English Trick of the Day: Master “There, Their & They’re” in 1 Minute

There, their, and they’re—these three common homophones are a frequent source of confusion and lost marks in exams. Although they sound identical, they have distinct spellings, meanings, and uses. Mastering the difference is a quick way to boost your grammar and writing precision. This English guide offers clear explanations, practical examples, and easy memory aids to help students—especially those preparing for school exams or competitive tests—learn the proper use of there vs their vs they’re in just one minute, improving accuracy and test scores instantly.

THERE – Used for Place or Existence

Meaning:

There refers to:

• A place or location
  

• The existence of something
  

How to Identify:

Ask yourself:
👉 Is the sentence talking about a place?
👉 Is it saying that something exists?

If YES, use there.

Examples:

• My school is there near the park. (place)
  

• There is a pen on the desk. (existence)
  

• There are many chapters in this book.
  

Common Exam Usage:

• There is / There are
  

• There was / There were
  

🧠 Memory Trick:
If you can replace it with here, use there.

THEIR – Shows Possession or Ownership

Meaning:

Their is a possessive adjective.
It shows that something belongs to them.

How to Identify:

Ask:
👉 Whose thing is this?

If the answer is theirs, use their.

Examples:

• Students must bring their ID cards.
  

• The players celebrated their victory.
  

• Children are proud of their parents.
  

Important Point:

• Their is used for both singular and plural meaning.
  

• It does NOT show gender.
  

🧠 Memory Trick:
Their contains the word heir → heir owns property → ownership.

THEY’RE – Short Form of “They Are”

Meaning:

They’re is a contraction of they are.

How to Identify:

Replace they’re with they are.
If the sentence still makes sense, they’re is correct.

Examples:

• They’re studying for exams. → They are studying
  

• They’re confident about their results.
  

• They’re not attending school today.
  

Common Mistake:

❌ Their going to school
✅ They’re going to school

🧠 Memory Trick:
Apostrophe ( ’ ) means a letter is missing → they are.

🔁 Quick Comparison Table

Shortcut Tricks to Remember There, Their, They're

There, Their, They're Worksheet

 A. Practice Exercise on THERE 

Instruction: Fill in the blanks using there.

1. ______ is a new student in our class.
   

2. Please put the bag ______ on the chair.
   

3. ______ are five questions in Section A.
   

4. Is ______ any water left in the bottle?
   

5. ______ was a big crowd at the school function.
   

6. The keys are kept ______ near the window.
   

7. ______ has been a change in the exam pattern.
   

8. Look ______! The teacher is calling you.
   

9. ______ were many mistakes in the answer sheet.
   

10. Sit ______ quietly and listen.
    

B. Practice Exercise on THEIR 

Instruction: Fill in the blanks using their.

1. Students must complete ______ homework on time.
   

2. The players celebrated ______ victory.
   

3. Children should respect ______ elders.
   

4. The teachers checked ______ notebooks.
   

5. Birds build ______ nests on trees.
   

6. The girls forgot ______ water bottles.
   

7. People should follow ______ duties sincerely.
   

8. The workers demanded ______ rights.
   

9. Parents are proud of ______ children.
   

10. The students raised ______ hands to answer.
    

 C. Practice Exercise on THEY’RE 

Instruction: Fill in the blanks using they’re.

1. ______ going to attend the school assembly.
   

2. ______ studying for the board exams.
   

3. ______ not aware of the new timetable.
   

4. ______ planning a picnic this weekend.
   

5. ______ very confident about the results.
   

6. ______ waiting outside the classroom.
   

7. ______ trying their best to win the match.
   

8. ______ absent today due to illness.
   

9. ______ responsible for completing the project.
   

10. ______ happy with their performance.
    

Mixed Practice Exercise 

Instruction: Choose the correct word: there / their / they’re

1. ______ is no doubt about her success.
   

2. The students forgot ______ admit cards.
   

3. ______ preparing for the practical exam.
   

4. Please stand ______ in a straight line.
   

5. The players are proud of ______ achievements.
   

6. ______ not coming to school today.
   

7. Keep the books ______ on the table.
   

8. The children finished ______ lunch early.
   

9. ______ are many reasons for the delay.
   

10. ______ excited about the annual function.
    

Answer Key

THERE Exercise:

1. There
   

2. there
   

3. There
   

4. there
   

5. There
   

6. there
   

7. There
   

8. there
   

9. There
   

10. there
    

THEIR Exercise:

1. their

2. their

3. their
   

4. their
   

5. their
   

6. their
   

7. their
   

8. their
   

9. their
   

10. their
    

THEY’RE Exercise:

1. They’re
   

2. They’re
   

3. They’re
   

4. They’re
   

5. They’re
   

6. They’re
   

7. They’re
   

8. They’re
   

9. They’re
   

10. They’re
    

Mixed Exercise:

1. There
   

2. their
   

3. They’re
   

4. there
   

5. their
   

6. They’re
   

7. there
   

8. their
   

9. There
   

10. They’re