Sound-alike words
Their vs. There vs. They're
Their shows ownership, as in their car. There points to a place or starts a sentence, as in over there or there is a problem. They're is short for they are, as in they're late.
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| their | determiner | belonging to or connected with them |
| there | adverb | in, at or to that place |
| pronoun | used to introduce a sentence that says something exists, as in there is or there are | |
| they're | contraction | the short form of they are |
Their
determiner: belonging to or connected with them
- The kids left their bikes in the driveway.
- Our neighbors painted their fence white.
There
adverb: in, at or to that place
- Put the boxes over there by the door.
- We drove to the coast and stayed there for a week.
pronoun: used to introduce a sentence that says something exists, as in there is or there are
- There is a crack in the windshield.
- There are three eggs left in the carton.
They're
contraction: the short form of they are
- They're coming over after the game.
- Ask the twins if they're ready to leave.
How to remember the difference
Their contains heir, a person who owns things. There contains here, a place. They're has an apostrophe standing in for the missing A in they are.
Good to know
Their is also used for one person whose gender is unknown or who uses they, as in someone left their umbrella. Most current style guides accept this use.
Spot the mistake
The players forgot
theretheir water bottles on the bench.Correct: The players forgot their water bottles on the bench.
TheirThey're going to the beach on Saturday.Correct: They're going to the beach on Saturday.
Check yourself
Pick the word that fits each sentence.
1. My cousins said flying in on Thursday night.
Answer: they're. You can replace it with they are, so use the contraction they're.
2. Leave your boots by the back door.
Answer: there. This points to a place, so use there.