Hers vs. Her's

'A friend of hers' or 'a friend of her's?' Which one do you think is the correct choice? In this part, we will discuss the possessive pronoun 'hers'.

Is 'Her's' Correct? Can We Use It?

Apostrophes have many functions, but they can be problematic, too. For example, we should never use apostrophes to express possession with possessive pronouns.

Why People Make This Mistake?

Especially with those possessive pronouns, like 'hers' and 'theirs' ending in S already, you might instinctively add the apostrophe. But it is wrong.

'Hers'

Function 1: Possessive Pronoun

'Hers' is a third-person possessive pronoun that we use to talk about something that belongs to a woman, girl, or female animal.

She took his hands into hers.

Function 2: Generic Pronoun

Sometimes, especially in written texts, 'hers' is used to refer to a generic person without considering that person's gender. Many prefer to use 'his or hers' or 'theirs' as an alternative.

The writer stated other people's opinions which more or less agree with hers.

Function 3: Non-human Objects

Sometimes in formal and written English, 'hers' can be used to refer to a country, nation, car, machine, or ship.

Hers were the lushest forests in all the continent.

'of + possessive pronoun'

Sometimes, to show belonging you can use the structure of 'of + possessive pronouns'.

I'm a friend of hers.

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