There vs Their vs They're

Common Mistakes - English Grammar


A common mistake not only for students learning English but also for native speakers is the difference between There, Their and They're in written English.

This happens because these three words sound the same when they are spoken.

Words that sound the same but have different meanings (and sometimes spelling) are called homophones. Therefore they're, their and there are Homophones.

Which words would make the following sentence correct?

The answer appears at the end of the post so let's learn the rules meanwhile.


What is the difference between There, Their and They're?

THERE

There is the opposite of Here. It means 'in that place' not here.

There is/There are = to show that something exists.

THEIR

Their is a possessive adjective which is used before a noun. It shows possession, that something belongs to them.

THEY'RE

They're is a contraction of they are.
e.g. They're happy = They are happy

They're is usually before an adjective or a verb ending in ING.

The difference between They're, Their and There in English

Example sentence...

So now you know the difference let's try the original question:

The answer is:

Why?

They're playing (they're is used before a verb ending in -ing making it the progressive tense)

Their video games (their is a possessive used before a noun to show possession)

Over there (there because it means not here, in that place)


Here is a chart we have created to show you more about the difference between they're and their:

The difference between THEY'RE and THEIR in English


Next activity

Try our interactive game to practice the difference between There, Their and They're.


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