What is “There”?
“There” is an adverb used in English grammar to indicate a place or location. It can also function as an expletive pronoun or a demonstrative pronoun in certain contexts. Here’s how it functions:
- Adverb of Place:
- As an adverb, “there” indicates a place or location.
- Example: “The book is over there.”
- In this sentence, “there” specifies the location of the book.
- Expletive Pronoun:
- “There” can also function as an expletive pronoun, introducing a sentence or clause without carrying significant meaning.
- Example: “There is a cat in the garden.”
- In this sentence, “there” introduces the existence of the cat in the garden.
- Demonstrative Pronoun:
- In some contexts, “there” can function as a demonstrative pronoun, indicating something specific.
- Example: “There! That’s the one I was talking about.”
- Here, “there” is used to point out or indicate something specific.
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.”