Name__________________________________________Date___________________________
English Basics
Volume 2, Number 27, March 30, 1998
www.rhlschool.com
Their, There, or They’re?
Do you sometimes get confused between the three homophones (words that sound the same) their, there, and they’re?
Here is how you can easily remember how to spell and use them correctly.
First, let’s look at there.
Example: She is standing over there.
There is related to here, as in “here and there”. And it’s spelled exactly the same as here except for adding a t to the beginning.
The word they’re means they are.
Example: They’re going to be late.
It’s a contraction of the two words. It’s spelled as if you put them together: theyare, and then replace the a with the apostrophe (’).
And last but not least, we have the word their. It means “belonging to them”.
Example: The boys rode their new bikes.
Do you ever forget whether the e or i comes first? Just remember that all three of these homophones start with the. That’s all there is to it!
Write their, there, or they’re to complete each sentence. The first three have been done for you.
1._ Sam and Joe will join us when they’re done working.
2._ There is no reason to worry.
3._ Zebras depend on their stripes to help protect them.
4._ We’re still getting ready and everyone else is already there!
5._ The president wouldn’t answer ___________ questions.
6._ They want to see you and ___________ not taking no for an answer.
7._ The pigs checked to make sure ___________ tails were curly.
8._ What is that moving around in ___________?
9._ ___________ are too many worms in the pudding!
10. Pick up the pizzas while ___________ still hot.
11. Were ___________ any requests for tickets?
12. Many people say that ___________ taxes are too high.
13. Is someone hiding in ___________?
14. The members voted for ___________ favorite stars.
15. ___________ is one more thing I need to know.
16. The girls are looking for ___________ poodle.
17. Those shoes aren’t yours, ___________ mine!
18. Tell the prisoners not to speak unless ___________ spoken to!
19. Let’s put the couch over ___________.
20. People who throw mud get ___________ hands dirty.
Copyright 1998 RHL