Which sentence uses a possessive pronoun that can stand alone after a linking verb?

Which sentence uses a possessive pronoun that can stand alone after a linking verb?

• A. The winner is her.
• B. The winner is you.
• C. The winner is hers.
• D. The winner is theirs.

Answer: (C)

When a linking verb like is links to a complement, that complement can be a noun or a pronoun that refers back to the subject. A possessive pronoun that can stand alone is used as a predicate pronoun, not as a determiner. Hers is such a form: it stands alone, shows possession, and directly refers back to the winner. The word her is a possessive determiner and needs a noun to modify (her trophy), so it wouldn’t stand alone here. You isn’t possessive at all, so it doesn’t fit the requirement. Theirs is also a stand-alone possessive pronoun, but in this singular context, hers ties possession specifically to the winner in a natural, unambiguous way. So the sentence with hers is the correct choice.

When a linking verb like is links to a complement, that complement can be a noun or a pronoun that refers back to the subject. A possessive pronoun that can stand alone is used as a predicate pronoun, not as a determiner. Hers is such a form: it stands alone, shows possession, and directly refers back to the winner. The word her is a possessive determiner and needs a noun to modify (her trophy), so it wouldn’t stand alone here. You isn’t possessive at all, so it doesn’t fit the requirement. Theirs is also a stand-alone possessive pronoun, but in this singular context, hers ties possession specifically to the winner in a natural, unambiguous way. So the sentence with hers is the correct choice.