Understand the difference between There, They’re or Their?
When most of us stop to think about it, we know the rules for “there” “they’re” and “their.” However, it’s easy to forget the differences between their, there, and they’re when we’re concentrating on the bigger picture. Mistakes in this area can be particularly hard to spot, especially since these words are often used interchangeably. To help clarify any confusion, here’s a quick reminder of their distinct meanings and uses.
‘There’ is positional. It indicates where something is: ‘over there’, ‘here or there’ and sometimes more loosely in expressions like ‘there now!’ or ‘there, there’. More often than not, if one of the alternatives below does not seem to make sense then ‘there’ is the term you need.
‘They’re’ is simply short for ‘they are’. When you’re checking through your work, every time you come across ‘there’, ‘they’re’ or ‘their’ it can be useful just to read the sentence to yourself inserting ‘they are’ instead. You will quickly realise if “they’re” is the form you need. You may choose to use the long form “they are” instead, as abbreviations are uncommon in academic writing.
‘Their’ is used to indicate that something belongs to ‘them’. Again, it is sometimes easier to check that you have this right once you have completed your work. If you’re unsure about the usage of these terms, try this method when reading through your work. Every time you come across “there,” “they’re,” or “their,” replace it with “belonging to them” and see if it fits.
So, instead of ‘their ideas’, ‘their research’ or ‘their paper’ try out ‘ideas belonging to them’, ‘research belonging to them’ and ‘paper belonging to them’ in your head. You will quickly see when ‘their’ is the appropriate word.
Homophones like ‘their, there, and they’re‘ are a common source of spelling errors. To see a broader list of frequently confused homophones and avoid common mistakes, visit our homophones guide.
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Some helpful resources:
Grammarly Blog – Their vs. There vs. They’re
Grammarly offers a clear and concise guide on the differences between “their,” “there,” and “they’re,” including tips to avoid common mistakes.
BBC Bitesize – Their, There, They’re
BBC Bitesize offers educational content for younger learners, but its simple explanations and interactive activities can benefit anyone struggling with these words.
