There vs. Their vs. They're: How to Use them in English?

How to use there vs. their vs. they’re in English? When it comes to the English language, there are a few words that can cause confusion, even for native speakers. One of the most common sources of confusion is the trio of words: there, their, and they’re. These three words are homophones, which means that they sound the same but have different meanings.

In this article, we will explore the differences between there vs. their vs. they’re, and how to use them correctly.

There vs. Their vs. They’re

Noun and Adverb

The word “there” can be used as both an adverb of place and a pronoun. As an adverb, it indicates a location or position. For example, “The book is over there on the shelf.” As a pronoun, it can be used to introduce a sentence or refer to a previously mentioned location. For example, “There is a tree in the backyard.”

Possessive Pronoun and Adjective

“Their” is a possessive pronoun that indicates ownership. It is used to describe something that belongs to a group of people or things. For example, “Their car is parked in the garage.” On the other hand, “their” can also be used as a possessive adjective to describe something that belongs to someone. For example, “Their house is beautiful.”

Contractions

“They’re” is a contraction of “they are.” It is used to indicate a plural subject and the present tense of the verb “to be.” For example, “They’re going to the beach.” It is important to note that “they’re” cannot be used as a possessive pronoun or adjective.

Tricks to Remember

To help remember the differences between there, their, and they’re, there are a few tricks you can use. For example, you can remember that “there” refers to a place because it contains the word “here” in it. Similarly, you can remember that “their” indicates possession because it contains the word “heir” in it. Finally, you can remember that “they’re” is a contraction of “they are” because it contains an apostrophe.

Word	Spelled	Subject	Contractions	Definitions	Speech
There	T-h-e-r-e	Refers to a place	None	Adverb	Pronounced “thair”
Their	T-h-e-i-r	Indicates possession	None	Pronoun	Pronounced “thair”
They’re	T-h-e-y-‘-r-e	Contraction of “they are”	They are	Pronoun	Pronounced “thair”