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your

det.
A1 Beginner Oxford US //ˈjɔɹ// UK //jˈɔː// your General-service

det. belonging to you or related to the person being spoken to. You use this to show that something is yours.

det. the possessive form of the second-person pronoun 'you'. Functions as a possessive determiner rather than a true pronoun.


SIMPLE

Is this your coat?

CONTEXTUAL

Please make sure you have all your personal belongings before you leave the train.

COMPLEX

The success of the project depends entirely on your ability to coordinate with the various departments and manage your time effectively during the final week.

Origin

From Middle English your, youre, ȝour, ȝoure, from Old English ēower, īower (“your”, plural), from Proto-West Germanic iuwar, from Proto-Germanic izweraz. Cognate with Saterland Frisian jou (“your”), Dutch jouw (“your”), German Low German jo, jos (“your”), German euer (“your”, plural), Danish jeres (“your”).

Usage

Always placed before a noun or an adjective-noun phrase.

Pitfall

I like you're carI like your carLearners often confuse the possessive determiner 'your' with the contraction 'you're' (you are).

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