There, Their and They're: The Difference Explained

CorrectNow Editorial Team · 5 min read

There, their and they're are pronounced the same way in most accents, yet each has its own job. Mixing them up is one of the most familiar slips in everyday writing, and it is easy to do when your mind is on the message rather than the spelling.

This guide explains what each word means, gives you a memory trick for each one, and shows the mistakes that appear most often, with corrected versions you can compare.

There: a place, or the start of a statement

There usually points to a place: put the box over there, we stayed there for a week. It is also used to introduce a sentence that says something exists: there is a problem, there are three options.

A simple memory trick: there contains the word here, and both words are about place.

There can also work as an interjection, as in there, that's better, but the place and existence meanings are the ones you will use most.

Incorrect: Put the chairs over their. – Correct: Put the chairs over there. (Over there refers to a place.)

Their: belonging to them

Their is a possessive word. It shows that something belongs to a group of people or things: their house, their opinions, their results. It is also widely used for one person whose gender is unknown or not relevant, or for someone who uses they: someone left their umbrella.

Memory trick: their contains the word heir, and an heir is a person who inherits property, so both are about ownership.

Incorrect: The students forgot there books. – Correct: The students forgot their books. (The books belong to the students.)
Incorrect: Many companies publish there policies online. – Correct: Many companies publish their policies online. (The policies belong to the companies.)

They're: short for they are

They're is a contraction of they are. The apostrophe replaces the a in are. If you can say they are in its place, they're is the right choice. If you cannot, it is one of the other two words.

Like other contractions, they're is avoided in some formal documents. In a report or an application, writing they are in full is always correct.

Incorrect: Their coming to the meeting at noon. – Correct: They're coming to the meeting at noon. (They are coming to the meeting.)
Incorrect: I think there right. – Correct: I think they're right. (I think they are right.)

Three quick tests to choose the right word

Run these tests in order. The they are test is the easiest to apply, and it removes one option straight away.

When you proofread a long draft, a grammar checker such as CorrectNow can flag these words in context and explain why a different form fits. Reading each explanation also helps the rule stick.

Can you replace the word with they are? Use they're.
Can you replace the word with our? Use their.
Does the word refer to a place, or start a phrase like there is or there are? Use there.

Sentences that use all three

Seeing the words side by side is good practice. In each corrected sentence below, every word is doing a different job.

Try covering the corrected version and fixing the wrong one yourself first.

Incorrect: There going to park they're car over their. – Correct: They're going to park their car over there. (They are going to park; the car belongs to them; over there is a place.)
Incorrect: Their is a reason there late. – Correct: There is a reason they're late. (There is introduces the statement; they're means they are.)

Two related forms: theirs and there's

Theirs is a possessive pronoun used without a noun after it: the red bags are theirs. Like yours and hers, it never takes an apostrophe.

There's is a contraction of there is or there has: there's a cafe nearby, there's been a delay. In careful writing, use there are with plural nouns. There's three options is common in speech, but there are three options is the standard written form.

Incorrect: The decision is their's. – Correct: The decision is theirs. (Possessive pronouns never use an apostrophe.)
Incorrect: There's two reasons for the delay. – Correct: There are two reasons for the delay. (Reasons is plural, so careful writing uses there are.)

Frequently asked questions

Is it over there or over their?

Over there is correct, because the phrase refers to a place.

Can their refer to one person?

Yes. Their is widely accepted for one person whose gender is unknown or not relevant, or for someone who uses they, as in each guest brought their own plate.

Is there's correct with plural nouns?

It is common in informal speech, but in careful writing use there are before plural nouns: there are two problems.

What is the easiest way to remember the difference?

Use the tests. If they are fits, write they're. If our fits, write their. If the word is about a place or starts there is or there are, write there.

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