There vs. Their vs. They're: What's the Difference?
These three words sound identical when spoken out loud, which is exactly why there vs their vs they're remains one of the most searched grammar questions in English — and one of the mistakes native speakers make just as often as learners. Getting them mixed up in writing is one of those small errors that stands out immediately to a reader, even in an otherwise well-written sentence.
The Quick Answer
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| There | Refers to a place or location | Put the box over there. |
| Their | Shows possession (belongs to them) | That's their car. |
| They're | Contraction of "they are" | They're coming to the party. |
There: Talking About a Place
"There" relates to location — physical or abstract. It's also used to introduce the existence of something ("there is," "there are").
- She left her bag over there.
- There is a problem with the printer.
- We're going there this summer.
Memory trick: "There" contains the word here — both are about location. If a sentence is about a place, it's almost always "there."
Their: Showing Possession
"Their" is a possessive adjective — it shows that something belongs to a group of people (or occasionally an indefinite singular person).
- Their house is at the end of the street.
- The students turned in their assignments.
- Everyone should bring their own lunch.
Memory trick: "Their" has the word heir hidden inside it — an heir inherits things, and "their" is about what belongs to someone.
They're: A Contraction of "They Are"
"They're" is simply short for "they are." If you can expand the word into "they are" and the sentence still makes sense, "they're" is correct.
- They're going to the beach tomorrow.
- I think they're ready to leave.
- They're not answering the phone.
Memory trick: The apostrophe in "they're" is a placeholder for a missing letter — always check by mentally expanding it to "they are." If that sounds wrong, it's not "they're."
Common Mistakes to Watch For
| ❌ Incorrect | ✅ Correct |
|---|---|
| Their going to the store. | They're going to the store. |
| I left it over their. | I left it over there. |
| The dog wagged it's tail near there house. | The dog wagged its tail near their house. |
| There going to be late. | They're going to be late. |
A Teaching Tip: The Three-Step Check
When I catch this mistake in student writing, I don't just correct it — I have them run the sentence through three quick mental substitutions before choosing a word:
- Can I replace it with "here"? → Use there.
- Can I replace it with "our" or "my"? → Use their.
- Can I expand it to "they are"? → Use they're.
Running through all three takes seconds once it's a habit, and it catches the mistake far more reliably than just "trying to remember the rule."
Try This: Practice Exercise
Fill in the blank with there, their, or they're.
- ___ car is parked outside.
- Put the books over ___.
- ___ planning a trip to Spain next month.
- Is ___ any coffee left?
- The kids left ___ toys on the floor.
Answer key: 1. Their 2. there 3. They're 4. there 5. their
Related Grammar Guides
Homophone confusion isn't limited to these three words. If your students also mix up singular and plural forms in writing, our guide to countable and uncountable nouns covers a related everyday writing mistake. For general writing accuracy, our English punctuation rules guide pairs well with this topic since both are common self-editing checkpoints.
FAQ
What's the easiest way to remember there, their, and they're?
Link each word to a substitution test: "there" relates to "here" (place), "their" relates to "heir" (possession), and "they're" expands to "they are."
Is "there're" a word?
"There're" (a contraction of "there are") exists but is rarely used in formal writing. It's more common in casual speech.
Why do native speakers make this mistake too?
Because all three words sound identical when spoken, the mix-up isn't about pronunciation — it only shows up in writing, which is why even fluent speakers sometimes type the wrong one out of habit.
Is there a similar mix-up with "your" and "you're"?
Yes — it follows the exact same logic. "Your" shows possession ("your book"), while "you're" is short for "you are" ("you're welcome").
Explore more grammar and vocabulary guides in the Worksheets section of English by Teacher Yassine, or return to the homepage.
External reference: Merriam-Webster: How to Use They're, There, and Their.