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'They're' is the contraction of 'they are'; 'there' refers to a place or introduces a sentence ('there is/are').
Side-by-side comparison
"They're" (with apostrophe) is always a contraction of "they are". If you can expand it and it still makes sense, write it with the 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.
"There" without apostrophe points to a place or announces the existence of something: "over there", "there is". "Their" is the possessive of they: "their house". Three distinct words, same sound.
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).
- •And "I saw it over they're" when meaning a location (correct: there).
- •The 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: if you can replace with "they are," use "they're." "There" contains HERE, always about location or existence.
- •"Their" contains HEIR, it belongs to someone.
Quick rule
Can you substitute "they are"? "They're." Is it a place or "there is/are"? "There." Does it mean belonging to them? "Their."
Did you know?
The their/there/they're trio is the most corrected spelling error on English-language social media, entire accounts exist solely to flag it. All three are perfect homophones (/ðɛr/). Their origins are completely different: THERE from Old English "þær" (place). THEIR from Old Norse "þeirra" (of them, genitive plural), the Vikings introduced it during the Scandinavian invasions of the 8th to 11th centuries. THEY'RE is simply the modern contraction of "they are." That three words with such different origins. Old English, Old Norse, and modern contraction, ended up as perfect homophones is a reminder that English spelling was largely frozen in time while pronunciation kept evolving.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
_____ going to arrive late. The traffic is terrible tonight.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
_____ are too many people at the party. We can hardly move.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
One indicates a place, the other shows possession.
One means to receive or agree to something, the other means to exclude or not include.
'Advice' is the guidance you receive (noun); 'advise' is the act of giving that guidance (verb).
'Affect' is the verb meaning to influence something; 'effect' is the noun meaning result or consequence.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy