There vs Their vs They’re: Which Should You Use?

Even the most confident English speaker knows that using there vs their vs they’re properly can sometimes be tricky. Whether you’re writing an essay or sending an email to a work colleague, you’ve likely questioned if there, their or they’re was the right word to use. 

Learning to use these common English words correctly is a matter of understanding the difference between there, their and they’re, doing a bit of practice with each and keeping a few simple memorization tricks up your sleeve.

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Why we sometimes mix up their, there and they’re

Try saying there, their and they’re aloud and you’ll notice that they sound very similar. In fact, these words are pronounced exactly the same in English. 

There, their and they’re are homophones 

You may be familiar with many English homophones , such as bear and bare, new and knew or break and brake. There, their and they’re are also homophones: these are words that sound exactly alike, but are spelled differently and have different meanings. 

• Their new shoes they’re always wearing are over there.

• They’re sorry they knew nothing of their neighbors’s situation and weren’t there to help. 

• There’s a bear their cats keep chasing and they’re unable to bear it anymore! 

Though homophones can be helpful as you work on mastering pronunciation, they’re a double-edged sword because these confusing words in English can lead to spelling mistakes if you’re not careful. This is especially true for their, there and they’re, since these share the same first three letters in their spelling and are frequently used English words. 

Review the differences between there, their and they’re 

Even if you’ve already covered the basics of pronouns, contractions and adverbs as you progressed through your English lessons, doing a quick recap of there vs their vs they’re and how they function within an English sentence can help you avoid persistent spelling mistakes. 

Use there to indicate location 

The main function of there is as an adverb that indicates location. It helps us avoid noun repetition: 

Can you look for my keys on the table? I think I left them there last night.

Where is your sister?

- She’s over there.

She lived in Tokyo for 2 years. There’s where she met her spouse.

We sometimes use there as a pronoun to indicate that something does or doesn’t exist:

We can wait for the next bus, since there’s no space left on this one for all of us. 

There won’t be enough time for them to catch the show if they leave at 9.

There couldn’t have been ants in the house; I cleaned it from top to bottom!

The word there can also be found in common English expressions:

Hi, there! (friendly and impersonal greeting)

Hang in there! (A way to comfort someone when times are tough). 

Been there, done that! ( Nonchalant way to say one has experienced something similar)

There is a versatile word, but its core uses are as an adverb of location and as a pronoun to show that something does or doesn’t exist. 

Luckily, their and they’re are much more limited in their use, which makes it easier to distinguish them from there!

Use their to show possession 

Their has one simple function in English: it’s the possessive adjective of the third-person plural subject (they). We use their when we want to show that a noun belongs to a group of people:

My kids like to leave their toys all over the floor! (The toys belong to the kids)

They had no clue that their house would sell so quickly! (the house belongs to them)

His colleagues are drowning with their own work, and now he’s giving them his! 
(the work belongs to the colleagues)

 Their is also used as a gender neutral possessive adjective instead of the third person singular male and female possessive adjective his and her.

Jonathan decided to donate his books to the library. 

Jonathan decided to donate their books to the library. 

That person seems to be looking for her child’s classroom. 

That person seems to be looking for their child’s classroom.

Need a recap on possession? We have a detailed possession in English if you need a quick refresher. 

Use they’re as a contraction for they are 

They’re is an example of an English contraction. It combines the subject pronoun they and are, which is the third person present plural conjugation of the verb to be.

They are going on vacation next week 

—> They’re going on vacation next week. 

The learners said they are experiencing issues with the website. 

—> The learners said they’re experiencing issues with the website. 

Grab some of my favorite snacks. They are in the next aisle. 

—> Grab some of my favorite snacks. They’re in the next aisle. 

Contractions are a handy way of shortening our English sentences and making pronunciation a bit more simple. To build a contraction, we add an apostrophe ‘ between two words, truncating the second word. It’s common to use contraction when the verb to be is conjugated and used on its own or as part of a present or past progressive. 

There vs their vs they’re — A Recap 

Review the differences between there, their and they’re and how they function as parts of speech in English. 

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Avoid confusing there vs their vs they’re

We hope this quick recap has helped you get a better handle on the differences between there, their and they’re.

There → Location or existence of something, somewhere
I love New York. I’m traveling there for New Year’s Eve. 

There are four other people in my department.            

Their → Possession for they or neutral for his/hers

Their son just graduated from high school last year.
            My friend doesn’t like to leave their dog with any random person. 

They’re → Contraction for they are 

They’re Amy and Sarah, my new classmates. 

Are they coming over tomorrow? – No, they’re coming over next weekend. 

Beyond understanding when and when not to use there vs their vs they’re in English, it’s important to keep an eye on your spelling of these words when writing, too. 

Why spelling their, there and they’re correctly matters

Spelling may seem unimportant if your main focus is speaking in English. Still, writing accurately is an essential part of mastering the English language. Practicing clear and grammatically-correct writing helps you communicate your ideas more clearly, while also showcasing your understanding of the language. 

Using their, there and they’re incorrectly may reveal poor knowledge of English grammar concepts including verb conjugation, possession and the use of adverbs. Making frequent spelling mistakes can also affect how others perceive your writing. Your peers or colleagues may interpret your incorrect spelling of their, there and they’re as a sign of carelessness or poor attention to detail. 

As you advance in your English learning, having these gaps in the basics of English grammar can negatively affect your progress with more complex grammar topics later on. It’s essential that you master the use and spelling of these three key English words for both personal and professional settings. 

Are you still confused about there vs their vs they’re?

If you're still struggling with there, their and they’re, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:

Tip for there: Remember that there has the word here, which also indicates location or existence. Does your sentence need a word that indicates location or that something exists here or there? If not, you might need to use their or they’re, instead. 

Tip for they’re: Can you replace they’re with they are in your sentence and it still makes sense? If it doesn’t work, they’re is not the correct word to use in this context.

Tip for their: This is the only word of the three with an “i” — so it’s selfish and indicates possession. Are you trying to show possession in your sentence? If not, you might want to try there or their. 

The more you practice, the more confidence you’ll have implementing these and other basic grammar rules in English. 

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