Do you ever write “there” and wonder if it should be “their” or “they’re”? You are not alone! These three sound exactly the same but do three completely different jobs. It is the triple confusion that trips up millions of English learners — and plenty of native speakers too. Today, we will sort them out once and for all with simple rules and easy examples you can actually remember.

Table of Contents

• What Is the Simple Difference?
• There: Talking About a Place (or Existence)
• Their: Showing Belonging
• They’re: Short for “They Are”
• The Easy Trick to Remember
• There, Their, They’re in Example Sentences
• Common Mistakes to Avoid
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Mini Quiz: Test Yourself
• Quick Recap

What Is the Simple Difference?

Here is the short answer you can use almost every time:

• There = a place (“over there”) or existence (“there is / there are”).
• Their = belonging to them (possessive, like our, your).
• They’re = a contraction of “they are”.

Three words, three jobs. Once you link each spelling to its job, the confusion disappears.

There: Talking About a Place (or Existence)

Use there when you talk about a place — the opposite of “here.” It is also the word in “there is” and “there are,” which announce that something exists.

• Put the bag over there. (A place, not here.)
• There is a spider on the wall! (Something exists.)
• We will meet there at noon. (At that place.)
• There are many reasons to learn English. (Reasons exist.)

Memory hook: there contains here — both are about place!

Their: Showing Belonging

Use their when something belongs to a group of people. It always comes before a noun, just like our and your.

• That is their house. (The house belongs to them.)
• The students forgot their books. (The books belong to the students.)
• Their team won the match. (The team belongs to them.)
• I love their new song. (The song belongs to them.)

Their never has an apostrophe — just like our, your, and its.

They’re: Short for “They Are”

Use they’re when you mean “they are.” The apostrophe replaces the missing a.

• They’re my best friends. (= They are my best friends.)
• I think they’re lost. (= they are lost.)
• They’re going to be late. (= They are going to be late.)
• Are they’re… wait! It is “Are they coming?” — they’re never follows “are”!

If the sentence works with “they are,” they’re is your word.

The Easy Trick to Remember

Here is a trick that never fails. Ask two quick questions:

• 1. Can I replace it with “they are”? If yes → they’re.
• 2. Does it show belonging (before a noun)? If yes → their.
• Otherwise (a place, or “there is/are”) → there.

Try it:

• “They are over here”? No… “Put it there.” (Place!)
• “They are car is red”? Silly — but “belongs to them” works → “their car.”
• “They are happy”? Makes sense → “they’re happy.”

Two questions, zero mistakes — that is the whole secret!

There, Their, They’re in Example Sentences

Let us look at real-life trios side by side:

• Look over there! / That is their dog. / They’re taking him for a walk.
• There is a park nearby. / Their kids love it. / They’re always playing.
• We sat there for hours. / Their stories were funny. / They’re great storytellers.

In each trio, there = place/existence, their = belonging, they’re = “they are.”

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: “Their” for a place.

• Wrong: “Put it over their.”
• Right: “Put it over there.” (Remember: there contains here!)

Mistake 2: “There” for belonging.

• Wrong: “There house is big.”
• Right: “Their house is big.”

Mistake 3: “Their” when you mean “they are.”

• Wrong: “Their going to love this.”
• Right: “They’re going to love this.” (= They are going…)

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are there three words for one sound? English spelling kept the history of each word: there (place), their (from the old word for “them”), they’re (modern contraction). Same sound, three different stories.

Can “there” start a sentence? Absolutely: “There is no doubt,” “There are two options.” This “existence” use is one of the most common sentence patterns in English.

Is “theirs” related? Yes! Theirs is the standalone possessive: “The house is theirs.” Like their, it never takes an apostrophe — “their’s” is always wrong.

Do native speakers really mix these up? Constantly — it is one of the most corrected mistakes online. Using the two-question trick puts you ahead of most native writers!

Mini Quiz: Test Yourself

Choose there, their, or they’re for each sentence.

• 1. _____ going to arrive at six.
• 2. The kids left _____ toys everywhere.
• 3. Sit over _____, please.
• 4. _____ is a lot to learn, but you can do it.
• 5. I think _____ the winners.

Answers: 1. They’re (= they are going) 2. their (the toys belong to the kids) 3. there (a place) 4. There (“there is” = existence) 5. they’re (= they are the winners)

Quick Recap

• There = place (“over there”) or existence (“there is/are”). Contains “here”!
• Their = belonging to them (before a noun, no apostrophe).
• They’re = “they are” (apostrophe replaces the a).
• The trick: “they are” test → they’re; belonging → their; otherwise → there.
• Their’s is never correct.

Conclusion

So, there, their, or they’re? Now you know: there is about place, their shows belonging, and they’re is just “they are” in disguise. With the two-question trick in your pocket, you will never mix them up again. Keep practicing with real sentences, and soon the right word will come to you automatically!