Their vs. There: Which to Use?

Their is used when describing something belonging to a group of people or things. There is employed to specify a location or point to a place.

These words are commonly misused, as they are homonyms. In the English language, the distinction between their and there is subtle yet crucial. Understanding their differences and proper usage contributes to effective communication and clear writing.

How are their and there different?

The main difference lies in their meanings and functions.

Their is a possessive pronoun used to indicate ownership by multiple people or things. It answers the question Whose?

Example sentence of their

Their house is beautifully decorated.

There is an adverb indicating a place or location. It helps answer the question Where? There is also used as a introductory word preceding clause or sentence.

Example sentence of there

There is a car sitting on the wall.

More example sentences:

Their dog is always friendly and playful.
We should meet there at the park for a picnic.
The students left their bags in the classroom.
Can you pass me their coats? It's getting cold outside.
She admired their dedication to their work.
Let's go to the museum; I heard there is a new exhibit there.
Their car broke down on the way to the party.
The keys are on the table over there.
The neighbors take good care of their garden.
Is that their cat sleeping on the porch?

Practice Questions

The students forgot their/there books in the classroom.
Is that their/there dog playing in the park?
The Smiths are known for their/there beautiful garden.
The workers are taking their/there lunch break in the cafeteria.
The birds are building their/there nest in the tree outside.
The Andersons are going on their/there vacation next week.
Please remind the team about their/there upcoming deadline.
Their/there was a problem with the computer system this morning.

If you still are unsure about which to use, try out Engram where you can submit your English sentences to get immediate feedback and suggestions based on how native English speakers write.