The Difference Between “Yours” and “Your’s” in English

In the English language, the word “yours” is a possessive pronoun used to indicate that something belongs to the person being spoken or written to. For example:

• “This book is yours.” (This book belongs to you.)

The form “your’s” is incorrect and not used in English. The correct form is “yours,” without an apostrophe. In English, an apostrophe typically indicates a contraction or possession, but with possessive pronouns like “yours,” “hers,” “ours,” and “theirs,” no apostrophe is used.

So, remember that “yours” is the correct form, while “your’s” is a mistake.

Let’s examine the usage of “yours” in English in more detail.

“Yours” – The Possessive Pronoun

“Yours” is a possessive pronoun used to indicate that something belongs to the person being spoken or written to. For example:

• The red car is yours, right? (The red car belongs to you, correct?)
• I really appreciate your help. Yours sincerely, … (I really appreciate your help. Sincerely yours, …)

It does not require an additional noun after it, as it implies possession on its own. For example: “Is this pen yours?” (Does this pen belong to you?)

It’s important to note that “yours” is never used with an apostrophe.

Here are some key points about “yours”:

• It is used without a noun after it.
• It does not have a form with an apostrophe.
• It refers to the second person singular or plural.

Examples of usage:

• “This is your book, and that is yours.” (This book belongs to you, and that one belongs to you.)
• “The choice is yours.” (The choice is up to you.)

Avoid these mistakes:

• Do not use “yours” with a noun after it.
• Do not add an apostrophe to “yours”.

As you can see, “yours” is always written as a separate word without an apostrophe.

“Your’s” – The Incorrect Form

“Your’s” with an apostrophe is actually an incorrect spelling. The apostrophe is not needed because “yours” is already a possessive pronoun and does not require additional marking for possession.

Some examples of incorrect usage:

• Your’s truly, … (Incorrect instead of Yours truly, …)
• I think your’s pen fell on the floor. (Incorrect instead of Your pen fell…)

Therefore, always write “yours” without an apostrophe to indicate possession. This will help you avoid a common grammatical mistake in English.