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Word and Usage FAQs>
Their / There / They're
A surprising number of people confuse the adverb there and the possessive pronoun their.
There is no excuse for this; the words are quite distinct in meaning, even though they sound alike. There is an adverb of place: "Where should I put this table?" "Put it over there. No, don't put it here; put it there." The other use of there is as an expletive used to introduce a clause or a sentence: "There is a monster lurking in the woods." (Stylistically, sentences beginning with There + a form of to be are often indirect and can be stated more directly: "A monster is lurking in the woods.")
Their is the possessive form of the pronoun they. It is formed by changing the y in the nominative pronoun to ir. The ideas that they have = their ideas: "Their ideas are worth considering." The homework belonging to them = their homework: "Students should turn in their homework at the beginning of class."
They're is a contraction for "they are"; it has no other use or meaning: "They're going to be late."
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