Which sentence correctly uses a possessive pronoun without an apostrophe?

Which sentence correctly uses a possessive pronoun without an apostrophe?

• A. The book with the red cover is her.
• B. The book with the red cover is you're.
• C. The book with the red cover is hers'
• D. The book with the red cover is hers.

Answer: (D)

When expressing possession, use a form that either sits before a noun as a possessive determiner or stands alone after a linking verb as an independent possessive pronoun. In this sentence, the ownership of the book is shown by the stand-alone possessive pronoun after the linking verb, which is the correct pattern. The phrase uses hers, a possessive pronoun that shows ownership without needing an apostrophe. It correctly follows is and acts as the predicate complement, indicating who owns the book. This is the natural way to say “the book belongs to her” without repeating the noun. Using her would require a noun after it (for example, her book), but that changes the sentence structure. The contraction you're is a different word altogether, meaning "you are," so it doesn’t express possession. Adding an apostrophe to hers, as in hers’, is also incorrect because possessive pronouns themselves don’t take an apostrophe.

When expressing possession, use a form that either sits before a noun as a possessive determiner or stands alone after a linking verb as an independent possessive pronoun. In this sentence, the ownership of the book is shown by the stand-alone possessive pronoun after the linking verb, which is the correct pattern.

The phrase uses hers, a possessive pronoun that shows ownership without needing an apostrophe. It correctly follows is and acts as the predicate complement, indicating who owns the book. This is the natural way to say “the book belongs to her” without repeating the noun.

Using her would require a noun after it (for example, her book), but that changes the sentence structure. The contraction you're is a different word altogether, meaning "you are," so it doesn’t express possession. Adding an apostrophe to hers, as in hers’, is also incorrect because possessive pronouns themselves don’t take an apostrophe.