There, their and they're sound identical, and the spelling carries all the meaning. There points to a place: put it there, there is a problem. Their shows that something belongs to them: their house. They're is the short form of they are: they're late.
The three words are the most common mix-up in English writing. Two tests settle almost every sentence: replace the word with they are, and replace it with our.
This page gives both tests, eight examples and 15 questions. Every answer names the job of the word.
What each word means
there
there (adverb or pronoun): in that place, or used with is/are to say that something exists. "The park is over there." "There is a problem."
their
their (possessive determiner): belonging to them. "Their car is red." No apostrophe.
they're
they're (contraction): the short form of they are. "They're waiting outside."
The rule
There points to a place or existence
- Place: over there, down there, put it there. The word answers the question where?
- Existence: there is + singular, there are + plural: "There is a cafe on the corner."
- There can also mean at that point: "There is no time to explain."
- There has here inside it, and here is a place too. That link helps the spelling.
Their shows belonging
- Their stands before a noun: their house, their children, their idea.
- It is the possessive of they, like my for I and our for we.
- Like all possessive determiners, it takes no apostrophe.
- The related pronoun is theirs: "The red car is theirs."
They're is they are
- They're + adjective: "They're ready."
- They're + -ing form: "They're coming."
- They're + not: "They're not here yet."
- The apostrophe replaces the letter a in are. Replace they're with they are to check it.
The two substitution tests
- Say they are in the space. If it fits, write they're.
- Say our in the space. If it fits, write their.
- Say here in the space. If it fits, write there.
- If two tests seem to fit, read the whole sentence again: only one meaning can be correct.
How to remember
The trick: There has here inside it, and both name a place. Their has heir inside it, and an heir owns things. They're has an apostrophe, which stands for the a in are.
Examples
- Put the box over there.There points to a place, like here.
- There is a park near my house.There is introduces the existence of the park.
- Their house is next to the school.Their shows that the house belongs to them.
- The children lost their ball.The ball belongs to the children, so their is correct.
- They're coming to dinner.They're is the short form of they are coming.
- They're not ready yet.They're stands for they are before not.
- There are three cats in the garden.There are introduces the plural subject three cats.
- Their teacher is very kind.The teacher belongs to them, so the possessive their is correct.
Common mistakes
- Wrong: Their is a problem with the car. Right: There is a problem with the car.
- The sentence introduces a problem, so the existence word there is needed.
- Wrong: They're house is big. Right: Their house is big.
- The house belongs to them, so the possessive their is correct.
- Wrong: There going to the beach. Right: They're going to the beach.
- The sentence means they are going, so the contraction they're is needed.
- Wrong: The students forgot there books. Right: The students forgot their books.
- The books belong to the students, so their is correct.
- Wrong: I will wait over they're. Right: I will wait over there.
- The sentence points to a place, so there is correct.
Practice drill
Answer all 15 questions. Each answer is marked at once, and the rule is explained under the question.
Put the bag over ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. there The sentence points to a place, so there is correct.
___ is a problem with the car.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. There There is introduces the existence of the problem.
___ house is on the corner.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. Their The house belongs to them, so the possessive their is correct.
The kids lost ___ ball.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. their The ball belongs to the kids, so their is correct.
___ coming to dinner tonight.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. They're The sentence means they are coming, so the contraction they're is correct.
___ are three cats in the garden.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. There There are introduces the plural subject three cats.
___ teacher is very kind.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. Their The teacher belongs to them, so the possessive their is needed.
___ not ready yet.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. They're The sentence means they are not ready, so they're is correct.
Is ___ any milk left?
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. there Is there asks whether something exists, so there is correct.
The students forgot ___ books.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. their The books belong to the students, so the possessive their is correct.
___ going to the beach.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. They're The sentence means they are going, so they're is correct.
I saw them standing ___.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D. there The sentence points to a place, so there is correct.
___ new baby is adorable.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A. Their The baby belongs to them, so the possessive their is needed.
___ is no time to waste.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B. There There is introduces the existence of time, or its absence.
___ always late on Mondays.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C. They're The sentence means they are always late, so they're is correct.
Questions learners ask
What is the difference between there is and there are?
There is goes with a singular subject, and there are goes with a plural subject: "There is one chair" and "There are two chairs." The forms also appear in the past: there was, there were.
Is they're ever possessive?
No. The possessive form is their, with no apostrophe. They're always means they are. If you can replace the word with our, you need their.
How can I check all three words quickly?
Run the three substitutions in order: they are, our, here. Only one will fit. If the sentence talks about people going or being, use they're. If it talks about their things, use their. If it talks about a place or says that something exists, use there.
More confusing words
Your vs you're
Your means belonging to you. You're is the short form of you are.
To, too or two
To with one o points the way or introduces a verb. Too with two o's means also or more than enough. Two spells the number 2.
Its vs it's
Its means belonging to it, with no apostrophe. It's is the short form of it is or it has.
Browse all the confusing word pairs or take the free A1 to C2 level test to find your starting point.