ownership in Questions and Negatives

Plural possession often appears in questions and negatives:

  • Question: Are these my keys?
  • Negative: These are not my keys.
  • Plural subject: Are these our keys?

5.5. Formal vs. Informal Usage

In formal English, structures like “John’s and my” are preferred for clarity. In informal speech, “our” or repeated “my” may be used for emphasis or simplicity.

  • Formal: John’s and my house
  • Informal: our house, me and John’s house (less standard)

6. Examples Section

6.1. Basic Examples: “My” with Singular and Plural Nouns

Table 1: “My” with Singular Nouns
Sentence Meaning
My pen is blue. I have one pen.
My friend is here. I have one friend here.
My car is parked outside. I have one car.
My phone is new. I have one phone.
My cat is playful. I have one cat.
My idea is unique. I have one idea.
My teacher is helpful. I have one teacher.
My house is big. I have one house.
My room is clean. I have one room.
My brother is tall. I have one brother.

Table 2: “My” with Plural Nouns
Sentence Meaning
My pens are blue. I have several pens.
My friends are here. I have several friends here.
My cars are parked outside. I have several cars.
My phones are new. I have several phones.
My cats are playful. I have several cats.
My ideas are unique. I have several ideas.
My teachers are helpful. I have several teachers.
My houses are big. I have several houses.
My rooms are clean. I have several rooms.
My brothers are tall. I have several brothers.

6.2. Expressing Plural Possession with “Our”

Table 3: “My” vs. “Our” (Contrastive Examples)
“My” (one owner) “Our” (multiple owners)
My room is upstairs. Our room is upstairs.
My dog loves to play. Our dog loves to play.
My parents are traveling. Our parents are traveling.
My garden is beautiful. Our garden is beautiful.
My office is on the third floor. Our office is on the third floor.
My project is due soon. Our project is due soon.
My children are playing. Our children are playing.
My vacation starts tomorrow. Our vacation starts tomorrow.
My teacher gave me homework. Our teacher gave us homework.
My idea was accepted. Our idea was accepted.

6.3. Complex Ownership Structures

Table 4: Compound Noun Possession
Sentence Structure
My sister-in-law’s advice is helpful. my + compound noun
My mother’s-in-law house is beautiful. my + compound noun
My classmates’ projects are impressive. my + compound noun
My next-door neighbors are friendly. my + compound noun
My co-workers’ opinions matter to me. my + compound noun

Table 5: Coordinated Possessives
Sentence Structure
Anna’s and my presentation was a success. joint possession
My and your ideas are similar. coordinated possession
My car and John’s car are parked outside. separate possession
My brother’s and my birthdays are in July. joint possession
My and Sarah’s responsibilities are different. coordinated possession

6.4. Examples in Questions and Negatives

  • Are these my shoes?
  • Are those my friends?
  • Is this my homework?
  • Are these my keys?
  • Is that my book on the table?
  • These are not my shoes.
  • Those are not my friends.
  • This is not my homework.
  • These are not my keys.
  • That is not my book on the table.

6.5. Examples in Context (Short Paragraphs)

Paragraph 1:
When I arrived at the party, I saw that my friends were already there. They waved at me, and I joined their group. Our laughter filled the room as we shared our stories from the week.

Paragraph 2:
My parents and I just moved into a new house. Our neighbors welcomed us warmly. My room is much bigger than before, and our backyard is perfect for playing soccer.

Paragraph 3:
My and Anna’s project was selected for the science fair. We worked hard together and combined our ideas. Our teamwork made the experiment a great success.

6.6. Common Errors and Corrections

Common Errors Table
Incorrect Correct Explanation
mys books my books “my” does not change for plural
my and our friends my friends / our friends Choose one based on ownership
me and Anna’s car Anna’s and my car Name first, then “my”
my my dogs my dogs Do not repeat “my”
my book (for several books) my books Pluralize the noun, not the adjective

7. Usage Rules

7.1. Rule 1: “My” Always Refers to One Owner

“My” always means the noun belongs to one person (the speaker).

  • Correct: My shoes are new. (I own the shoes)
  • Incorrect: My shoes are new. (if more than one person owns them—use “our” instead)

7.2. Rule 2: Plurality of the Possessed Noun

My can be used before both singular and plural nouns. The noun, not the adjective, shows the number.

  • my dog (one dog owned by me)
  • my dogs (several dogs owned by me)

7.3. Rule 3: Using “Our” for First-Person Plural

Use “our” when more than one person (including the speaker) owns something.

One Owner Multiple Owners
my house our house
my team our team
my idea our idea

7.4. Rule 4: Joint Possession with Names

To show joint ownership with another person, use the name first, then “my”:

  • Alice’s and my apartment is large.
  • John’s and my dog loves to run.

Note: Use the possessive ’s with the name, not with “my”.

7.5. Rule 5: Repetition in Compound Subjects

When listing multiple possessions, repeat “my” if each noun is separately owned:

  • My brother and my sister are both teachers. (both are my siblings)
  • My brother and sister are coming. (if both are my siblings, “my” can be used once)

7.6. Rule 6: Avoiding “Mys” or “Mies”

Never use “mys” or “mies” as the plural of “my”. The word “my” is invariable.

  • Incorrect: mys books
  • Correct: my books

7.7. Special Cases and Variations

Some languages change the possessive adjective for plural, but English does not. Learners should be careful not to apply rules from their first language.

  • French: mon (masculine), ma (feminine), mes (plural)
  • Spanish: mi (singular), mis (plural)
  • English: “my” for both singular and plural

7.8. Table: Summary of Usage Rules

Summary of Usage Rules
Rule Correct Example Incorrect Example
“My” = one owner my cars mys cars
Pluralize noun, not “my” my books mys books
Use “our” for shared ownership our house my and our house
Names + “my” for joint ownership Anna’s and my project me and Anna’s project
Repeat “my” for separate items my brother and my sister my brother and sister (if not both are siblings)

8. Common Mistakes

8.1. Using “Mys” as a Plural

  • Incorrect: mys books
  • Correct: my books

Explanation: “My” never changes form.

8.2. Mixing “My” and “Our”

  • Incorrect: my and our friends
  • Correct: my friends (if only yours), our friends (if shared)

Explanation: Use one possessive adjective per context.

8.3. Mistakes with Compound Ownership

  • Incorrect: me and Anna’s car
  • Correct: Anna’s and my car

Explanation: Place the name first, then “my.”

8.4. Overusing Possessive Adjectives

  • Incorrect: my my dogs
  • Correct: my dogs

Explanation: Do not repeat “my.”

8.5. Forgetting to Pluralize the Noun

  • Incorrect: my book (if you have several books)
  • Correct: my books

Explanation: Pluralize the noun, not the adjective.

8.6. Table: Common Mistakes and Corrections

Common Mistakes and Corrections
Incorrect Correct Why?
mys friends my friends “my” is invariable
my and our books our books Choose one possessive adjective
me and Jane’s house Jane’s and my house Name before “my”
my my cats my cats No need to repeat “my”
my car (when referring to several cars) my cars Pluralize the noun

9. Practice Exercises

9.1. Fill-in-the-Blank

Choose “my” or “our” for each blank:

  1. _____ teacher is very kind.
  2. _____ parents are doctors.
  3. _____ project won the prize.
  4. _____ dogs love to run in the park.
  5. _____ house is close to the school.
  6. _____ class starts at nine o’clock.
  7. _____ friends are coming over tonight.
  8. _____ vacation starts next week.
  9. _____ car broke down yesterday.
  10. _____ team won the match.

9.2. Correct or Incorrect?

Identify if the sentence is correct or incorrect. If incorrect, provide the correction.

  1. Mys shoes are dirty.
  2. Our dog loves to play.
  3. Me and Anna’s bike is new.
  4. My and your ideas are different.
  5. My my book is on the table.
  6. My brothers are twins.
  7. Our friends are here.
  8. My cats is hungry.
  9. Jane’s and my house is big.
  10. My and our homework is finished.

9.3. Identify the Type

Is the possession singular, plural, joint, or separate?

  1. My books are on the shelf.
  2. Our projects are difficult.
  3. My and Anna’s essay was selected.
  4. My keys and Sarah’s keys are missing.
  5. My house is old.

9.4. Sentence Construction

Write a sentence expressing plural possession for each prompt:

  1. (You own several cars)
  2. (You and your brother share a room)
  3. (You have many ideas)
  4. (You and your friends have books)
  5. (You and Emily worked on a project together)

9.5. Mix and Match Table

Match the Possessive Adjective with the Correct Noun
Possessive Adjective Singular Noun Plural Noun
my ______ cat ______ cats
our ______ house ______ houses
your ______ idea ______ ideas
their ______ car ______ cars
her ______ friend ______ friends

9.6. Answer Key

9.1. Fill-in-the-Blank:

  1. My teacher is very kind. (one owner)
  2. My parents are doctors. (one owner – about your parents)
  3. Our project won the prize. (shared with others)
  4. My dogs love to run in the park. (your dogs)
  5. Our house is close to the school. (shared house)
  6. My class starts at nine o’clock. (your class)
  7. My friends are coming over tonight. (your friends)
  8. Our vacation starts next week. (shared vacation)
  9. My car broke down yesterday. (your car)
  10. Our team won the match. (shared team)

9.2. Correct or Incorrect?

  1. Incorrect. Correction: My shoes are dirty.
  2. Correct.
  3. Incorrect. Correction: Anna’s and my bike is new.
  4. Correct.
  5. Incorrect. Correction: My book is on the table.
  6. Correct.
  7. Correct.
  8. Incorrect. Correction: My cats are hungry.
  9. Correct.
  10. Incorrect. Correction: Our homework is finished.

9.3. Identify the Type

  1. Plural (one owner, several items)
  2. Plural (shared ownership, several items)
  3. Joint (shared between two people)
  4. Separate (two different sets of keys)
  5. Singular (one owner, one item)

9.4. Sentence Construction

  1. My cars are expensive.
  2. Our room is large.
  3. My ideas are creative.
  4. Our books are on the table.
  5. Emily’s and my project was excellent.

9.5. Mix and Match Table

Possessive Adjective Singular Noun Plural Noun
my my cat my cats
our our house our houses
your your idea your ideas
their their car their cars
her her friend her friends

10. Advanced Topics

10.1. Possessive Pronouns vs. Possessive Adjectives

Possessive adjectives (my, your, our, etc.) modify nouns: my book.
Possessive pronouns (mine, yours, ours, etc.) replace nouns: This book is mine.

  • My books are here. (possessive adjective + noun)
  • Mine are here. (possessive pronoun replaces “books”)

There is no plural form of “mine”; context and the noun’s number show plural possession.

10.2. “My” in Appositive and Ellipsis Constructions

Appositive: My friends, the Smiths, are here.
Ellipsis: Repetition can be omitted if context is clear: My brother and sister are coming.

10.3. Cross-Linguistic Comparisons

Languages like Spanish and French change possessive adjectives for plural:

  • Spanish: mi libro (my book), mis libros (my books)
  • French: mon livre (my book), mes livres (my books)
  • English: “my book”, “my books” (no change in “my”)

Learners need to adjust to the English system.

10.4. Historical and Dialectal Variations

Older English sometimes used forms like mine before vowels (mine eyes), but this is now archaic. Some dialects may use double possessives or informal structures, but standard English does not.

10.5. Stylistic Choices in Formal and Creative Writing

Writers may repeat or combine possessives for emphasis or rhythm: My hopes, my dreams, my fears. In formal writing, clarity is key, so choose structures that avoid ambiguity.

11. FAQ Section

  1. Is there a plural form of “my” in English?
    No. “My” is invariable and used for both singular and plural nouns. Plural possession is shown by making the noun plural: my cats.
  2. How do I refer to things owned by both me and someone else?
    Use “our” for joint ownership: our house. If you need to specify, use coordinated possessives: Anna’s and my house.
  3. When should I use “my” vs. “our”?
    Use “my” if the owner is you alone. Use “our” if the owner is you plus at least one other person.
  4. Can I say “mys” or “mies” for plural?
    No. English does not use “mys” or “mies.” Always use “my.”
  5. How do I show joint possession with names and “my”?
    Put the name first, then “my”: Anna’s and my project.
  6. What’s the difference between “my” and “mine”?
    “My” is a possessive adjective (needs a noun: my book). “Mine” is a possessive pronoun (stands alone: The book is mine).
  7. How do I pluralize “my friend” when talking about a group?
    Use “my friends” for multiple friends you own; “our friends” if shared.
  8. Can “my” be used with both singular and plural nouns?
    Yes. “My” does not change; the noun shows singular or plural: my book, my books.
  9. Are there exceptions to the use of “my” for plural possession?
    No. The rule is consistent in standard English.
  10. How do I avoid repetition in long lists of possessions?
    If all items belong to you, use “my” once: my pen, notebook, and pencil. For separate owners, repeat as needed: my book and Jane’s book.
  11. What are common mistakes with plural possessives for English learners?
    Using “mys,” mixing “my” and “our,” incorrect compound ownership, or not pluralizing the noun.
  12. How does plural possession work in questions and negatives?
    The structure stays the same: Are these my keys? These are not my keys. Use “our” for joint ownership.

12. Conclusion

To summarize: “my” is a possessive adjective that always refers to one owner and does not change for plural nouns. Express plural possession by using “my” + plural noun or switch to “our” for joint ownership. Never use “mys” or “mies”.

Choosing between “my” and “our” depends on ownership and context. Use the tables, examples, and exercises in this article to reinforce your understanding.

Mastering these details will help you communicate more clearly and naturally in English, whether you are writing, speaking, or teaching.

For further improvement, practice with authentic texts, write your own examples, and consult advanced grammar references. The more you use these structures, the more natural they will become!

Resources

For further learning, consider these resources:

  • Grammar Books: “English Grammar in Use” by Raymond Murphy, “The Elements of Style” by Strunk & White
  • Online Courses: Coursera, Udemy, Khan Academy
  • Language Exchange Partners: HelloTalk, Tandem
  • Practice: Engage in regular writing and conversation practice.

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