🤔 Grammar · Commonly Confused Words
Their, There & They’re
Three identical sounds, three completely different jobs — one simple set of tests to keep them apart forever.
Grammar › Commonly Confused Words › Their, There & They’re
The rule in one sentenceUse their when something belongs to more than one person (their tickets), there for a place or to introduce something (there’s a cinema), and they’re only when you mean “they are” (they’re late).
What’s the difference?
Their is a possessive adjective, just like your or her, but for more than one person — it always sits directly before a noun, as in “the Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again cast rehearsed their dance numbers for months before filming began.”
There has two jobs, and neither one is about ownership. It can point to a place: “The cinema is over there, next to the poster for Priscilla (2023).” Or it can introduce something that exists — “existential there” — as in “There is a new trailer for Moana 2” or “There have been several acclaimed sports dramas made over the decades, and Coach Carter remains one of the most memorable.”
They’re is simply a contraction of “they are”. “They’re filming Bird (2024) on location in England” means exactly “They are filming Bird (2024) on location in England.”
🎬 Compare all three: “Their reviews of Legally Blonde were glowing” (belonging to the critics) vs. “They’re reviewing Legally Blonde tonight” (they are reviewing) vs. “The cinema is over there, still showing Legally Blonde at 8pm” (a place).
Same sound, three different jobs — possession, existence/place, and “they are”.
How to build it
Their — possessive
The animators spent years perfecting their vision for Flow (2024).
Fans loved their tribute to Studio Ghibli in the credits.
The cast filmed their scenes for Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again mostly in the UK.
There — place & existence
There is a new trailer for Moana 2.
The popcorn stand is over there, past the Legally Blonde poster.
There have been several movie musicals over the years, but The Phantom of the Opera (2004) remains a fan favourite.
They’re — they are
They’re releasing Moana 2 earlier than first planned.
Fans think they’re remaking Into the Woods again.
They’re the producers behind The Italian Job (2003).
When to use which
Their vs they’re — people & things
- Their + noun shows something belongs to them: their sequel, their box-office record.
- They’re + adjective/verb-ing/noun means they are: they’re brilliant, they’re filming, they’re the writers.
- Test: swap in “they are” — if it breaks, it’s their.
There — place & existence
- Literal place: sit there, over there — next to the Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again cutout.
- Existential “there is/are” introduces new information: “There’s a new Pixar film coming.”
- Also opens negatives: “There isn’t a sequel to Ordinary People — the 1980 drama stands alone.”
Quick test
🧪 Three swaps, three seconds
- Try “they are” — if it fits, write they’re.
- Check if you’re pointing to a place or starting with “is/are” to introduce something — if so, write there.
- Check if a noun follows showing ownership — if so, write their.
Visual guide
Teacher Teddy’s illustrated guide to this rule is being drawn — the full swipe-through infographic will appear here soon.
Common mistakes
❌ Their filming a new Mean Girls movie in London.
✅ They’re filming a new Mean Girls movie in London.
“Filming” is a verb after “they are” — that needs they’re, not their.
❌ The Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again cast perfected there singing before filming began.
✅ The Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again cast perfected their singing before filming began.
“Singing” is a noun belonging to the cast — that’s a job for their.
❌ Their are three post-credit scenes in the new Marvel film.
✅ There are three post-credit scenes in the new Marvel film.
Existential “there are” introduces information — nothing is being possessed here.
Exceptions & tricky cases
1. Singular “their” for an unknown person. A fan tweeted that their favourite scene in The Italian Job (2003) was the Mini Cooper chase — “their” refers to one unnamed fan whose gender the writer doesn’t know. This “singular they/their” is standard modern English, not a mistake.
2. “Theirs” has no apostrophe. Like yours and its, the standalone possessive theirs never takes an apostrophe: “That Oscar isn’t theirs — it’s Maestro (2023)’s.”
3. Casual “there’s” before a plural. In relaxed speech people often say “there’s more festival screenings of Bird (2024) coming,” even though formal writing prefers “there are more festival screenings of Bird (2024) coming.” Keep “there are” for plurals in anything you write for others to read.
4. “There” with verbs of motion. “There goes the Legally Blonde sequel rumour again!” uses there idiomatically with a verb of motion rather than the usual “is/are” pattern — it still means roughly “look, that’s happening.”
Practice: choose the right word
Eight quick questions. Pick the answer you’d actually write — you get the explanation either way.
1. ___ making a sequel to Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.
“They are making” works → they’re.
2. The crew left ___ equipment on the Didi (2024) set overnight.
“Equipment” belongs to the crew → their.
3. ___ is a new poster for Moana 2 outside the cinema.
Existential “there is” introduces something → there.
4. ___ excited about the UK release of Bird (2024).
“They are excited” works → they’re.
5. Put the popcorn machine over ___, next to the Legally Blonde cutout.
A physical place → there.
6. The animators shared ___ vision for Flow (2024).
“Vision” belongs to the animators → their.
7. ___ several tense racing scenes in Ferrari (2023).
Existential “there are” → there, never their.
8. That trophy isn’t ___ — it belongs to Vangelis.
Standalone possessive, no apostrophe → theirs.
Keep going
Related lessons in Commonly Confused Words:
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