Their vs. There vs. They're

Their vs. There vs. They're
Their, there, and they're are homophones, words that sound the same but differ in meaning.

Their (pronoun) is used in the possessive case of "they" as an attributive adjective, before a noun.

Here are some examples:

1. "The students were asked if the rabbit was their class pet." Explanation: The pet rabbit belonged to the students, so it is theirs.

2. "They were the ones who had their pictures taken for the newspaper article." Explanation:Their refers to 'they' who are being photographed for the newspaper.

There (adverb) regards

1. a place,
2. a point in action ,
3. a matter, or
4. a position;(pronoun)
5. at a place or point;(noun)
6. a state or condition

Let's look at some examples of each instance:

1. There (regarding place)(adv.): "The cat sat there."

2. There (regarding a point in action)(adv.): "She stopped there to ask for directions."

3. There (regarding a matter)(adv.): "Your objection is warranted there."

4. There (regarding a position)(adv.): "Hi there, friend."

5. There (at a point)(pronoun): "There are memories here."

6. There(as a state or condition)(noun): "The playing field is from here to there."

They're(subject + verb)is a contraction, which means it is a shortened way of writing and pronouncing the words, "They are."

1. "They're going to bed at 8PM." Explanation:'They are' going to bed at 8PM.

Let's use both they're, their, and there together in a sentence.

"On the way to the movie theatre, they're discussing that their plan is to eat popcorn there."

Fill in the Blank:

1. __________ party is going to be so much fun.
a) There   b) Their   c) they're

2. ___________ are many things to remember while you're packing for a trip.
a) There   b) Their   c)they're

3. ____________ going to be made that we didn't wait for them before leaving.
a) They're   b) there   c) their

Answers: b, a, a

Related Links:
Difference between Words
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Confusing Words: Their/There/They're, Who's/Whose Quiz
There vs. Their Quiz
Ensure vs. Insure
Effect vs. Affect
There vs. Their Worksheet