When I see someone hesitate between “yours or your’s,” I know how confusing this small spelling choice can feel especially when you want your writing to sound natural and correct. I’ve seen this mistake often, and the good news is that the rule is much simpler than it first appears.
So, which one is correct: yours or your’s? In this guide, I’ll make the difference clear with simple examples so you can choose the right word confidently every time.
Quick Answer
Yours is the standard and correct possessive pronoun in English. Your’s is generally incorrect and should not be used in standard English. For example, write “Is this book yours?” rather than “Is this book your’s?” The apostrophe is not needed because yours is already the possessive form of your when it stands alone.
Quick Comparison: Yours vs Your’s
| Form | Main Use | Correct? | Example |
| yours | Possessive pronoun | ✅ Yes | Is this pen yours? |
| your’s | Incorrect spelling in standard English | ❌ No | Is this pen your’s? |
The important point is simple: yours is correct; your’s is not the standard spelling.
What Does “Yours” Mean?
Yours is a possessive pronoun. It shows that something belongs to the person or people being addressed.
It is the possessive form of you and corresponds to your when the noun has already been mentioned or is understood.
Compare these sentences:
- This is your phone.
- This phone is yours.
In the first sentence, your comes directly before the noun phone. In the second, yours stands alone and replaces the phrase your phone.
More examples:
- Is this jacket yours?
- That seat is yours.
- The decision is yours.
- I think this umbrella is yours.
- The final choice is yours.
Notice that yours does not normally appear directly before a noun.
Yours as a Possessive Pronoun
A possessive pronoun can stand in place of a noun phrase.
For example:
Your idea is better than my idea.
We can make the sentence more natural by using possessive pronouns:
Your idea is better than mine.
Similarly:
Your car is newer than my car.
becomes:
Your car is newer than mine.
And:
This is your responsibility.
can become:
This responsibility is yours.
What Does “Your’s” Mean?
Your’s is not the standard possessive form of your. In ordinary modern English, it is considered a spelling error.
The correct form is yours, without an apostrophe.
For example:
❌ Is this notebook your’s?
✅ Is this notebook yours?
The same rule applies in formal writing, schoolwork, professional emails, articles, applications, and other standard written English.
Why Is “Your’s” Usually Incorrect?
The confusion often comes from the fact that many English possessives use apostrophes.
For example:
- John’s book
- Sarah’s car
- the dog’s bowl
However, possessive pronouns follow their own spelling patterns. Yours belongs to the group of possessive pronouns that do not use apostrophes.
Other examples include:
- mine
- yours
- his
- hers
- ours
- theirs
So although your’s may look logical at first, it does not follow the standard rule for possessive pronouns.
Yours vs Your’s: Key Difference
There is no normal meaning difference between yours and your’s because your’s is not a standard alternative form of yours.
The real distinction is grammatical:
Yours is the correct possessive pronoun.
Your’s is an incorrect spelling in standard English.
Consider:
This bag is yours.
Here, yours means “your bag.”
You should not write:
This bag is your’s.
The apostrophe does not make the word more possessive. In this case, it simply creates an incorrect spelling.
When Should You Use “Yours”?
When Something Belongs to Someone
Use yours when you want to say that something belongs to the person you are speaking or writing to.
Examples:
Is this coat yours?
I believe this wallet is yours.
That desk is yours.
The blue notebook is yours.
After “Is,” “Was,” or Similar Verbs
Yours commonly appears after linking verbs when identifying ownership.
Examples:
Is this phone yours?
Was that seat yours?
This house was once yours.
That responsibility is yours.
When Replacing “Your + Noun”
Use yours when the noun does not need to be repeated.
Compare:
Your answer is different from my answer.
More naturally:
Your answer is different from mine.
And:
I like your design more than my design.
can become:
I like your design more than mine.
The same principle applies to yours:
Your car is larger than mine, but my car is older than yours.
Here, yours means “your car.”
In Personal Letters and Emails
Yours can also appear in traditional letter closings.
For example:
Yours sincerely,
James
or:
Yours faithfully,
Maria
These expressions are established conventions in letter writing.
When Should You Use “Your’s”?
In Standard English, You Should Not Use “Your’s”
There is normally no grammatical situation in which your’s should replace yours.
Use:
The choice is yours.
Not:
The choice is your’s.
Use:
Is this book yours?
Not:
Is this book your’s?
If you are writing for school, work, business, publishing, or formal communication, always choose yours.
Common Sentence Variations
Is It “Yours or Your’s”?
The correct form is yours.
Is this jacket yours?
Here, yours is a possessive pronoun. Your’s is an incorrect spelling in standard English.
Is It “This Is Yours” or “This Is Your’s”?
Use This is yours.
This is yours, not mine.
The word yours already expresses possession, so no apostrophe is necessary.
Is It “Yours Truly” or “Your’s Truly”?
The correct expression is Yours truly.
Yours truly,
Daniel
Your’s truly is incorrect in standard English.
Is It “Yours Sincerely” or “Your’s Sincerely”?
The standard form is Yours sincerely.
Yours sincerely,
Emma
Do not write your’s sincerely.
Is It “Yours Faithfully” or “Your’s Faithfully”?
The standard expression is Yours faithfully.
Yours faithfully,
Michael
Again, the possessive pronoun is yours, not your’s.
Common Phrases With “Yours”
Yours Truly
Yours truly can be used as a traditional letter closing. It can also be used informally to refer to oneself in a playful or slightly old-fashioned way.
Yours truly,
Robert
In everyday emails, people often choose a simpler closing such as “Best” or “Kind regards.”
Yours Sincerely
Yours sincerely is a traditional closing used in correspondence, particularly when the recipient’s name is known.
Yours sincerely,
Olivia
Yours Faithfully
Yours faithfully is another traditional formal letter closing.
Yours faithfully,
Thomas
Usage conventions can vary by English variety and by organization, so the exact choice of letter closing may depend on the style being followed.
What’s Yours Is Yours
This expression means that something belongs to you and is therefore your responsibility, property, or concern.
What’s yours is yours, so you should decide what to do with it.
The Choice Is Yours
This means that another person has the freedom or responsibility to make the decision.
We have explained all the options. The choice is yours.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Adding an Apostrophe to “Yours”
❌ Is this phone your’s?
✅ Is this phone yours?
Yours is already the correct possessive pronoun.
Mistake 2: Writing “Your’s” in a Formal Email
❌ Your’s sincerely,
✅ Yours sincerely,
The apostrophe should not be added to yours.
Mistake 3: Confusing “Your” and “Yours”
❌ Is this yours car?
✅ Is this your car?
Your comes before a noun, while yours normally stands alone.
Mistake 4: Using “Yours” Before a Noun
❌ Yours car is outside.
✅ Your car is outside.
Yours is a possessive pronoun, so it does not normally function as a determiner directly before a noun.
Mistake 5: Writing “Your’s” Because Other Possessives Use Apostrophes
❌ The decision is your’s.
✅ The decision is yours.
The apostrophe rule for possessive nouns does not automatically apply to possessive pronouns.
Mistake 6: Confusing “Yours” With “You’re”
❌ I think this bag is you’re.
✅ I think this bag is yours.
You’re means you are, while yours shows possession.
Why Do People Get “Your’s” Wrong?
The mistake is understandable because English uses apostrophes for possession in many situations.
For example:
Maria’s phone
the teacher’s desk
John’s jacket
Because learners see ‘s used to show possession, they may assume that your’s must also be possessive.
However, possessive pronouns do not all follow the same spelling pattern. Yours is one of the possessive pronouns that does not take an apostrophe.
Another source of confusion is the similarity between your and yours. Since your already looks like a possessive word, adding ‘s can seem logical even though it is grammatically unnecessary.
Can Both Forms Be Correct?
In standard English, yours is correct, while your’s is not normally accepted as a standard spelling.
There is no ordinary grammatical situation where you should choose your’s instead of yours.
For example:
This seat is yours.
is correct.
This seat is your’s.
is not standard.
If you encounter your’s online, in an informal message, or in user-generated writing, it may simply be a spelling mistake rather than a legitimate alternative form.
British vs American English
There is no meaningful British-versus-American spelling difference between yours and your’s.
Both British English and American English use yours as the standard possessive pronoun.
For example:
Is this book yours?
is standard in both varieties.
Similarly, traditional expressions such as Yours sincerely and Yours faithfully occur in British English and can also be found in American English, although letter-closing conventions differ between regions and writing styles.
The important point is that your’s is not a standard British alternative to yours, nor is it a standard American alternative.
Pronunciation of “Yours”
Yours is generally pronounced similarly to your with a final /z/ sound.
A simple approximation is:
yours → “yorz”
The exact vowel quality of your can vary by accent.
Importantly, the pronunciation does not justify adding an apostrophe. Your’s is not a different pronunciation-based spelling.
Word Origin and History
The word yours developed as part of the possessive forms associated with you in English.
Modern English distinguishes between your, which normally appears before a noun, and yours, which can stand independently.
This distinction is similar to:
- your → yours
- our → ours
- their → theirs
The modern spelling yours does not require an apostrophe. The apostrophe in your’s is therefore not a historical standard spelling that simply became less common; it is generally a mistaken attempt to apply a different possessive pattern.
Simple Memory Trick
Remember this:
Your + noun, but yours stands alone.
For example:
Your phone is here.
The phone is yours.
And remember:
Yours never needs the apostrophe.
If you see your’s, remove the apostrophe.
Quick Decision Guide
Is a noun directly after the possessive word?
→ Use your.
your book
your car
your idea
Does the possessive word stand alone?
→ Use yours.
The book is yours.
The car is yours.
The idea is yours.
Are you thinking about writing “your’s”?
→ Use yours instead.
Mini Quiz
1. Is this jacket ___?
A. yours
B. your’s
Answer: A — yours.
Yours is the standard possessive pronoun.
2. Which sentence is correct?
A. This is your’s book.
B. This is your book.
Answer: B — This is your book.
Use your directly before the noun book.
3. Which sentence is correct?
A. The blue car is yours.
B. The blue car is your’s.
Answer: A — The blue car is yours.
Yours stands alone because the noun it represents does not need to be repeated.
4. Choose the correct letter closing.
A. Yours sincerely
B. Your’s sincerely
Answer: A — Yours sincerely.
The established expression uses yours without an apostrophe.
5. Which sentence uses “your” correctly?
A. I like yours new phone.
B. I like your new phone.
Answer: B — I like your new phone.
Your comes before the noun phrase new phone.
6. Which sentence is correct?
A. The final decision is yours.
B. The final decision is your’s.
Answer: A — The final decision is yours.
The possessive pronoun yours does not take an apostrophe.
7. What does “yours” mean in “This seat is yours”?
A. You are
B. Belonging to you
Answer: B — Belonging to you.
Here, yours expresses ownership or possession.
8. Which form should you normally use in formal writing?
A. yours
B. your’s
Answer: A — yours.
Yours is the standard form in formal and informal standard English.
FAQs
Is “yours or your’s” correct?
Yours is correct. Your’s is generally an incorrect spelling in standard English.
Is “your’s” ever correct in English?
In ordinary standard English, your’s should not be used as the possessive form of your. If you see it in informal writing, it is usually a spelling mistake.
What is the difference between “your” and “yours”?
Your normally comes before a noun, as in “your phone.” Yours normally stands alone, as in “The phone is yours.”
Is “this is yours” grammatically correct?
Yes. This is yours is grammatically correct because yours functions as a possessive pronoun and means that the thing belongs to you.
Should I write “yours sincerely” or “your’s sincerely”?
Write Yours sincerely. The standard expression does not contain an apostrophe.
Why doesn’t “yours” have an apostrophe?
Yours is a possessive pronoun, and possessive pronouns such as mine, yours, his, hers, ours, and theirs do not normally use apostrophes.
Is “your’s” a British spelling?
No. Your’s is not a standard British spelling. British English uses yours, just as standard American English does.
Can “yours” come before a noun?
Normally, no. Use your before a noun: “your house.” Use yours when the possessive form stands independently: “The house is yours.”
Is “yours” short for “your is”?
No. Yours is a possessive pronoun. It does not mean “your is.” Do not confuse it with you’re, which is a contraction of you are.
Which is correct: “the choice is your’s” or “the choice is yours”?
The choice is yours is correct. Yours means that the choice belongs to or is the responsibility of the person being addressed.
Is “yours” formal or informal?
Yours is used in both formal and informal English. It appears in ordinary sentences such as “Is this yours?” and in traditional formal letter closings such as “Yours sincerely.”
Final Takeaway
The rule is simple:
Use “your” before a noun and “yours” when the possessive form stands alone. Never add an apostrophe to “yours” in standard English.
So write:
✅ Is this yours?
✅ Yours sincerely,
✅ The choice is yours.
Not:
❌ Is this your’s?
❌ Your’s sincerely,
❌ The choice is your’s.
When you’re unsure, remember: your + noun; yours = possession without the noun.
Discover More Topics:
- Ofcourse or Of Course | The Easy Rule That Finally Clears Up the Confusion
- All of a Sudden or All of the Sudden | A Clear Guide to the Right Choice
My name is Michael Turner, and I have always been fascinated by animals and the unique relationships people build with them. I enjoy researching naming ideas from different cultures, languages, and traditions to help pet owners discover names that truly stand out. At Meanixo, I write informative articles designed to make pet naming fun, simple, and stress-free. I believe reliable information and creativity should always go hand in hand.
Books:
- The Ultimate Pet Name Collection
- Living Better with Pets
Daniel Brooks
Sophia Mitchell