There, Their and They're: Differences and Examples

Overview

There, their, and they're are homophones: words that sound identical when spoken but are spelled differently and mean different things. In spoken English, context resolves any ambiguity instantly. In written English, the three forms are distinct, and using the wrong one is one of the most visible errors a writer can make.

The confusion arises precisely because the ear offers no guidance. A writer must make a conscious choice based on the grammatical role the word plays in the sentence. Each of the three words belongs to a different grammatical category. There is an adverb or a pronoun used to point to a place or introduce a clause. Their is a possessive determiner that shows something belongs to a group of people. They're is a contraction of they are. Keeping those three functions distinct is all that is needed.

There

There has two main uses in English. The first is as an adverb of place, pointing to a location. The second is as an expletive pronoun, used to introduce the existence of something at the start of a sentence.

There as an Adverb of Place

When there refers to a place, it answers the question: where? It can refer to a specific location or a more general one.

A useful test: if the word can be replaced by here and the sentence still makes sense as a location reference, the correct spelling is there.

There as an Introductory Pronoun

There is also used at the start of sentences with be verbs to announce the existence or presence of something. In this construction, there is not referring to a place; it is a grammatical placeholder that allows the real subject to follow the verb.

In this construction, the verb agrees with the real subject that follows it, not with there itself.

Their

Their is the third-person plural possessive determiner. It shows that something belongs to or is associated with a group of people. It always appears before a noun.

Their also appears in singular generic use, when referring to a person of unspecified gender. This is standard in both formal writing and everyday usage.

The key test for their: if the word can be replaced by his, her, or its and the sentence is still about possession or association, the correct spelling is their.

They're

They're is a contraction of they are. The apostrophe marks the position of the missing letter a. It appears wherever they are would be grammatically correct and can always be expanded back to those two words as a test.

The contraction test is the most reliable check for this word. If they are fits naturally in the sentence, the correct spelling is they're. If it does not fit, the word needed is either there or their.

All Three Compared

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Using They're Instead of There

Because they're sounds identical to there, writers sometimes use the contraction when the sentence calls for the adverb or the introductory pronoun.

Mistake 2: Using Their Instead of There

Their sometimes appears in place of the location adverb, particularly in informal or rushed writing.

Mistake 3: Using There Instead of Their

Writers sometimes use there when the possessive their is needed, losing the relationship between the noun and the people it belongs to.

Mistake 4: Using Their Instead of They're

Using the possessive their in place of the contraction they're removes the verb from the sentence entirely, often producing a grammatically incomplete clause.

Mistake 5: Forgetting the Apostrophe in They're

Omitting the apostrophe produces theyre, which is not a recognised English word.

Mistake 6: Subject-Verb Disagreement After Introductory There

When there introduces a sentence, the verb must agree with the real subject that follows, not with there itself.

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Choose the Correct Word

Choose there, their, or they're to complete each sentence.

1. _______ is no easy solution to this problem.
2. The researchers published _______ findings in a peer-reviewed journal.
3. _______ planning to visit next month.
4. Leave the documents _______ on the table.
5. The students forgot _______ textbooks at home.
6. _______ have been three complaints this week.
7. _______ confident that the plan will succeed.
8. Each employee must update _______ profile before the deadline.

Exercise 2: Identify the Error

Each sentence contains one error involving there, their, or they're. Rewrite the sentence correctly.

1. Their is a long queue outside the building.
2. The guests left there luggage in the lobby.
3. Theyre expected to arrive before noon.
4. The volunteers gave up there time to help.
5. There planning a review of the current policy.

Exercise 3: Fill in the Blank

Complete each sentence using the correct form. No options are provided.

1. _______ are twelve items on the agenda.
2. The children forgot to bring _______ permission slips.
3. _______ not ready to make a final decision yet.
4. The factory closed because _______ was not enough demand.
5. Both advisors submitted _______ reports on time.

Summary

Three identical sounds, three different words, three different jobs. There points to a place or opens a sentence. Their shows possession. They're is always a contraction of they are. Applying the substitution tests consistently removes any uncertainty: replace with here for place, replace with his or her for possession, and expand to they are for the contraction.