Mastering the nuances of the English language can be a daunting task, but with the right tools and resources, anyone can improve their skills. One area that often trips up even the most confident writers is the proper use of their, there, and they're. In this article, we'll explore the differences between these three commonly confused words and provide 10 essential worksheets to help you master their usage.
Understanding the Basics
Before we dive into the worksheets, let's quickly review the definitions and uses of their, there, and they're.
- Their is a possessive pronoun, meaning something belongs to them. For example: "Their car is red."
- There is an adverb, used to indicate a location or direction. For example: "Put the book over there on the table."
- They're is a contraction of "they are." For example: "They're coming over tonight."
Common Mistakes
Even with a basic understanding of these words, mistakes can still happen. Here are a few common errors to watch out for:
- Using their instead of there: "I'm going to their store to buy some milk." (Incorrect - should be "I'm going to the store over there to buy some milk.")
- Using they're instead of their: "They're car is very old." (Incorrect - should be "Their car is very old.")
- Using there instead of they're: "There coming over tonight." (Incorrect - should be "They're coming over tonight.")
Worksheet 1: Identifying Their, There, and They're
To help you practice identifying the correct usage of their, there, and they're, try the following exercise:
- Their car is very nice.
- I'm going to the store over there to buy some milk.
- They're coming over tonight.
- The book is over their on the table. (Incorrect - should be "the book is over there on the table")
- My friends are going to they're house for a party. (Incorrect - should be "my friends are going to their house for a party")
Worksheet 2: Fill in the Blank
Complete the following sentences with the correct form of their, there, or they're:
- ____________________ going to the movies tonight.
- I love reading books that take me ____________________ to different worlds.
- My mom said ____________________ coming over to help us move.
- The park is ____________________ on the corner of Main and Elm.
- ____________________ car is very fast.
Answers:
- They're
- there
- they're
- there
- Their
Worksheet 3: Sentence Completion
Complete the following sentences with the correct form of their, there, or they're:
- I'm going to ____________________ house to study for the exam.
- ____________________ a great restaurant downtown that serves amazing Italian food.
- My friends and I are going to ____________________ beach for spring break.
- The new employee said ____________________ very excited to start working here.
- The flowers are blooming ____________________ in the garden.
Answers:
- their
- there
- the
- they're
- there
Worksheet 4: Error Identification
Identify the error in each of the following sentences and correct it:
- The teacher gave they're homework back to the students. (Incorrect - should be "the teacher gave their homework back to the students")
- I'm going to the store over they're to buy some milk. (Incorrect - should be "I'm going to the store over there to buy some milk")
- The park is they're on the corner of Main and Elm. (Incorrect - should be "the park is there on the corner of Main and Elm")
- My friends are going to they're house for a party. (Incorrect - should be "my friends are going to their house for a party")
- The book is over their on the table. (Incorrect - should be "the book is over there on the table")
Worksheet 5: Word Choice
Choose the correct form of their, there, or they're to complete each sentence:
- ____________________ car is very old.
- I'm going to ____________________ store to buy some milk.
- ____________________ coming over tonight.
- The flowers are blooming ____________________ in the garden.
- My friends and I are going to ____________________ beach for spring break.
Answers:
- Their
- the
- They're
- there
- the
Worksheet 6: Reading Comprehension
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
The sun was shining brightly in the sky. The birds were singing their sweet melodies. The flowers were blooming there in the garden. It was a beautiful day, and they're going to the beach to enjoy it.
- What was shining brightly in the sky?
- What were the birds doing?
- Where were the flowers blooming?
- What were the people going to do?
Answers:
- The sun
- Singing their sweet melodies
- There in the garden
- Going to the beach
Worksheet 7: Writing Activity
Write a short paragraph using all three forms of their, there, and they're:
The sun was shining brightly there in the sky. The birds were singing their sweet melodies. My friends and I were going to the beach, and they're very excited to get there. We packed a picnic lunch and brought it with us, along with their favorite snacks.
Worksheet 8: Error Analysis
Analyze the following paragraph and identify the errors in the use of their, there, and they're:
The teacher gave they're homework back to the students. The park is they're on the corner of Main and Elm. My friends and I are going to they're house for a party. The book is over their on the table.
Errors:
- Should be "the teacher gave their homework back to the students"
- Should be "the park is there on the corner of Main and Elm"
- Should be "my friends and I are going to their house for a party"
- Should be "the book is over there on the table"
Worksheet 9: Sentence Completion
Complete the following sentences with the correct form of their, there, or they're:
- I'm going to ____________________ store to buy some milk.
- The flowers are blooming ____________________ in the garden.
- My friends and I are going to ____________________ beach for spring break.
- The teacher gave ____________________ homework back to the students.
- The book is over ____________________ on the table.
Answers:
- the
- there
- the
- their
- there
Worksheet 10: Final Exam
Complete the following sentences with the correct form of their, there, or they're:
- ____________________ car is very old.
- I'm going to ____________________ house to study for the exam.
- The sun was shining brightly ____________________ in the sky.
- The birds were singing ____________________ sweet melodies.
- My friends and I are going to ____________________ beach for spring break.
Answers:
- Their
- their
- there
- their
- the
What is the difference between their, there, and they're?
+Their is a possessive pronoun, meaning something belongs to them. There is an adverb, used to indicate a location or direction. They're is a contraction of "they are."
How can I practice using their, there, and they're correctly?
+You can practice using their, there, and they're correctly by completing the worksheets and exercises provided in this article.
What are some common mistakes to avoid when using their, there, and they're?
+Common mistakes to avoid include using their instead of there, using they're instead of their, and using there instead of they're.
By completing these 10 essential worksheets, you'll be well on your way to mastering the correct usage of their, there, and they're. Remember to practice regularly and review the rules to ensure you're using these words correctly.