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Homophone Lab

How to Spell Their, There, They're

Their There They're

Same sound, different jobs. Learn the possessive, the place, and the contraction without guessing.

Pronunciation: /ðɛr/ for each • • 8 min read

The Trick Behind the Trio

Their, there, and they\'re sound identical, so your brain wants to match them with pronunciation cues. Instead, anchor each word to a pattern: their owns something, there points to a place or existence, and they\'re already says they are. Pair this mental model with the I Before E rule and you have two portable patterns to stop guessing and start writing with confidence.

Their

Possessive pronoun. Ask: Who owns it? Their bike, their idea, their map. If you imagine the word heir hidden inside, it becomes a crown for ownership.

There

Place or existence. Point with your finger, or read the existential structure there is / there are. It also borrows from here, so think of moving toward a spot.

They're

Contraction of they + are. If you can expand the sentence to they are and it still makes sense, the apostrophe belongs. Treat it like a temporary pairing, not a possessive.

Mnemonic: Their carries the heir crown for belonging, there borrows here to point to a place, and they\'re breaks into they are so the apostrophe always has a job. Keep the job description in mind, not the sound.

Common Misspellings

These mistakes are easy to spot once you hear the wrong word. Train yourself to catch the misfit before it reaches the page.

thier their → possession (the heir connection)
ther there → missing the e that marks location
theyre they're → the apostrophe shows the missing a
there are bikes on the rack (when you meant their) their → owner-centric

Practice That Sticks

Example Sentences

  • Their new treehouse frames match the color of the fence.
  • There is a hidden drawer behind the blue cabinet.
  • They're arriving right before the sun sets behind the lake.
  • Their homework folder lives next to the calendar.
  • There are three marshmallows left in the bag.

Need spaced repetition? Our science of spaced repetition post shows why these sentences become muscle memory faster than random drills.

Mini Quiz

____ imaginations filled the stage with handmade banners. (their)
____ is a shortcut to the trail from the driveway? (where/there)
____ bringing snacks for everyone since they promised to help. (they're)
____ final answer was ‘we forgot the map’—you can feel the possession vibe. (their)

Expand contractions, point to places, and ask who owns it. Experience builds the automatic correction you want.

Other Homophones to Pair with This Rule

Your / You're / Yore

These carry the same trap—sounds match, functions differ. Anchor them with ownership, contraction, or time, and drop into SpellCamp\'s strategy guide for practice habits that reinforce the difference.

Pattern buddy

Its / It's

Same sound, but one is possessive and one is a contraction. Think of the apostrophe as a missing letter—a tiny sibling to the one in they\'re. Remembering this alongside the i before e rule helps deepen pattern recognition.

Mini drill

To / Too / Two

Another set where meaning is the only difference. Pointing out these families as a group trains your editing eye. Then return to this post and a few quick writes to lock the trio in place.

Practice loop

Practice this word

Practice Spelling "Their / There / They're" Right Now

Practicing beats reading. SpellCamp launches you directly into audio, feedback, and spaced repetition with this trio preloaded—no typing, no guesswork.

Explore more spelling tips

FAQ

What is the correct spelling of their, there, and they're?

Their shows possession, there points to place or existence, and they\'re contracts they are. Match the job to the sentence and you can never confuse them again.

Why is their/there/they're so hard to spell?

They sound alike, so most people rely on pronunciation. Train yourself to hear the job (ownership, location, contraction) instead, and the keyboard mistakes vanish.

What's a trick to remember their, there, and they're?

Think heir for possession, here/there for place, and expand the contraction to "they are" to decide if the apostrophe belongs. Keep the job description in your pocket.