Examples of Their, There and They’re in Sentences

"Their" is pretty straightforward. It always indicates possession by people or things. More specifically, "their" is a possessive pronoun. It replaces the noun in a sentence. Instead of saying, "That's the Murphy family's new dog," you can say, "That's their new dog." While "his" and "her" demonstrate singular possession (possession by one person), "their" is reserved for two or more people or things. Reviewing some examples of "their" in a sentence should help you get its usage right.

• The red one is their house.
• The beagle is their dog.
• Going to the store was their idea.
• They're in over their heads.
• Joe and Sue always want things their way.
• I didn't know that it was their cat.
• Their dog is always barking.
• Why don't you ask them what their plans are?
• I never forgot that it was their suggestion that started the company.
• Is that their boat?
• You should stay out of their business.
• You should stop by their lemonade stand for a drink.
• Do not take their word at face value.
• Did you know their house is for sale?
• Their car goes way faster than your car does.
• Did you know their new business has taken off?

Think of "there" as a giant arrow. It's pointing toward a place or position, indicating direction. It also has an abstract function, for figurative places, as well as use in statements of fact, typically in "there are" and "there is" constructs. Reviewing examples of "there" in a sentence is a good way to observe how it can be used.

• Put your coat down over there.
• There is something to be said for telling the truth.
• What is over there?
• That is neither here nor there.
• There is always another opportunity to be had down the road.
• The book is right over there.
• The remote is over there on the couch.
• Why don't you go over there and tell me what is inside?
• There are two people in the room right now.
• There is supposed to be rain tomorrow.
• I know there is truth to what you are saying.
• There are so many stores in this little village.
• I did not know there was milk in the refrigerator.
• Who knew there was going to be a sequel to the movie?
• I hope there is no snow tomorrow.
• I always wondered what was in there.
• Go over there.
• Sit down in the purple chair over there.
• Let's go downtown and eat at Sandy's new restaurant there.

Now that you know the difference between there and their, you also need to be able to properly use they’re. Writing “they’re” is, in essence, the same thing as writing the phrase “they are.” The word “they’re” is simply a contraction of “they are.” If you can remove “they’re” from a sentence and substitute in the phrase “they are,” then you are using the contraction correctly. Review some example sentences showing proper usage of they’re to understand how this word should be used.

1. They’re planning to go on vacation in November.
2. Do you know if they’re going to buy a new house?
3. I don’t know if they’re planning to attend.
4. They’re going camping in Florida.
5. I don’t know if they’re going to sell anything.
6. Do you think they’re going to accept this amount as payment in full?
7. I wonder if they’re going to tell my parents.
8. I wonder if they’re going to let me know when the package arrives.
9. They’re purchasing new table linens for the party.
10. I hope they’re going to invite me to Christmas dinner.
11. They’re planning to go skydiving soon.
12. If they’re going to be there, I’d rather stay home.
13. They’re planning to host Sally’s birthday party.
14. I hope they’re aware of the risks associated with that decision.
15. I think they’re going to announce the winner soon.
16. They’re calling to find out when you will be arriving.

Ready to amp things up? There will come a time when you'll have to use "their" and "there" in a sentence together, along with “they’re.” The following examples should help you figure out which word goes where when choosing among they’re vs. their vs. there.

• The boat over there is their boat, and they’re going to take me fishing next week.
• Put the book over there next to their shelves because they’re going to put the books in order.
• There is no way I could know it was their paint or that they’re really not into sharing.
• It was always their plan to go to the beach over there because they’re big fans of that spot.
• There is always another opportunity to get on their good side, they’re very flexible.
• There is no shortage of bugs in their garage, so they’re going to clean it out soon.
• Their trip to the spa fell through when they got there and saw it was closed, so they’re going to the beach instead.
• Their only hope is that there will be someone to let them in once they’re there.
• Since their plane was two hours late, they’re glad to finally get there.
• There was a long wait before their luggage arrived at the gate, but they’re finally ready to depart.
• There was never any doubt that he would go to their old school, and they’re so glad that he made the right decision.
• There is still hope that their dog will be found, so they’re offering a reward.

In order to know how to use the words there, their and they’re correct, it’s important to remember how they differ.

• There refers to a place - either a concrete or abstract place.
• They're is a contraction for the phrase “they are.”
• Their indicates possession.

Not too bad, right? The concepts are simple enough. It's just a matter of double checking yourself whenever you need to use these homophones. Practice makes perfect! While this important topic is fresh on your mind and you have just reviewed some example sentences, take the time to refresh yourself on the rules of proper usage for these words. Then, try your hand at these there, their and they’re practice exercises to make sure the concepts are clear in your mind.