'They're' is the contraction of 'they are'; 'there' refers to a place or introduces a sentence ('there is/are'). Together with 'their' (possessive), these three form English's most confused homophone trio.
Contraction of 'they are'. Test: if 'they are' fits in the sentence, use 'they're'. Always has an apostrophe.
They're planning to arrive before noon, so we should start preparing the room now.
I heard they're launching the new product in September after months of testing.
They're the most experienced team we have — let them handle the negotiation.
Adverb of place (in/at that place). Also an expletive pronoun that introduces sentences: 'there is', 'there are'. Contains the word HERE — because 'there' always refers to a location.
The report is over there on the second shelf, next to the blue binder.
There are three things you need to know before attending the conference.
Is there a pharmacy nearby? We need to pick up a prescription before closing time.
Common mistake
"There going to the party" when meaning they are (correct: They're). "They're a big crowd outside" when meaning in that place (correct: There's). "I saw it over they're" (correct: there — place). This three-way confusion — their/there/they're — is the most corrected error in English social media posts.
Trick to remember it
'They're' has an apostrophe — letters are missing ('are'). Substitute test: replace with 'they are'. If it works, use they're. 'THERE' contains HERE — it is always about a location or existence. 'Their' contains HEIR — it belongs to someone (like an heir inherits).
Quick rule
Can you substitute 'they are'? Use 'they're'. Is it a place or 'there is/are'? Use 'there'. Does it mean belonging to them? Use 'their'.
Did you know?
Their/there/they're is the most corrected error in English social media — entire Twitter accounts exist solely to correct it. All three are perfect homophones (/ðɛr/). Their separate origins: 'there' from Old English 'þær' (place); 'their' from Old Norse 'þeirra' (their, genitive plural) — the Vikings introduced it during the Scandinavian invasions of 8th-11th century Britain; 'they're' is a modern contraction of 'they are'. Three words from completely different historical sources that ended up sounding identical — a reminder that English spelling is largely frozen in time while pronunciation kept changing.
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
_____ planning to move the deadline to Friday if the client agrees.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
_____ is no easy answer to this problem — every option has trade-offs.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Can you substitute 'they are'? Use 'they're'. Is it a place or 'there is/are'? Use 'there'. Does it mean belonging to them? Use 'their'.
"There going to the party" when meaning they are (correct: They're). "They're a big crowd outside" when meaning in that place (correct: There's). "I saw it over they're" (correct: there — place). This three-way confusion — their/there/they're — is the most corrected error in English social media posts.
'They're' has an apostrophe — letters are missing ('are'). Substitute test: replace with 'they are'. If it works, use they're. 'THERE' contains HERE — it is always about a location or existence. 'Their' contains HEIR — it belongs to someone (like an heir inherits).
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy