The trio of their, there, and 迟丑别测鈥檙别 can flummox writers of all levels. It’s confusing; they are homophones, meaning they have the same pronunciation (sound) but differ in meaning and derivation听(辞谤颈驳颈苍).
In this article, we’ll explain the meanings of their, there, and 迟丑别测鈥檙别, how to use each word correctly, and provide example sentences for each term. We’ll also give some tips on how to remember how each one is spelled.
鈿� Quick summary
There聽is commonly used to introduce sentences or to indicate where something is, as in聽It鈥檚 over there, next to the window. Their聽is the聽possessive聽form of the聽personal pronoun聽they, essentially meaning “belonging to or possessed by them,” as in Is that their car, or ours? 罢丑别测鈥檙别聽is a contraction of聽they are.
What is the difference between there, their, 补苍诲听they’re?
These three words serve many functions.
There is an adverb that means in or at that place. In this sense, there is essentially the opposite of here. This is what’s known as an聽,听which answers the question where an action is taking place. Many common adverbs end in聽-ly, like聽quickly,听usually, 补苍诲听completely, but not all adverbs do.
- She is there now.
There is also used as a pronoun introducing the subject of a sentence or clause:
- There is still hope.
Their is the possessive case of the pronoun they, meaning belonging to them.聽As in:
- They left their cell phones at home.
Their is generally plural, but it is increasingly accepted in place of the singular his or her after words such聽as someone:
- Someone left their book on the table.
罢丑别测鈥檙别 is a contraction of the words they and are.
- 罢丑别测鈥檙别 mastering the differences between three homophones!
If you find yourself coming up blank when trying to determine which one to use, take a hint from the spelling of each:
- There聽has the word聽here聽in it. There is the choice when talking about places, whether figurative or literal.
- Their has the word heir in it, which can act as a reminder that the term indicates possession.
- 罢丑别测鈥檙别聽has an apostrophe, which means it鈥檚 the product of two words: they are. If you can substitute they are into your sentence and retain the meaning, then 迟丑别测鈥檙别 is the correct homophone to use.
