How to Use “There,” “Their,” and “They’re”?
Using “there,” “their,” and “they’re” correctly is important for clear communication.
How to Use “There”?
- “There” is used as an adverb to indicate a place or location.
- Example: “The book is over there.”
- “There”used as a pronoun to introduce a sentence or clause without carrying significant meaning.
- Example: “There are many books on the shelf.”
- “There” can function as a demonstrative pronoun to indicate something specific.
- Example: “There! That’s the one I was talking about.”
How to Use “Their”?
- “Their” is used before a noun to indicate that something belongs to or is associated with a plural group.
- Example: “Their house is beautiful.”
- Ensure that “their” agrees in number with the plural noun it modifies.
- Example: “Their cars are parked outside.”
How to Use “They’re”?
- “They’re” is used when referring to a group of people or things performing an action.
- Example: “They’re going to the store.” In normal form, They are going to the store.
- If you’re unsure whether to use “they’re,” mentally replace it with “they are” to see if the sentence still makes sense.
- Example: “They’re excited about the trip.” In other words, They are excited about the trip.
Some tricks to remember the difference
- Location for “there”:
- Associate “there” with location. Both “there” and “location” contain the letters “t,” “h,” “e,” “r,” and “e.” This can help you remember that “there” refers to a place or location.
- Possession for “their”:
- Remember that “their” indicates possession. Think of the word “their” as containing the word “heir,” which suggests ownership or inheritance. This can remind you that “their” shows that something belongs to a group.
- “They’re” = “They are”:
- Recognize that “they’re” is a contraction of “they are.” Replace “they’re” with “they are” in your mind to check if it makes sense in the sentence. If it does, then you should use “they’re.”
How to Use “There,” “Their,” and “They’re”?
“There”, “Their” and “They’re” are three words that sound similar and are often confused, but they have distinct meanings and usage.
“There” is an adverb used to indicate a place, location, or existence. “Their” is a possessive determiner used to indicate that something “belongs to”. “They’re” is a contraction of “they are,” combining the subject pronoun “they” with the verb “are.”