The Quick Reference
- Their: possessive pronoun — belonging to them
- There: a place, or used to introduce a sentence
- They're: contraction of "they are"
Their: Possession
Their is a possessive pronoun. It shows that something belongs to or is associated with a group of people or things already mentioned.
- The team submitted their report. (the report belonging to them)
- The researchers published their findings.
- Every employee must complete their onboarding by Friday.
- The committee made their decision public.
Their is also the accepted singular gender-neutral possessive in contemporary English: Someone left their jacket in the conference room.
Quick Test for Their
Can you replace the word with "our" or "his/her" and have the sentence still make sense? If yes, you want their.
- The team submitted their report. → "The team submitted our report." ✓ → use their
There: Place and Expletive
There has two main functions.
There as a Place
There indicates a location or direction — somewhere other than here:
- The files are stored over there.
- We have never been there before.
- Go there and ask at the front desk.
- She was standing right there.
There as an Expletive (Sentence Starter)
There is also used to introduce a sentence, often with the verb be. In this use, it is called an expletive or dummy subject: it fills the subject position without carrying meaning of its own.
- There is a problem with the code.
- There are three options available.
- There was no clear answer.
- There were several complaints filed.
Quick Test for There
Does the word refer to a location? Try replacing it with "here" — if the sentence still makes sense (just from a different direction), you want there. For the expletive use, try replacing with "a place exists where" — if the sentence restructures that way, there is correct.
- The files are stored over there. → "The files are stored over here." ✓ (opposite location) → use there
They're: Contraction
They're is a contraction of they are. The apostrophe marks the missing letter a.
- They're meeting us at noon. → They are meeting us at noon.
- They're the best candidates for the role.
- I heard they're expanding to a new office.
- They're going to need more time.
Quick Test for They're
Expand the word to "they are." If the sentence still makes sense, use they're. If it does not, you need one of the other forms.
- They're ready. → "They are ready." ✓ → use they're
- I found their keys. → "I found they are keys." ✗ → not they're
Side-by-Side Examples
| Their (possession) | There (place/expletive) | They're (they are) |
|---|---|---|
| The team finished their work. | The office is over there. | They're finished now. |
| Their proposal was accepted. | There are two options. | They're presenting tomorrow. |
| Everyone brought their laptop. | I'll be there at nine. | They're the ones responsible. |
Common Errors in Context
Here are typical mistakes with corrections:
| Incorrect | Correct | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| The team submitted there report. | The team submitted their report. | Ownership → their |
| Their going to be late. | They're going to be late. | Contraction of "they are" → they're |
| They're is no time left. | There is no time left. | Expletive/sentence starter → there |
| Put the files over their. | Put the files over there. | Location → there |
Memory Tricks
Several mnemonics help writers remember the distinctions:
- Their contains the word heir, which relates to inheritance and ownership. Their means something belongs to them.
- There contains the word here. Both words deal with location. If you can swap "here" and the sentence still works directionally, there is correct.
- They're has an apostrophe, which signals that letters are missing. Expand it to "they are" to verify.
Their, There, and They're in Formal Writing
In academic and professional writing, these errors signal careless proofreading more than grammatical ignorance, since most writers know the rule. The confusion usually happens during fast drafting, when the brain supplies the sound without checking the meaning.
When revising a document, searching for each of these three words individually and confirming each instance is correct is a reliable proofreading step. Spell checkers will not catch them because all three are correctly spelled words; only meaning-aware review catches the error.
See the full guide on how to edit and proofread for a systematic approach to catching these and other errors before submission.
Singular They and Their
Modern English increasingly uses they and their as singular gender-neutral pronouns. This is now standard in major style guides, including AP, Chicago, and the APA. Examples:
- Every student should bring their own materials.
- If anyone calls, tell them I'll return the call.
- The applicant should submit their portfolio by Friday.
For the possessive with singular they, the form is still their — same as the plural. Context makes the number clear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will spell check catch their/there/they're errors?
No. All three are correctly spelled words, so a basic spell checker will not flag them. More advanced grammar checkers with contextual analysis can sometimes catch these errors, but manual proofreading remains the most reliable method. The best practice is to search for each word individually and confirm that every instance is correct.
Is it ever acceptable to write "their" as a singular pronoun?
Yes. Using they/their/them as singular gender-neutral pronouns is standard in contemporary English. Major style guides accept it. Avoiding it in favor of his or her is now considered unnecessarily formal in most contexts.
What is the possessive of "they're"?
There is no possessive of they're because they're is a contraction, not a base form. The possessive of they is their. They're contracts "they are" and cannot take a possessive form.
How do I quickly remember the difference in the middle of writing?
The fastest check: expand they're to "they are." If that works, use they're. If the word shows ownership, use their. If it points to a place or introduces a clause, use there.