Their vs There vs They're: Easy Way to Remember
Blog / GRAMMAR
Their = belonging to them. There = a place or "there is/are". They're = they are. These three words sound the same, so the fastest fix is a memory trick for each.
Their (ownership)
"Their car is red." Trick: "their" contains "heir" — someone who inherits and owns things.
Use it before a noun that belongs to a group.
There (place or existence)
"Put it over there." "There are three options." Trick: "there" contains "here" — both are places.
It also starts sentences that introduce something: "There is a problem."
They're (they are)
"They're arriving at six." Trick: replace it with "they are". If the sentence still works, "they're" is correct.
The apostrophe replaces the missing letter "a".
Practice
"___ going to leave ___ bags over ___." Answer: They're, their, there.
Use your browser's find feature or the editor's find tool to check each instance in a draft.
Frequently asked questions
Is "there" a pronoun?
In "there is" sentences it works as a dummy subject; otherwise it is usually an adverb of place.
How do I remember "their"?
It contains "heir", someone who owns.
Is "they're" informal?
It's a contraction; some formal writing prefers "they are".