Question

Please explain the difference between the words "they're" and "their."

Andy K.
Grade 5

Answer

Hi Andy,

The answer isn't too complicated.  The word "their" is a possessive word.  That means that it shows that someone owns something.  In this case, it means that something belongs to a group of people (them). 

• They brought their car to the repair shop.

"They're" is a contraction of "they" and "are".  

• They're having car problems.

Here is a sentence that contains both words:

• They're hoping that their car will be fixed soon.

Thanks for asking!
Professor Puzzler