Her vs. Hers: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
"Her" is a possessive adjective modifying a noun, as in "her book." "Hers" is a possessive pronoun replacing a noun, as in "The book is hers."
Key Differences
"Her" is used to indicate that something belongs to or is associated with a female person or animal previously mentioned or easily identified. For example, in the sentence "Her coat is red," "her" modifies "coat," indicating that the coat belongs to her. "Hers," on the other hand, is used without a following noun. It replaces the noun and possessive adjective together, as in "The red coat is hers."
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 26, 2023
"Her" is always followed by a noun because it is an adjective. It cannot stand alone in a sentence. For instance, "I like her style," where "her" modifies "style." Conversely, "Hers" functions independently, as it is a pronoun. An example is, "This style is hers," where "hers" takes the place of "her style."
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 26, 2023
In terms of grammatical structure, "her" fits into the category of possessive adjectives, which are used to describe the noun they precede. For example, in "Her phone rang," "her" describes who owns the phone. "Hers," being a possessive pronoun, stands in for a noun and a possessive adjective, as seen in, "Is this phone hers?"
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 26, 2023
The use of "her" is mandatory when indicating possession and is directly connected to the noun. For instance, "Her answer was correct," where "her" directly modifies "answer." "Hers" is used for emphasis or to avoid repetition, as in "The correct answer is hers."
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 26, 2023
"Her" and "Hers" both denote possession but differ in their grammatical roles. "Her" is more common in everyday speech as it is used to modify countless nouns, like in "Her ideas are innovative." "Hers" is more specific and is used in situations where the noun is understood, as in "These ideas are hers."
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 26, 2023
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Comparison Chart
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Her and Hers Definitions
Her
Possessive form indicating something belongs to or is associated with a female person or animal.
Her bicycle is new.
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Nov 14, 2023
Hers
Used to refer to a thing or things belonging to or associated with a female person or animal mentioned previously.
The choice was hers.
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Nov 14, 2023
Her
Employed to attribute something to a female person mentioned earlier.
Her performance was outstanding.
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Nov 14, 2023
Hers
Used in place of a woman's name to show possession.
The decision was hers to make.
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Nov 14, 2023
Her
Used to describe something associated with a woman.
Her opinion matters.
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Nov 14, 2023
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Hers
Possessive pronoun used to indicate a female person's ownership or relationship to something.
This room is hers.
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Nov 14, 2023
Her
Indicates that a woman or girl is the object of an action or the recipient of a service.
He sent her a letter.
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Nov 14, 2023
Hers
Employed to emphasize that a female owns or is responsible for something.
The responsibility is hers.
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Nov 14, 2023
Her
Used before a noun to show that it belongs to a female.
Her voice is captivating.
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Nov 14, 2023
Hers
Indicates that something belongs to a specific woman or girl.
The winning trophy is hers.
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Nov 14, 2023
Hers
That which belongs to her; the possessive case of she, used without a following noun.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Her
Belonging to her (belonging to that female, or in poetic or old-fashioned language that ship, city, season, etc).
This is her book
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Her
Belonging to a person of unspecified gender to counterbalance the traditional "his" in this sense.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Her
The form of she used after a preposition, as the object of a verb, or (deprecated) with a conjunction; that woman, that ship, etc.
Give it to her
He wrote her a letter
He treated her for a cold
Him and her went for a walk
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Her
(informal) A female person or animal.
I think this bird is a him, but it may be a her.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Her
The form of the objective and the possessive case of the personal pronoun she; as, I saw her with her purse out.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Is "her" the same as "hers" in meaning?
Both indicate female possession, but "her" is an adjective and "hers" is a pronoun.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 26, 2023
Is "her" a subject pronoun?
No, "her" is not a subject pronoun; it is a possessive adjective.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 26, 2023
Can "hers" be used in the beginning of a sentence?
Yes, "hers" can be used at the beginning of a sentence.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 26, 2023
Do "her" and "hers" change form in plural?
No, "her" and "hers" do not change form in plural.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 26, 2023
Can "hers" be used in front of a noun?
No, "hers" cannot be used in front of a noun; it stands alone.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 26, 2023
Is "her" always followed by a noun?
Yes, "her" is always followed by a noun as it's a possessive adjective.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 26, 2023
Is "her" used for both singular and plural?
"Her" is used only in the singular form.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 26, 2023
Can "her" be used for inanimate objects?
Yes, "her" can be used for inanimate objects associated with a female.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 26, 2023
Is "her" used in formal writing?
Yes, "her" is used in both formal and informal writing.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 26, 2023
Can "hers" replace an entire phrase?
Yes, "hers" can replace a phrase indicating female possession.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 26, 2023
Is "hers" a subjective pronoun?
No, "hers" is a possessive pronoun, not subjective.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 26, 2023
Can "her" indicate a close relationship?
Yes, "her" can indicate a close relationship.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 26, 2023
Is "hers" used in everyday conversation?
Yes, "hers" is used in everyday conversation.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 26, 2023
Is "her" appropriate for all ages?
Yes, "her" is appropriate for females of all ages.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 26, 2023
Do "her" and "hers" have the same root word?
Yes, both come from the same root indicating female possession.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 26, 2023
Can "her" stand alone in a sentence?
No, "her" cannot stand alone as it is an adjective.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 26, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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