Use there and their in a sentence for each word

Homophones — words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings — can be tricky. There are three in particular that commonly confuse people. They’re very tricky, in part because of their usefulness, which means that we call on them over and over in our writing here and there.

«There» Usage

And we’ll start there. That one has the word here in it, which is helpful. It can remind us that this particular there is often about location:

There it is.
Put it there.
Stay there.
We’ll be there soon.

It’s about location in the more abstract sense too:

There you go.
There is where we disagree.
Friends who are always there for you.

It’s also the one to use as the first word in sentences that have the subject after the verb:

There is a nice hotel in the town.

And it’s the one used with the verb be at the beginning of sentences and questions:

There are plenty available.
Is there a hotel in the town?

The other two are trickier because they both have the idea of the plural in them. They key is discerning between the contraction for «they are» (they’re) and the possessive of «belonging to them» (their).

«They’re» Usage

They’re is a contraction that means «they are.» You can remember that apostrophes indicate the possessive only when used of ‘s, such as «the writer’s thoughts.» Otherwise, it’s generally a contraction of two words, as in can’t = cannot, or won’t = will not, or an omission of a letter or letters, as in singin’ for singing and ’em for them in stick it to ’em.

They’re (=they are) funny people.
They’re (=they are) the cutest puppies ever.

It can be used of non-living things too:

They’re (=they are) both really good books.
They’re (=they are) two of our biggest problems.

«Their» Usage

The last of this trio, their, is the possessive form of they, so it has to do with what belongs to, relates to, or is made or done by certain people, animals, or things:

It’s their house.
We’re their neighbors.
The trees are losing their leaves.

Their also has a long history of being used as a singular pronoun. Associate Editor Emily Brewster explains its usage in this video.

And there you go. They’re not an easy group of words, but with practice we know you can master their distinctions.

In summary:
There is the most common. It has the word here in it, which is helpful because it’s often about location. They’re always means «they are.» Their is the possessive form of they.

Want More Commonly Confused Words?

‘Then’ vs. ‘Than’

‘Who’ vs. ‘Whom’

‘Affect’ vs. ‘Effect’

‘Further’ vs. ‘Farther’

English has a number of odd rules that often create stumbling blocks for those who learn English online or learn English listening to conversations on English television programmes or videos.  

One of the more frustrating English language quirks involves words which sound the same but have different spellings and meanings. These words are known as homophones. Understanding homophones is an essential part of mastering the English language, both for vocabulary building and spelling. Mastering homophones is somewhat complicated by some word processing programs which perform spell check without checking for correct grammar usage.  

Homophones are very common in English and are frequently pairs of words. However sometimes these homophones are trios of words; as is the case with ‘their vs there and they’re. On very rare occasions you will hear an English speaker whose pronunciation is perfect which allows you to hear the difference between the three words. However, this occurs so rarely that it is necessary to master the rules for the correct usage of the three words.  

Fortunately, no matter which method we use to learn English online, using “their”, “they’re”, and “there” correctly is fairly easy.  

We will help you understand the differences between there vs their and they’re by showing you the meaning of the words and giving you some examples of how each is used. We will also provide you with a couple of simple tricks to help you identify which of the three words is the correct one to use. We will finish up with a short quiz which will allow you to practice what you have learned.  

When to use There in a sentence

“There” is the slightly more complex word out of the homophone trio, as it can be used as two different parts of speech.  

The most prevalent usage is as an adverb. Basically “there” is the opposite of here and means “at or in that place.”  

Some examples: 

Jody loved visiting England and considered moving there. 
Your books are over there. 

There can also serve as a pronoun and can be used to introduce a sentence or a clause.  

For example: 

There is a chance of rain. 
There is a cat hiding behind the curtains. 

Both usages can often be found in the same sentence.  

There is a loud party going on over there. 

When to use Their 

“Their” is the possessive of the pronoun “they” and is used to indicate ownership. 

 For example: 

Students taking the exam were told to leave their cell phones behind.
The football players were looking forward to their championship game. 

English usage continues to change, particularly in the digital age. While in most cases “their” is considered plural, it has become more acceptable to use “their” in place of a singular “his” or “her” when it follows a pronoun such as “someone.”  

For example: 

Someone left their car keys on the table. 

“Their” should not be used when referring to a specific person.  

For example: 

The boy left their lunch at home. 

When to use they’re in a sentence

“They’re” is a contraction of the words “they” and “are.”  

For example:  

They’re learning English grammar online.
The teens are angry because they’re not allowed to use their mobiles. 

Contractions are seldom used in academic and formal papers and are generally found in personal notes and informal communications.  

Hacks for choosing the correct word 

Whenever you find yourself wondering which is the correct usage here are some tips that will make it easier to pick the correct word.  

Their  

You can take a hint from the spelling. “Their” has the word “heir” in it, indicating possession; this can help remind you to use “their” in your sentence. “Their” is also plural so do not use if when referring to a specific person.  

There 

Once again you can use spelling to select the correct word. When using “there” as a place or location it is the opposite of “here”; the word “here” is in the word which can remind you that this is the correct word for a place. 

They’re 

“They’re” is a contraction of the words “they” and “are”. When you are trying to decide if “they’re” is the correct word to use, try substituting the words “they are” in the sentence. If the sentence makes sense, the word is correct.  

For example:  

“They’re looking for a way to fix the broken computer” makes sense if you write it as “They are looking for a way to fix the broken computer.”  

Another way to learn the difference between the three homophones is by listening to English broadcasts or watching English videos. The three words are very common and are used extensively in everyday conversation. Whenever you hear one of the homophones used, pay attention to the context – if they are referring to a place (there), a possession (their), or using a contraction (they’re).  

Exercise

The following exercise will help you practice using the correct word. For each sentence choose whether to use “they’re”, “their”, or “there.” The answers are at the bottom of the article. 

1. _______ going on holiday for ten days.  

1. I know ________ is a solution to this problem.  

1. The hikers forgot _______ water bottles.  

1. Sloths are cute but _______ very lazy. 

1. _______ going over_____ to finish _____ project. 

Answers 

1. They’re 

1. there 

1. their 

1. they’re  

1. They’re, there, their 

As we mentioned, mastering homophones is a major part of learning English online as they occur frequently in the language. You can also check our blog for articles which focus on other common homophones.  

There vs Their vs They’re What Is The Difference

The differences between there, their and they’re are quite easy to understand are profound, yet the words are commonly mixed up in writing. Part of the issue is that they look very similar when written and are similar in terms of spelling.

But perhaps the biggest issue is that they are homophones, which are words that are pronounced the same but have different spellings and meanings. Other well-known and easily confused homophones include for/four, weather/whether and our/hour. Because they sound the same, it is understandable that their, there and they’re can be misused in a sentence.

So, what are the meanings of their, there and they’re?

• There is an adverb meaning that place, but it is also used as a pronoun introducing a clause or sentence.
• Their is a possessive pronoun and it is used to show ownership of a thing or concept.
• They’re is a contraction of they are, used as a matter of style or in informal speech and writing.

Consider these examples:

• They’re (they are) willing to go there (that place), but it will depend on their (possession) schedules.
• There (introductory clause) wasn’t enough time fortheir (possession) speeches. They’re (they are) going to have to come back and make them tomorrow.
• Their (possession) troubles started when they wentthere (to that place), yet they’re (they are) refusing to come home.

When to Use There

There is one of the most common words in English and has a variety of uses. In its adverb form, it simply means in or at that place and can easily be remembered as the opposite of the word here. It is often employed in a sentence to stop unnecessary repetition of a noun:

• I love Paris. I go there (to Paris) every summer.
• The attic scares me. That’s why I don’t go up there (to the attic) anymore.

However, there can also be used when it is assumed that place is already known or to indicate a general direction.

• Don’t go down there, Jane. (It is assumed that Jane knows where there is).
• Oh, it’s somewhere over there. (A vague direction, and you might assume the speaker is pointing).

As an adverb, there is very easy to understand. However, it can be a little bit more difficult to explain as a pronoun, where it is used to introduce a sentence or clause. In a way, it can be viewed as a place-holder, a word that doesn’t have any synonyms or an easy translation, yet almost acts like an engine to get the sentence or clause started. The best way to think of there is as a way of introducing that something exists or happens.

• There is a mouse under the table.
• It’s raining now, but there will be sunshine tomorrow.
• Is there any hope for humanity?
• “There now, doesn’t that feel better?”, the mother said, kissing her daughter’s scraped elbow.

There also has some specific functions in speech, some of which are informal and colloquial. Examples are provided below:

Meaning at this/that point and sometimes used as an interjection.

• I’ll just stop you there.
• Stop right there.

Meaning (roughly) what you have said and used to refer back to something someone has said:

• Well, you’ve got me there.
• I have to agree with you there.

Meaning in place or available and used to refer to something that can be used:

• The money is there for you to buy a new car.
• The opportunity is there. Let’s grab it.

When to Use Their

Their is the possessive pronoun of the subject they. It is used to indicate ownership of a thing or concept (usually) by more than one person.

• It is their prerogative.
• Their presentation was by far the best.
• Can we take their car instead?

Normally, their is used as a plural to indicate ownership by more than one person, but there can be exceptions when it is singular if the identity or gender of the owner is not known, usually indicated by words like someone or anybody:

• Someone left their backpack behind.
• Somebody has got their wires crossed.
• Will anyone let me borrow their key?
• I couldn’t get in. Nobody wanted to give me their key.

When to Use They’re

They’re is a contraction of the words they and are. They’re has exactly the same meaning as they are , but is substituted for style, brevity and informal speech.

• They’re going on vacation for six months.
• They’re already at the restaurant.
• Let me know when they’re ready.
• They’re older than Tommy and Jane, right?
• At times, they’re a bit annoying.

How to Remember the Difference

There are a couple of different tricks to remembering the difference between they’re, their and there. They’re is arguably easiest to understand (and probably the one that gets confused the least) as it has the apostrophe in the middle. The simple way to check if it is correct is to replace it with they are and see if the sentence still makes sense:

• They’re going to the store for groceries. Test sentence.
• They are going to the store for groceries. Correct.
• There going to the store for groceries. Incorrect.
• Their going to the store for groceries. Incorrect.

There and their probably join your and you’re as the two most commonly mixed up words in written English, and you will often see them incorrectly used on social media and, even, occasionally within major news organizations’ websites and newspapers. The trick to remember the difference between there and their is the last four letters of each word. Their indicates ownership and has the word heir in its last four letters. An heir is someone who inherits something or will take ownership of something. There normally means ‘that place’ and has the word here in its last four letters, so we can think of it like in the sense of position – here and there.

• T(here) = that place, over here. Should we sit over there, or right here?
• T(heir) = indicates ownership, heir. Prince Charles is the heir to the throne.

More Examples of There vs. Their vs. They’re

• They’re going to move their car over there, closer to the apartment.
• There isn’t much clarity about their plans, but they’re usually right about these things.
• Their new idea is up there with the best, but they’re going to need more money to make it happen.

There vs Their:

• There wasn’t any room for their things, so they bought a new closet.
• Their favourite city is New York, but they don’t go there in the winter.
• Is that their suitcase over there?

There vs They’re:

• They’re going to walk there instead.
• There is a chance that they’re going to be late.
• If they’re there before me, let me know.

They’re vs Their:

• If they don’t study, they’re going to fail their exams.
• Their biggest problem is that they’re easily distracted.
• It isn’t that they’re lazy, it’s their short attention span.

The trio of their, there, and they’re 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 (origin).

In this article, we’ll explain the meanings of their, there, and they’re, 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.

What is the difference between there, their, and 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 adverb of place, which answers the question where an action is taking place. Many common adverbs end in -ly, like quickly, usually, and 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. 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 as someone:

• Someone left their book on the table.

They’re is a contraction of the words they and are.

• They’re 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 has the word here 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.
• They’re has an apostrophe, which means it’s the product of two words: they are. If you can substitute they are into your sentence and retain the meaning, then they’re is the correct homophone to use.