They're, their, there. Mixing up the use of these words is a common mistake.
This video will explain the use of each and how you can remember them.
Let's start with this they're. We can see from the apostrophe
that this word is a contraction. That is two words have been joined together.
'They' and 'are'. This helps to know because if you can replace they're with
'they are', then the word you need is the
contraction: t-h-e-y-'r-e
Here are five sentences. See if you can hear
which sentences make sense when we replace
'they're' with 'they are'
They are is a red flower. They are old friends.
They are home is for sale. I can see they are tired.
Look over they are.
Pause here while you work
Did you hear which sentences made sense with 'they are'?
The second, 'They are old friends.' and fourth, 'I can see they are tired.'
'They're old friends.' 'I can see they're tired.'
The other sentences need a different 'there'.
Now let's look at this there t-h-e-i-r. This word is a possessive pronoun.
We use it to talk about ownership. Their house...
Their dog... Their car.... Try to work out which of the following sentences
needs the possessive pronoun 'their'. Pause here while you work.
The word 'their' in these two sentences refers to ownership.
Ownership of money in the second sentence, and ownership of a party
in the fifth. These two sentences need the form of their spelt t-h-e-i-r
Did you happen to spot the two sentences that make sense with
'they are'?
Here is the first: 'They are going to be late.',
and here's the second: 'I think they are beautiful.' 'They're going to be late.'
'I think they're beautiful.'
Now let's look at the final 'there': t-h-e-r-e
This word can be used in a couple of different ways.
It usually acts as an adverb, describing a place.
For example: 'We will be there tomorrow', or 'I think the painting looks best over there.'
A trick to remember this is, that this form of 'there' has the word 'here' in it.
Like 'here', 'there' refers to a location. This 'there' can also be used to introduce
a subject. For example: 'There are two minutes left',
or 'It looked like there was a storm coming.'
Otherwise just remember, if it's not referring to possession,
and it can't be replaced with 'they are' use t-h-e-r-e.
See if you can use the correct 'there' to complete the following sentences.
Pause here while you work.
Number one: 'their cat'. We need the possessive pronoun
t-h-e-i-r. Number two: Stop right there.
This is a location. We use the word with 'here'
in it: t-h-e-r-e. Number three: 'There' is again referring to
a location: t-h-e-r-e.
Number 4: 'They're repainting the bridge.' We can replace 'they're' with 'they are'.
'They are repainting the bridge.' This means we need the contraction
t-h-e-y-'-r-e. Number five: 'their old house'.
This is referring to possession: t-h-e-i-r.
Number six: this there can be replaced with
'they are'. Do you think they are going to come?'
We need t-h-e-y-'-r-e.
Contraction, possession and the rest.
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