Episode 6: Whose Dream Is This?

Possessives (‘s, mine, my) — Walt Disney, 1955 (A1-A2)

Grammar Box

Meaning: We use possessives to show that something belongs to someone. They connect people to things they own or love.

Form: my/your/his/her + noun / mine/yours/his/hers (alone) / name + ‘s

Example 1: This is my dream. (before noun)

Example 2: This dream is mine. (stands alone)

Common mistake: Wrong: This is I book. Better: This is my book.

The Question

Luna looks at her notebook. “This is my book. This book is mine. This is Luna’s book.” She frowns. “Three ways to say the same thing? Why?” The watch glows golden. Professor Wisdom appears. “Let’s visit a man whose dream became the world’s playground.”

The Journey

They arrive at a construction site. Dust fills the air. Workers hammer and paint everywhere. Orange trees still grow between the buildings. It smells like fresh paint and California sunshine.

This is Walt Disney. He is 53 years old. He’s already famous for Mickey Mouse and Snow White. But that’s not enough. He wants something more. Something that families can share together. People say he’s crazy. “Nobody will come to Anaheim for a park.”

This is July 1955. Opening day approaches. Walt has bet everything on this dream. His money. His reputation. His family’s future. Banks said no. His own brother doubted him. But Walt wouldn’t stop. This park is his vision. Every detail matters to him.

Walt walks through his park. “This is my castle,” he says, pointing to Sleeping Beauty Castle. “That’s Mickey’s house. Those are the children’s rides.” He touches a painted fence. “Every color is mine to choose. Every smile will be ours to share.”

Opening day will be chaos. Too many tickets sold. Rides breaking down. But none of that matters now. Walt stands in his unfinished kingdom. His eyes shine with tears. This isn’t just a park. It’s his heart made real. Before Disneyland, amusement parks were dirty and dangerous. After, they became magical.

You can hear hammers pounding. You can smell fresh popcorn from the test kitchens. The July heat is intense. Workers wipe their foreheads. But Walt doesn’t stop. His energy fills the whole space. “This dream is mine,” he whispers. “But soon it will be theirs.”

The Insight

Professor Wisdom points to Walt’s gestures. “Listen to his words. ‘My castle. Mine to choose. Mickey’s house. Theirs to enjoy.’ We use possessives to show belonging. ‘My’ comes before the thing. ‘Mine’ stands alone. Add ‘s’ to names: Walt’s dream, Mickey’s house. These tiny words connect people to what they love.”

Practice Zone

More Examples:

“This is my phone.” — The phone belongs to me (my + noun).
“That phone is mine.” — The phone belongs to me (mine = standalone).
“John’s car is red.” — The car belongs to John (name + ‘s).
“The children’s toys are everywhere.” — The toys belong to the children.
“Is this yours?” — Question: Does this belong to you?
“Their house, not ours.” — Comparing: belongs to them vs belongs to us.

Exercises:

Fill in the blank: This is ___ book. (I / my / mine)
Choose the correct:
a) That is Maria book.
b) That is Maria’s book.
Match the possessive form:
– This is my pen → This pen is mine
– That is his car → That car is his
– These are our keys → These keys are ours
Complete: This is ___ sister. She is . The red bag is .
Your turn: Write three sentences about things that belong to you or your family using possessives.

Answer Key:

my (we use “my” before a noun)
b) That is Maria’s book (add ‘s after names)
This pen is mine / That car is his / These keys are ours
my / mine / hers (sister = noun, so “my”; standalone = “mine”; belongs to her = “hers”)
Check: Did you use my/your/his/her before nouns? Did you use mine/yours/his/hers alone? Did you add ‘s after names?

The Lesson

They return to Luna’s desk. The watch stops glowing. Luna picks up her pen. “This is mine. My dream is mine. But I can share it.” Professor Wisdom smiles. “What we own is less important than what we create. Walt’s park became everyone’s joy.”