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They’re, their, and there are homophones. They sound exactly the same, but they are different words with different meanings.
They’re = They are
They’re is a contraction.
In other words, they’re is short forthey are.
Examples:
- They’re here.
= They are here.- They’re going to be 10 minutes late.
= They are going to be 10 minutes late.- They’re much happier now they have moved.
= They are much happier now they have moved.
Their = Possession
Their is a possessive determiner. It typically shows that something belongs to or is connected to a group of people.
Examples:
- Their flight lands at six.
- Their garden makes ours look like a building site.
- Their house is the one at the end of the lane on the corner.
It is also acceptable to use their when referring to a single person whose gender is unknown or unspecified.
Examples:
- Someone left their phone on the bus.
- Everyone has their own way of doing things.
- To each their own. – English proverb
In these examples, the gender of the person being referred to isn’t known. We can’t use his or her because we simply don’t know which applies, so their is the natural fit.
There = Location [or] Existence
There has two primary uses: we use it to refer to a place and also to indicate that something exists.
— There to Show Location
We use there to refer to a place that is not immediately close to the speaker. If it were close, we would say here.
Examples:
- Is that your dog over there?
- Can you put it down over there, please? I’ve got a cold and don’t want you to catch it.
— There to Show Existence
Examples:
- There is still half a pizza left if you want some.
- There must have been 200 people at their wedding.
Choosing Between They’re, Their, and There
If you find yourself second-guessing which one to use in writing, consider the following:
They’re – can you replace it with they are? If yes, use they’re.
Their – are you talking about something that belongs to or is connected to someone? If yes, use their.
There – if neither of the above fits, use there.
Quick Practice – They’re vs. Their vs. There
The full question list and answers are below.
Instructions: Fill in each blank with there, their, or they’re.
- ____________ always late.
- ____________ baby is due in March.
- We used to go on holiday ____________ every year as kids.
- ____________ is a lovely little Italian restaurant just around the corner.
- ____________ absolutely loving the weather in Spain.
- I think ____________ lost.
- ____________ were no seats left by the time we arrived.
- ____________ planning to sell ____________ house and move abroad.
- ____________ is a table free over ____________ by the window if you want it.
- ____________ opening ____________ latest café right over ____________.
Show Answers [Click]
- They’re
- Their
- there (location)
- There (existence)
- They’re
- they’re
- There (existence)
- They’re / their
- There (existence) / there (location)
- They’re / their / there (location)
Need a more permanent reminder?
Our There | Their | They’re poster breaks the difference down at a glance. You can find it here.