[Grammar] They, They're, Their, Theirs, There, There's

[MikeL]

When editing or proofreading for someone, one of the most frequent errors I find is the proper use of six related words: They, They're, Their, Theirs, There, and There's. It is even more common in other posts on GA such as forum comments and blog entries. Homophones are hell.

 

Here are a few simple rules:

 

They're is short for they are. They're difficult to live with and they always have been.

 

Their and theirs are possessive forms of they. Their problems are theirs alone.

 

There is not a pronoun. It simply means "in that place" and is the opposite of here.

 

There's also is not a pronoun; it is a contraction for there is. There's my best friend, over there.

 

Here are other contractions to be aware of:

 

There's = there is or there has.

They'd = they would or they had.

They'll = they will.

They've = they have.

 

If that's a bit much to remember, perhaps a limerick will help:

 

The Dinner Guests

 

They seem to have taken on airs.

They're ever so rude with their stares.

They get there quite late,

There's a hand in your plate.

And they're eating what's not even theirs.

[Trebs]

WONDERFUL limerick - your creation?

[MikeL]

WONDERFUL limerick - your creation?

I wish I was that good. It's something I found a while ago which was unattributed.

[David McLeod]

I did not know that there were clean limericks.

[MikeL]

I did not know that there were clean limericks.

There aren't many. The few I know don't fit the topic. None of the others do either.

[KJames]

I did not know that there were clean limericks.

 

 

There aren't many. The few I know don't fit the topic. None of the others do either.

 

It must've been created by a bored, or disillusioned, english instructor at some point...it's quite clever at using the words properly.

 

By the way: They'll also contracts for They shall not only They will.

Edited August 21, 2009 by kjames