There vs Their vs They’re
Spoken Description
Learn to differentiate 'there' (location), 'their' (possessive), and 'they’re' (they are). Includes clear rules, examples, and quick practice exercises to build accurate, natural usage.
Aprende a diferenciar 'there' (localización), 'their' (posesión) y 'they’re' (son / están). Incluye reglas claras, ejemplos y ejercicios rápidos para usar cada forma con confianza.
-:- / -:-
These three words sound the same but serve different functions: there points to a place or introduces something, their shows possession, and they’re is a contraction of they are. This guide explains each one with clear examples.
There
There is used to refer to a place, to introduce something, or sometimes as a dummy subject in sentences. It can point to a location or be followed by is, are, etc., to signal that something exists or happens.
(there) is the book you wanted
Fill in the blank with the word for a place: ___ (there) is the book you wanted.
Their
Their is the possessive form of they and shows that something belongs to a group of people or things. It always comes before a noun and indicates ownership or association.
This is(their) house at the end of the street
Show ownership with ___: This is ___ (their) house at the end of the street.
They’re
They’re is a contraction of they are and is used wherever they are would fit. It combines the pronoun they with the verb are and can be followed by an adjective, noun, or verb ending in -ing.
(they’re) ready to leave
Contraction for ‘they are’: ___ (they’re) ready to leave.
Summary
Use there for places or to introduce something, their to show possession, and they’re as a shorthand for they are. Double-check which function you need in the sentence to choose the right word.
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