Many writers often get confused about whether to use your’s or yours in their sentences. This common mistake stems from misunderstanding apostrophe grammar rules and how possessive pronouns in English work. Unlike nouns, which typically add an apostrophe to show possession, pronouns like yours already express ownership without needing one. Misusing apostrophes is one of the frequent English grammar mistakes seen in both casual and formal writing. Understanding the possessive form in English helps avoid such errors and improves your writing clarity. In this article, we will explain why your’s is incorrect and why yours is the proper choice every time.
Your’s or Yours – Quick Answer
✅ Correct word: yours
❌ Incorrect word: your’s
Yours is already a possessive pronoun, so it does not need an apostrophe.
Examples
- This seat is yours.
- The decision is yours.
- My phone died, so I used yours.
Writing your’s is an example of incorrect apostrophe usage and one of the most common English grammar mistakes.
In grammar learning, this topic appears in lessons about possessive pronouns in English, apostrophe grammar rules, and apostrophe usage in English.
The Origin of Your’s or Yours
The word yours comes from Old English possessive forms used to show ownership without adding punctuation.
Pronouns behave differently from nouns. For nouns, we add apostrophe + s:
- John → John’s book
But pronouns already include possession:
- my → mine
- your → yours
- her → hers
So, apostrophes are not needed. This is part of the possessive form in English and the possessive case in English.
Grammar teachers explain this in every pronoun grammar guide and possessive pronoun list, yet mistakes still happen due to misunderstanding apostrophe S rules.
British English vs American English Spelling
Good news: there is no spelling difference between American and British English for this word.
| Context | American English | British English |
|---|---|---|
| Possessive pronoun | yours | yours |
| Incorrect form | your’s | your’s |
| Grammar rule | No apostrophe | No apostrophe |
Both follow the same English punctuation rules and grammar rules for pronouns.
Which Spelling Should You Use?
No matter your audience, always write yours.
Recommendation
- USA → Use yours
- UK → Use yours
- Australia & Commonwealth → Use yours
- Global audience → Use yours
Using your’s signals grammar mistakes in writing and weak professional writing grammar.
Following correct punctuation usage helps in writing without grammar mistakes and improves professional communication.
Common Mistakes with Your’s or Yours
Here are frequent errors and fixes.
| Mistake | Correction |
|---|---|
| Is this pen your’s? | Is this pen yours? |
| The choice is your’s. | The choice is yours. |
| That bag is your’s, right? | That bag is yours, right? |
These mistakes are examples of:
- common apostrophe errors
- confusion in possessive words without apostrophes
- errors corrected by grammar correction examples
- misuse seen in grammar editing tips and grammar correction tools
Understanding ownership in grammar avoids these mistakes.
Your’s or Yours in Everyday Examples
Please confirm if this seat is yours.
Social Media
That victory is yours!
News Style
The final decision is yours, officials said.
Formal Writing
Responsibility for the outcome is yours.
These are simple pronoun usage examples and common sentence examples using yours used in professional writing and media.
Learning these patterns helps in English writing improvement and everyday communication.
Your’s or Yours – Google Trends & Usage Data
Search data shows many users still type your’s, proving confusion remains common worldwide.
Searches spike:
- During school exams
- When students learn pronouns
- During professional writing tasks
Teachers and editors include this topic in grammar learning guide, grammar writing tips, and lessons on punctuation rules explained.
A simple pronoun comparison shows why mistakes occur:
| Word | Correct Possessive |
|---|---|
| I | mine |
| you | yours |
| we | ours |
| they | theirs |
All follow possessive grammar examples without apostrophes.
Comparison Table: Keyword Variations
| Variation | Correct? | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| yours | ✅ Correct | Already possessive |
| your’s | ❌ Incorrect | Apostrophe unnecessary |
| your is | Correct phrase | Contraction form |
| yours truly | ✅ Correct | Formal closing |
FAQs: Your’s or Yours
Q: Is it yours or your’s sincerely?
A: It is yours sincerely, no apostrophe in “yours.”
Q: Is it Lopez or Lopez’s?
A: It is Lopez’s to show possession (apostrophe + s).
Q: Is it yours truly or your’s truly?
A: It is yours truly, without an apostrophe.
Q: Which is correct, hers or her’s?
A: Hers is correct; no apostrophe in possessive pronouns.
Q: What pronouns are xe in LGBT?
A: Xe is a gender-neutral pronoun used by some in the LGBTQ+ community.
Q: Is it Chris’s or Chris?
A: It is Chris’s to show possession (apostrophe + s).
Q: Which is correct, Lucas’s or Lucas?
A: Both Lucas’s and Lucas’ can be correct; style guides differ.
Q: Is it Jones’s or Jones?
A: Both Jones’s and Jones’ are acceptable depending on style preference.
Conclusion
Understanding the difference between your’s or yours is key to mastering ownership in grammar and improving your writing. Remember, yours is the correct form because it is a second person possessive pronoun that already shows possession without needing an apostrophe. Avoid the common mistake of adding an apostrophe, which leads to incorrect apostrophe usage and distracts readers. By applying these simple grammar writing tips and focusing on proper pronoun usage examples, you will write with confidence and clarity in emails, social media, and formal documents. Mastering this rule is a vital step in your journey toward English writing improvement.
