They’re vs. There vs. Their

Same pronunciation does not mean same spelling.

(Next time someone invents a language, let’s keep it simple!)

Overview

• They’re = they are (contraction)
  • The apostrophe in “they’re” replaces the “a” in “they are.”
• There = not here (answers “where”)
  • “There” is the opposite of “here.” It answers the question, “Where?”
  • “There” is also used to indicated the existence of something, as in “There is a bear!”
• Their = possessive adjective (belonging to them)
  • That leaves us another possessive (“their”), so no apostrophe is needed.
  • Consider that there are no apostrophes in any of the possessive adjectives:
    • my, your, his, her, its, our, your, their

Oh yes, I hear you saying, “But many words take an apostrophe plus “s” for possessive. The boy’s bicycle … Charlie’s dog … Susan’s lesson … my mother’s old Betty Crocker’s Cookbook …

And you’re right. But all of those are nouns (people, places, or things).

If it isn’t a noun, don’t put an apostrophe in the possessive.

Examples:

• Where are their horses? They’re not there under the tree.
  • (“their” = possessive, belonging to “them,” “They’re” = “They are,” “there” answers “where”)
• I just saw them behind their barn where they’re lying down.
  • (“their” = possessive, “they’re” = “they are”)
• They aren’t there now.
  • (“there” = “where”)
• There was a big fire in the pasture, but the horses … thank goodness, they’re safe.
  • (“There was” indicates the existence of a fire. “they’re” = “they are”)

Credits: Photo by Kinga Cichewicz, Photo by yip vick, Photo by Dev Asangbam on Unsplash