They are like the holy trinity of typos. Even though they almost sound alike, “they’re,” “their,” and “there” do have some different turns they take. But you don’t have to worry, this article is ready to untangle this confusion like a champion.
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Let’s Get in and Break Them Apart
First, we have “they’re,” the speedy shortcut. Think of him zipping around on a scooter, combining “they” and “are” into a neat little contraction. If you can replace “they’re” with “they are” and the sentence still makes sense, you’ve got it right.
For example,
“They’re coming to the party” is the same as “They are coming to the party.”
Did you notice how he saves time and space?
Next up, “their,” the possessive pal. Picture him with a big grin, proudly owning something. If you hear “their,” something belongs to “them,” whether it’s “their car,” “their dreams,” or even “their pet rock named Gary.”
Remember, it’s all about ownership like a sparkly crown marking something as belonging to the mighty “they.” Here’s “there,” the chill dude of the group. Imagine him pointing at a spot on the map, saying, “Meet me there at noon!”
He’s all about location, whether it’s a physical place like a park or a more abstract one like “somewhere over the rainbow.”
Think of the word “here” as his best friend, hinting that “there” is always somewhere else (even if it’s just across the room).
READ ALSO: When and How To Use “Cite, Site and Sight”
Now, Let’s See Them in Action
- “They’re going to the park.” – Here, “they’re” means “they are” going.
It’s describing an action they’re taking.
- “Their house is on the hill.” – “Their” tells us the house belongs to them.
It shows possession.
- “Put the book over there.” – “There” points to a specific location, in this case, a place away from the speaker.
Here are Some Tricks to Keep These Tricky Words Straight
- The “heir” trick: “Their” has “heir” in it, a helpful reminder that it’s about ownership.
- The apostrophe clue: If you see an apostrophe, it’s likely “they’re” because that’s the only one with one.
- The substitution test: If you can replace the word with “they are” and the sentence still makes sense, it’s “they’re.”
- The place pointer: If you’re talking about location, “there” is your best bet.
READ ALSO: What is The Plural of “Tomato” A Closer Look
Final Thoughts
Without a doubt, the facts have been properly established. The tricky trio has been untangled. They’re, their, and there should no longer be strangers to you, but buddies you can confidently hang out with in your writing and speaking.
As a reminder, for location use (there), for ownership use (their), and a shortcut use (they’re). Applying the above will help you use these words like a pro in no time.
They are like the holy trinity of typos. Even though they almost sound alike, “they’re,” “their,” and “there” do have some different turns they take. But you don’t have to worry, this article is ready to untangle this confusion like a champion.