Is "its" really a possessive pronoun?

Yes, and it's the only one people misspell constantly. Its shows owning (the dog wagged its tail) and never takes an apostrophe, because possessive pronouns as a family never do: hers, ours, theirs, its. The apostrophe version, it's, always means it is (or it has).

How do I explain their versus theirs?

Same position rule as my/mine. Their sits before the thing: their treehouse. Theirs stands alone: the treehouse is theirs. Once students see the whole family follows one pattern, the pairs stop feeling like separate facts to memorize.

2nd grade possessive pronouns

2nd grade possessive pronouns worksheets

Possessive pronouns show ownership without repeating a name: her bicycle, their garden, that seat is ours. Second graders master both positions, before the noun (my, your, their) and standing alone (mine, yours, theirs), and meet its without an apostrophe.

Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core L.1.1.d.

Each print is a different sheet with its own answer key. You don't need to sign up.

The kind of sentences you'll get

Circle the letter of the owning word that fits the sentence.

kite dipped and soared above the waves. Their · Theirs
Answer: Their
The high score on the spelling game is . her’s · hers · her
garden has three sunflowers. My · Mine

Every print pulls a new set of sentences at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling gets a different mix.

What's on a 2nd grade sheet

2nd grade sheets draw from 120 sentences, 8 to a page. All 60 of 1st grade's sentences are here too, plus 60 more. 1st grade sheets print 10 to a page.

Some of the answers:

mineyouryoursherhisOurourstheirsits

Choose the word. Circle the letter of the owning word that fits the sentence. 8 questions per page.

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.

How to teach this

Name the two jobs directly: some owning words work before the thing (my bike), others stand alone at the end (the bike is mine). Sorting the pairs into a two-column chart makes the system visible. Introduce its carefully and early, always alongside the reminder that the owning version has no apostrophe.

Watch for: The pairs split by position: my, your, her, our, and their sit before a noun; mine, yours, hers, ours, and theirs stand alone. Possessive pronouns never take an apostrophe. It's always means it is (or it has).

Common questions about 2nd grade possessive pronouns

Is "its" really a possessive pronoun?: Yes, and it's the only one people misspell constantly. Its shows owning (the dog wagged its tail) and never takes an apostrophe, because possessive pronouns as a family never do: hers, ours, theirs, its. The apostrophe version, it's, always means it is (or it has).
How do I explain their versus theirs?: Same position rule as my/mine. Their sits before the thing: their treehouse. Theirs stands alone: the treehouse is theirs. Once students see the whole family follows one pattern, the pairs stop feeling like separate facts to memorize.

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Aligned to Common Core L.1.1.d. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 241, updated August 2026.

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