Have you ever stopped while writing because you could not decide whether to use there or their? You are not alone. These two words sound similar, but they have completely different meanings and grammatical jobs.
The simplest way to remember the difference is this: there usually refers to a place, existence, or situation, while their shows possession or ownership. Once you understand what each word does, choosing the right one becomes much easier.
In this guide, you will learn the difference between there or their, see clear examples, discover easy memory tricks, and learn how to avoid one of the most common English usage mistakes.
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There or Their: What Is the Difference?
The words there and their sound alike in many varieties of English, but they perform different functions in a sentence.
What Does “There” Mean?
There can refer to a place or location:
- Put the books there.
- I left my phone there.
- We went there yesterday.
It can also introduce something that exists or happens:
- There is a problem with the computer.
- There are three students outside.
- There was a loud noise last night.
The British Council explains that there can be used as a grammatical subject in sentences that talk about where, when, how much, or whether something exists or happens.
What Does “Their” Mean?
Their is a possessive determiner. It shows that something belongs to or is associated with they.
For example:
- The students finished their homework.
- The children packed their bags.
- The company changed their policy.
The British Council lists their as the possessive form associated with they.
Quick Difference
| Word | Main Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| There | Place, existence, or situation | Your shoes are over there. |
| Their | Possession or association | They forgot their shoes. |
Easy rule: If you can connect the word with a place/existence, think there. If it shows ownership, think their.
How to Use “There” Correctly
Understanding the different jobs of there makes it much easier to use correctly.
There for a Place
Use there when you are talking about a location.
Examples:
- Your jacket is there.
- We waited there for an hour.
- Please put the box over there.
- I have never been there before.
Here, there points to a place.
There to Show That Something Exists
There is also commonly used with is, are, was, and were.
Examples:
- There is a new restaurant nearby.
- There are two messages for you.
- There was a problem with the order.
- There were several people at the meeting.
This use does not necessarily mean a physical location. Instead, it introduces something that exists or happens.
There in Everyday Expressions
You will also see there in expressions such as:
- There you go.
- There it is.
- There we are.
- There was a time when…
For example:
“I finally found my keys!”
“There they are!”
In this sentence, there helps identify the location of the keys.
How to Use “Their” Correctly
Use their when you need to show that something belongs to, relates to, or is associated with a person or group represented by they.
Their Shows Possession
Examples:
- The students opened their books.
- The players put on their uniforms.
- The parents picked up their children.
- The employees submitted their reports.
In each example, their tells us who the noun is connected to.
Their Before a Noun
A useful grammatical clue is that their is normally followed by a noun or noun phrase.
For example:
- their house
- their car
- their idea
- their teacher
- their new project
Compare:
The children went to their school.
Here, their tells us whose school it is.
The British Council explains that possessive forms such as their are used to show that something belongs to somebody or is associated with them.
Their Does Not Take an Apostrophe
A common mistake is writing their’s.
That is incorrect.
Use:
- their
- theirs
Not:
their’s
For example:
The decision was theirs.
The British Council specifically notes that possessive pronouns such as theirs do not take an apostrophe.
There or Their: Simple Ways to Remember the Difference
If you regularly confuse these words, a few simple tests can help.
The “Place” Test for There
Ask yourself:
Am I talking about a place, location, existence, or something happening?
If yes, there is probably the correct choice.
Examples:
- The keys are over there.
- There is a problem.
- There are five chairs.
Read More: Awhile or A While: What’s The Difference?
The “Ownership” Test for Their
Ask:
Does the word show who something belongs to or is associated with?
If yes, use their.
Examples:
- The students completed their assignment.
- The dogs wagged their tails.
- The workers returned to their offices.
A Helpful Memory Trick
Think of there as containing here:
t + here = there
Both here and there can relate to location.
For their, think:
their = belonging to them
For example:
They have a car.
It is their car.
This simple association can make the distinction easier to remember.
There vs. Their: Examples Side by Side
Seeing the words next to each other makes the difference clearer.
Compare the Meaning
| There | Their |
|---|---|
| The books are over there. | The students opened their books. |
| There is a problem. | They discussed their problem. |
| We went there yesterday. | They went with their friends. |
| There are three rooms. | The guests entered their rooms. |
| Leave the package there. | The customers received their package. |
Notice that there often answers a question such as “Where?” or introduces something that exists.
Their answers an ownership-related question such as “Whose?”
There or Their in a Sentence
Consider:
The children left their backpacks over there.
This sentence uses both words correctly.
- their backpacks = the backpacks belong to the children.
- over there = a particular location.
This is one of the easiest ways to see the difference.
There, Their, and They’re: The Third Word You Need to Know
Although this article focuses on there or their, there is a third word that often causes confusion: they’re.
What Does “They’re” Mean?
They’re is a contraction of:
they are
Examples:
- They’re happy. = They are happy.
- They’re coming soon. = They are coming soon.
- They’re my neighbors. = They are my neighbors.
The British Council identifies they’re as the contracted form of they are.
The Three-Word Test
Try expanding they’re to they are.
If the sentence still makes sense, they’re is probably correct.
For example:
They’re going to school.
→ They are going to school. ✓
Now compare:
Their going to school. ✗
Here, their does not work because the sentence needs the verb phrase they are.
Quick Comparison
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| There | Place/existence | The store is over there. |
| Their | Possession | That is their store. |
| They’re | They are | They’re at the store. |
A useful sentence containing all three is:
They’re taking their bags over there.
Case Study: A Common Writing Mistake in Real Life
Imagine a student is writing an email to a teacher about a group project. The student writes:
“The other students finished there part, and they’re presentation is ready.”
At first glance, the message is understandable. However, it contains two word-choice errors.
The first mistake is “there part.” The student is talking about the part belonging to the other students, so their is needed:
“The other students finished their part…”
The second mistake is “they’re presentation.” Here, the student is again describing ownership. The presentation belongs to the students, so the correct word is their:
“…and their presentation is ready.”
The corrected sentence becomes:
“The other students finished their part, and their presentation is ready.”
Now imagine the student instead writes:
“The students are standing over there, and they’re ready to present.”
This version is also correct because there refers to a location, while they’re means they are.
The important lesson is that pronunciation alone cannot tell you which spelling to choose. You need to look at the function of the word in the sentence.
This is especially useful for students, professionals, and English learners because similar-sounding words can create mistakes even when the intended meaning is clear.
Why These Small Grammar Differences Matter
A single incorrect word may not always make a sentence impossible to understand. However, consistent word-choice errors can affect the clarity and professionalism of your writing.
Clear Writing Builds Understanding
Consider:
Please leave the documents over their.
The reader may understand what you mean, but their is incorrect because the sentence refers to a location.
Correct:
Please leave the documents over there.
Likewise:
The employees submitted there reports.
should be:
The employees submitted their reports.
The difference is small in spelling but important in grammar.
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English Is Used by a Huge Global Audience
The importance of clear English extends far beyond classroom assignments. The British Council’s current Future of English research says that nearly one-third of the world’s population speaks English and estimates that around 60% of internet content is in English.
In addition, DataReportal reported 6.04 billion internet users worldwide by October 2025, representing 73.2% of the global population.
These figures do not measure mistakes involving there and their specifically. Instead, they illustrate the enormous scale at which written English is used online.
2025–2026 English-Learning Snapshot
Recent figures also show the continuing demand for English learning:
- The British Council says 1.4 billion people want to learn or are learning English.
- It reports supporting 100 million learners and 15 million teachers worldwide through online courses and communities.
- Its 2024–25 annual report says its free LearnEnglish website attracted 27 million visitors during that year.
- Duolingo’s 2025 Language Report found English was the most-studied language in 154 countries, or 79% of countries included in its analysis.
These statistics show why practical grammar questions such as there or their remain relevant for students and English users around the world.
A Step-by-Step Method to Choose There or Their
When you are unsure, use this quick process.
Step 1: Look at the Meaning
Ask whether you are talking about:
- a place,
- existence,
- or possession.
Step 2: Check for Ownership
If the word means belonging to them, choose their.
The children packed their bags.
Step 3: Check for Location
If the word refers to a place, choose there.
The bags are over there.
Step 4: Try “They Are”
If you are considering they’re, replace it with they are.
They’re ready.
They are ready. ✓
Step 5: Read the Complete Sentence
Do not decide based only on pronunciation. Read the entire sentence and ask what grammatical job the word is doing.
Common Mistakes With There and Their
Mistake 1: Using There for Possession
Incorrect:
The students finished there homework.
Correct:
The students finished their homework.
Why? The homework belongs to the students.
Read More: Onto or On To: What’s The Difference And Which One Is Correct?
Mistake 2: Using Their for Location
Incorrect:
Put your shoes over their.
Correct:
Put your shoes over there.
Why? The word identifies a location.
Mistake 3: Confusing Their With They’re
Incorrect:
Their going to the meeting.
Correct:
They’re going to the meeting.
Why? They’re means they are.
Mistake 4: Writing Their’s
Incorrect:
That house is their’s.
Correct:
That house is theirs.
Theirs is already a possessive pronoun and does not need an apostrophe.
Quick Reference Checklist
Before choosing there or their, ask:
- Is it about a place? → there
- Does it introduce something that exists? → there
- Does it show something belongs to them? → their
- Can I replace it with “they are”? → they’re
- Am I writing “their’s”? → Change it to theirs
The Three-Word Shortcut
There → place
Their → possession
They’re → they are
If you remember those three definitions, most common mistakes become much easier to catch.
Mini Quiz: There or Their
1. Pick the Correct Word
“Your bag is over ___.”
A) Their
B) There
C) They’re
Answer: B) There
2. Show Ownership
“The students finished ___ homework.”
A) There
B) They’re
C) Their
Answer: C) Their
3. Quick Grammar Check
“___ going to the store.”
A) Their
B) There
C) They’re
Answer: C) They’re
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4. Which One Means “A Place”?
A) Their
B) There
C) They’re
Answer: B) There
5. Which One Shows Possession?
A) There
B) They’re
C) Their
Answer: C) Their
6. Complete the Sentence
“Look over ___!”
A) their
B) there
C) they’re
Answer: B) there
7. Spot the Correct Sentence
A) The kids packed there bags.
B) The kids packed their bags.
C) The kids packed they’re bags.
Answer: B) The kids packed their bags.
8. Try the “They Are” Trick
“___ ready for the test.”
Which word can mean “they are”?
A) There
B) Their
C) They’re
Answer: C) They’re
9. Fill in the Blank
“___ are three books on the table.”
A) Their
B) There
C) They’re
Answer: B) There
10. Which Sentence Shows Ownership?
A) The car is over there.
B) They’re coming home.
C) They washed their car.
Answer: C) They washed their car.
11. Easy One!
“___ house is very beautiful.”
A) There
B) Their
C) They’re
Answer: B) Their
12. Find the Location Word
“Please put the box over ___.”
A) their
B) they’re
C) there
Answer: C) there
13. Can You Catch the Mistake?
Which sentence is correct?
A) Their is a problem.
B) There is a problem.
C) They’re is a problem.
Answer: B) There is a problem.
14. The Triple Challenge
Which sentence uses all three words correctly?
A) They’re taking their bags over there.
B) Their taking there bags over they’re.
C) There taking they’re bags over their.
Answer: A) They’re taking their bags over there.
15. Final Quick Test
“The players put on ___ uniforms and stood over ___.”
A) there / their
B) their / there
C) they’re / their
Answer: B) their / there
FAQs
Q1. Is “there” or “their” correct?
Both there and their are correct words, but they are used in different situations. There generally refers to a place or existence, while their shows possession or association.
Q2. What is the easiest way to remember there and their?
Remember there as being connected with location, like here. Remember their as meaning belonging to them.
Q3. Is their a possessive word?
Yes. Their is a possessive determiner used to show that something belongs to or is associated with someone referred to as they.
Q4. Can “there” refer to a place?
Yes. For example:
Your keys are over there.
It can also be used to introduce something that exists:
There is a new café nearby.
Q5. What is the difference between there, their, and they’re?
- There = place or existence
- Their = possession
- They’re = they are
For example:
They’re taking their bags over there.
Q6. Is “their’s” grammatically correct?
No. The correct possessive pronoun is theirs, without an apostrophe.
Q7. Why do there and their cause so many mistakes?
They are commonly pronounced the same or very similarly, depending on accent. Because the pronunciation does not reliably tell you the spelling, writers need to use the meaning and grammatical function of the word.
Conclusion:
The difference between there or their becomes simple once you focus on meaning instead of pronunciation.
Use there when you are talking about a place, location, existence, or something happening. Use their when you are showing possession or association. And when you mean they are, use they’re.
For example:
They’re putting their books over there.
That single sentence demonstrates all three forms correctly.
The next time you hesitate between there or their, stop and ask one simple question: Am I talking about a place or possession? That quick check can help you choose the correct word with confidence.
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Hi, I’m Noor Fatima, the person behind this website. I created this site to make English grammar and confusing words easier to understand. I love breaking down tricky words, meanings, spellings, and grammar rules into simple explanations. My goal is to help you learn English naturally, avoid common mistakes, and feel more confident every time you write or speak.
