There/Their/They’re Rules
by: Professor Sharon Delmendo
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There are three words in this set that sound alike and can trip up a writer:
- There - refers to a place or introduces a clause
- Their - refers to possession by a group or class
- They’re - a contraction of the words they are
There:
This word refers to a place other than here. It is also used to introduce a clause or a sentence, often with the opening phrase there are or there have.
- As adverb: I wouldn’t go there if you paid me.
- As pronoun: There are a number of things I want you to do.
- As adjective: Them there city folks sure are strange.
- As noun: We had lunch at the rock and went on from there.
Their:
This word is the possessive form of they. It is used as a modifier before a noun (possessive pronoun).
- We had to use their classroom.
They’re:
This word is the contraction of the words they are.
- They’re very competitive and are expected to win the series.
Examples:
- I last remember seeing it over there.
- We must remember not to offend their sense of dignity.
- Well, they’re certainly trying harder.
- There have been a lot of changes in the past twenty years.
- We found their service to be first rate.
- It’s hard to believe that they’re grown up and in college.