Which sentence uses a possessive pronoun correctly to show ownership?

Which sentence uses a possessive pronoun correctly to show ownership?

• A. The tree lost its leaves.
• B. The tree loses its leaves.
• C. The trees lost their leaves.
• D. The trees lost there leaves.

Answer: (A)

Ownership is shown by using a possessive form that agrees with who owns something. The leaves belong to the tree, so the possessive marker attaches directly to the noun: its leaves. Using its here correctly indicates that the leaves belong to the tree, and it isn’t the contraction its with an apostrophe (which would be "it's" = it is). The other options either misuse a word (there) or move to a plural possessor (their) or shift the tense, but they don’t demonstrate the singular possessive relationship as clearly. Thus, this sentence uses the possessive form in the simplest, most direct way to show ownership by the tree.

Ownership is shown by using a possessive form that agrees with who owns something. The leaves belong to the tree, so the possessive marker attaches directly to the noun: its leaves. Using its here correctly indicates that the leaves belong to the tree, and it isn’t the contraction its with an apostrophe (which would be "it's" = it is). The other options either misuse a word (there) or move to a plural possessor (their) or shift the tense, but they don’t demonstrate the singular possessive relationship as clearly. Thus, this sentence uses the possessive form in the simplest, most direct way to show ownership by the tree.