Writing · Free lesson
There, their or they’re? Proofread by meaning
A short note about your neighbors contains three similar-looking words. Check the job each word does before you choose its spelling.
Professor Scott MendozaThe short answer
Their goes before something belonging to them: “their tools.” They’re means they are: “They’re outside.” There can point to a place or introduce existence: “over there” or “There is a shed.”
Choose the word’s job, not just its sound.
First try the full words they are. If they fit the sentence and meaning, they’re works. For possession before a noun, use their. For location or the there is/are pattern, use there. An apostrophe in they’re marks missing letters; it does not mark ownership.
One scene, three different jobs
Their tools are in the shed.
They’re outside painting the fence.
Put the empty box over there.
There can also start a sentence introducing something: “There are two brushes on the table.” It does not refer to an owner.
Run the checks
Expand the contraction
They’re outside. → They are outside.
Check owner or place
their tools / over there
Try it now
Choose the word that fits
Read all answers and explanations
The tools belong to the neighbors. Complete: ___ tools are in the shed.
TheirTheir shows who owns the tools. They are tools would change the structure and meaning.
The neighbors are outside. Complete: ___ outside painting the fence.
They’reThey’re expands to they are. Neither their nor there supplies the required subject plus verb here.
Point to a place: Put the empty box over ___.
thereOver there points to a place. No owner or they are meaning is needed.
Put it into practice
Repair a neighbor’s note
The tools belong to your neighbors, and the neighbors are outside. Keep both meanings.
They’re tools are over their, and there outside.
See a model answer
Their tools are over there, and they’re outside.
Check all three jobs separately; one corrected word does not fix the whole note.
A little more clarity
Common questions
A few useful details before you move on.
What about there is and there are?
They introduce the existence or presence of something. Choose there, then agree is or are with what follows.
There are two brushes on the table.
Why does their have no apostrophe?
Their is already a possessive form. They’re is a contraction of they are, so its apostrophe has a different job.
Their brushes are new. They’re new.
Take it into your day
Their shows possession; they’re means they are; there handles place or existence.
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