English grammar
Mine, yours, belongs to no one
Sort out whose things are whose.
From the scene This is mine
In short
Mine and yours stand alone, with no the. Use someone in positive sentences and no one with a positive verb.
Your turn
Which one goes with no article?
Options: it's mine (NOT "the mine") · Is it yours? · someone left it here
Show answer
no article → it's mine (NOT "the mine")
How it works
Review: mine, yours, his, hers stand alone, with no article and no noun (it's not mine).
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
No, it’s not (blank).
Options: the mine · my · mine
Show answer
No, it’s not mine.
No, no es mía.
Good to know
Someone for a positive sentence (someone left it), and no one when there's no other negative: it belongs to no one = it doesn't belong to anyone.
asking whose Is it yours?
Elena
And this book? Is it yours, Don Ramón?
¿Y este libro? ¿Es suyo, Don Ramón?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
And this book? (blank), Don Ramón?
Options: Is it yours · It's mine · Someone left it here
Show answer
Elena
And this book? Is it yours, Don Ramón?
¿Y este libro? ¿Es suyo, Don Ramón?
no article it's mine (NOT "the mine")
Your turn
What goes with it's mine (NOT "the mine")?
Options: no article · asking whose · positive: someone
Show answer
it's mine (NOT "the mine") → no article
positive: someone someone left it here
Elena
Someone left it here a long time ago.
Alguien lo dejó aquí hace tiempo.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank) a long time ago.
Options: It's mine · Someone left it here · Is it yours
Show answer
Elena
Someone left it here a long time ago.
Alguien lo dejó aquí hace tiempo.
no other negative: no one it belongs to no one (NOT "doesn't belong to nobody")
Nuria
A sponge? It belongs to no one. How strange.
¿Una esponja? No es de nadie, qué raro.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
A sponge? (blank). How strange.
Options: It belongs to no one · Is it yours · It's mine
Show answer
Nuria
A sponge? It belongs to no one. How strange.
¿Una esponja? No es de nadie, qué raro.
Watch out
NOT 'it doesn't belong to nobody', and NOT 'the mine'.
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| asking whose | Is it yours? |
|---|---|
| no article | it's mine (NOT "the mine") |
| positive: someone | someone left it here |
| no other negative: no one | it belongs to no one (NOT "doesn't belong to nobody") |
More lines from the story
- NuriaNo, it’s not mine.No, no es mía.
- RamónAh, yes. That scarf is mine.Ah, sí. Esa bufanda es mía.
- RamónNo, that one isn’t mine.No, ese no es mío.