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There, their, or they're
They sound the same: there is a place or starts there is, their means belonging to them, and they're is short for they are.
Quick rule
They are fits? They're. Something they own comes next? Their. A place, or there is and there are? There.
A place (over there), or the start of there is and there are.
Belonging to them. It comes before a noun: their car.
Short for they are: they're tired. If they are fits, it's they're.
How to choose
| Question | there | their | they're |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can you replace it with they are? | No | No | Yes |
| Does it come before something they own (their new car)? | No | Yes | No |
| Is it about a place, or about what exists? | Yes | No | No |
Why it trips people up
All three sound identical, so the mix-up is purely a writing problem, and spell-checkers miss it because each spelling is a real word. Each one has a quick test: they are for they're, ownership for their, place or existence for there.
How they sound
All three are homophones: /ðer/ in American English and /ðeə/ in British English. The mix-up only shows up in writing.
- there/ðer/
- their/ðer/
- they're/ðer/
How each one works
There
A place: over there
The station is over there.
Existence: there is
There is a pharmacy on the corner.
Questions: are there
Are there any questions?
Their
Belonging to them
Their dog is very friendly.
Several owners
The players are celebrating their win.
After a preposition: at their
We visited them at their new home.
They're
They are
They're my best friends.
They are + -ing
They're coming at eight.
They're right
I think they're right.
In a conversation
- A:
Where are the kids?
- B:
They're at the park. Their cousins are there too.
- A:
Is there anything to eat at home?
- B:
There's pizza in the fridge, but it's their dinner!
Common mistakes
Wrong: Put it over they're.
Right: Put it over there.
A place is there. They're is they are, which makes no sense here.
Wrong: The kids left there backpacks in the car.
Right: The kids left their backpacks in the car.
The backpacks belong to the kids, so it is their. There points to a place.
Memory trick
They're has an apostrophe because a letter is missing: they are. There hides here, like a place. Their is the one left: it belongs to them.
FAQ
They're or their: which is correct?
Expand it: if they are fits (they are cute), write they're. If something they own follows (their dog), write their.
There, their, or they're?
There points to a place or starts there is; their shows ownership; they're is they are. Reading the sentence with they are in place catches most mix-ups.