There, their, and they’re sound similar but have different jobs in a sentence. There most often points to a place or introduces that something exists. Their shows possession for the pronoun they. They’re is a contraction meaning they are, so it always relates to an action or a state.

Use there to talk about location: it answers where. Use there to introduce or point out existence with sentences like There is or There are. In these existential sentences, there is not the subject; it is a placeholder that lets you present new information smoothly.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 例子
Use there for location	📌 用 there 表示位置	Put it over there.	📌 把它放在那儿。
Use there with be to introduce existence	📌 使用 be 与 there 引入存在	There are two options.	📌 There are two options.
Use there with singular and plural be correctly	📌 正确使用单数和复数 be	There is a problem. There are problems.	📌 There is a problem. There are problems.

Use their to show that something belongs to them. Their can modify a noun directly and does not change for gender. It can refer to a group of people, or to one person when you do not know the person’s gender or when the person uses they.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use their before a noun to show possession	🧩 在名词前使用 their 来表示所有权	Their car is outside.	🧩 他们的车在外面。
Their can refer to one person in singular they usage	🧩 在单数 they 用法中，their 可以指一个人	Someone left their phone.	🧩 有人把他们的手机落下了。
Their can refer to mixed or unspecified gender groups	🧩 在混合性别或性别未指明的群体中也可指代	Each student should bring their ID.	🧩 每位学生都应携带他们的身份证。

Use they’re only when you can replace it with they are. Because it is a contraction, it normally fits informal or neutral writing; in very formal writing, you may prefer they are. If the sentence does not describe what they are or what they are doing, they’re is usually wrong.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use they’re when it equals they are	🔧 当它等于 they are 时使用 they’re	They’re ready now.	🔧 他们现在准备好了。
If you cannot expand to they are, do not use they’re	🔧 如果不能扩展成 they are，就不要使用 they’re	Incorrect: They’re house is big. Correct: Their house is big.	🔧 错误：They’re house is big. 正确：Their house is big.
Prefer they are in very formal writing if needed	🔧 在非常正式的写作中如果需要，偏好使用 they are	They are responsible for the results.	🔧 They are responsible for the results.

A reliable way to choose the correct form is to test what the word must mean in your sentence. If you mean a place or an existence statement, choose there. If you need a possessive determiner before a noun, choose their. If the phrase can become they are, choose they’re.

These three forms belong to different grammar categories, which is why they cannot substitute for each other. There is an adverb of place or an introductory word in existential clauses. Their is a possessive determiner that modifies a noun. They’re is a contracted verb phrase combining a subject pronoun and the verb be.

Word/Phrase	🇨🇳 中文 单词/短语	Definition	🇨🇳 中文 定义	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
there	🧠 there	location word or existential starter	🧠 表示位置的词或存在起始词	There is a café nearby.	🧠 There is a café nearby.
their	🧠 their	possessive determiner meaning belonging to them	🧠 表示属于他们的所有格限定词的含义	Their café is busy.	🧠 Their café is busy.
they’re	🧠 they’re	contraction of they are	🧠 是 they are 的缩写	They’re busy today.	🧠 They’re busy today.

In There is and There are sentences, the true subject comes after the verb, and there simply introduces it. Use this pattern to present new information, especially in speech and writing. Agreement typically follows the noun that comes after the verb, although informal speech sometimes uses There’s with plurals.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Match be to the noun after it in careful writing	📍 在仔细书写时，将 be 与其后的名词匹配	There are many reasons.	📍 There are many reasons.
Use this pattern to introduce new information	📍 使用这个模式来引入新信息	There is a new policy.	📍 There is a new policy.
Informal speech may use There’s with plurals	📍 非正式口语有时会使用 There’s 搭配复数	There’s two tickets left.	📍 还有两张票。

Their and they’re are both used with singular they. This use is common and accepted in modern English for a person whose gender is unknown, irrelevant, or nonbinary. The verb agreement remains plural in form, so you still say they are and therefore write they’re.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use their with singular they to show possession	👤 在单数 they 用法中使用 their 来表示所有权	If a customer calls, take their name.	👤 If a customer calls, take their name.
Use they’re because singular they still takes are	👤 使用 they’re，因为单数 they 仍然需要 are	If someone is late, they’re probably stuck in traffic.	👤 If someone is late, they’re probably stuck in traffic.
Use their for known individuals who use they pronouns	👤 对已知使用他们代词的人使用 their	Jordan forgot their keys again.	👤 Jordan forgot their keys again.

When you hesitate, focus on what the sentence must communicate. If you can point to a place, there is the only choice. If a noun needs an owner, their is the only choice. If you need a verb phrase describing them, they’re is the only choice.

They’re uses an apostrophe because letters are missing from are. Their and there never take an apostrophe. In careful writing, avoid creating a possessive with an apostrophe for pronouns, since standard pronoun possessives do not use one.