Thanks in advanced (advance)

Mixing up they're, their, and there is a very common slip-up. The phrase "There going to" usually signals the wrong pronoun plus a missing apostrophe.

Use the context to pick the right word: they're = they are, their = possession, there = place or existence. Below are quick rules, many real rewrites, repair steps, and memory tricks to make the choice automatic.

Quick answer

"There going to" is almost always wrong. Use "they're" (they are) for a verb phrase, "their" for possession, and "there" for location or existence.

"They're" = they are (apostrophe marks the missing a).
"Their" = possessive (their book, their idea).
"There" = place or existential phrase (over there, there are).

Core explanation: why "There going to" is wrong

"There" names a place or introduces existence; it can't contract to "they are." When the sentence intends "they are," you need "they're" (with an apostrophe). When the sentence shows ownership, use "their."

They're = they are - followed by verbs (they're going, they're late).
Their = possession - followed by a noun (their schedule).
There = location/existence - often starts "There is/are" or points to a place.

Six common wrong/right pairs (quick corrections)

Use these as templates to swap into your own sentences when you spot the error.

Wrong: There books are on the desk.
Right: Their books are on the desk.
Wrong: Their going to love the surprise.
Right: They're going to love the surprise.
Wrong: Their is no way we'll finish on time.
Right: There is no way we'll finish on time.
Wrong: They're dog is outside.
Right: Their dog is outside.
Wrong: There planning to submit their report tomorrow.
Right: They're planning to submit their report tomorrow.
Wrong: There going to the park with there friends.
Right: They're going to the park with their friends.

Work examples: emails, reports, and Slack

In professional writing, clarity and tone matter. If you want to avoid apostrophe errors in formal documents, write the full form "they are."

Work - Wrong: There going to review the Q2 numbers at 2pm. Work -
Right: They're going to review the Q2 numbers at 2 p.m.
Work - Wrong: Please hand in there expense reports by Friday. Work -
Right: Please hand in their expense reports by Friday.
Work - Wrong: They're client expects the slides by noon. Work -
Right: Their client expects the slides by noon.

School examples: assignments, announcements, and feedback

Students and teachers mix these words frequently. Determine whether the sentence names a place, shows ownership, or states "they are."

School - Wrong: There going to collect the homework after class. School -
Right: They're going to collect the homework after class.
School - Wrong: They're presentation was the best in class. School -
Right: Their presentation was the best in class.
School - Wrong: Their is a test next week in history. School -
Right: There is a test next week in history.

Try your own sentence

Test the whole sentence, not the phrase alone: replace the suspect word with "they are" to see if it fits, or check if it attaches to a noun (their + noun) or points to a place (there).

Casual examples: texts, posts, and conversations

Casual writing tolerates shortcuts, but the meaning can still change. Ask: location, possession, or "they are"?

Casual - Wrong: There gonna be late-text them. Casual -
Right: They're gonna be late-text them.
Casual - Wrong: Their coming over tonight? Casual -
Right: They're coming over tonight?
Casual - Wrong: I left my keys over they're. Casual -
Right: I left my keys over there.

How to fix your own sentence (step-by-step)

Read the sentence and ask: is it naming a place, showing ownership, or saying "they are"?
Swap the word with "they are." If the sentence makes sense, use they're (or "they are" in formal writing).
If the word sits before a noun (their + noun), use their. If it points to place or starts "there is/are," use there.

Practice rewrites to build the habit:

Rewrite:
Wrong: "There going to finish the assignment late." →
Right: "They're going to finish the assignment late."
Rewrite:
Wrong: "Their not allowed to enter the lab." →
Right: "They're not allowed to enter the lab."
Rewrite:
Wrong: "There kids forgot their coats." →
Right: "Their kids forgot their coats."

Real usage and tone: when to use contractions

Contractions like they're are natural in speech, chat, and friendly emails. For formal reports or academic writing, prefer the full "they are" to avoid punctuation mistakes. Their (possessive) and there (location/existence) are neutral across registers-choose based on meaning, not tone.

Formal: "They are going to present the findings tomorrow."
Casual: "They're going to present it tomorrow."
"There is a problem" (existence) vs "Their problem" (possession) vs "They're worried" (they are worried).

Memory trick plus similar mistakes, spacing & hyphenation notes

Mnemonic: Say the sentence out loud. If you can expand it to "they are," use they're. If the word pairs with a noun, use their. If it names a place or introduces "there is/are," use there.

Other pitfalls to watch for:

Bad spacing: "they 're" is incorrect - no space after the apostrophe.
Wrong possessive: "their's" is incorrect; use "theirs" if needed.
Don't use an apostrophe to make plurals (apple's → apples).
Check related homophones: it's/its and your/you're behave the same way: contraction vs possession vs homophone confusion.

Wrong: They 're late to the meeting.
Right: They're late to the meeting.
Wrong: Their's no easy fix for this problem.
Right: There's no easy fix for this problem.

FAQ

Is "there going to" ever correct?

Not as written. If you mean "they are going to," write "they're going to" or "they are going to." If you mean location or existence, rephrase so "there" fits, for example "There are ten students."

How do I remember the difference between they're, their, and there?

Ask: Can I replace it with "they are"? (they're). Does it show ownership before a noun? (their). Is it naming a place or starting "there is/are"? (there). Saying the sentence aloud helps.

Which is more formal: they're or they are?

"They are" is more formal. Use it in academic papers, formal reports, or when editing for strict style. Contractions are fine in casual writing and many business contexts.

I wrote "Their're" by mistake - how do I fix it?

Decide which word you meant. If you meant possession, use "their." If you meant "they are," use "they're." "Their're" is a nonstandard mash-up and should be corrected to one or the other.

Can grammar checkers fix "There going to" automatically?

Many grammar tools flag this error and suggest a correction, but always read the suggestion: tools sometimes propose "they're" when the sentence actually needs "their" or "there."

Want to check a sentence quickly?

Paste your sentence into a grammar checker or read it aloud and test the swap with "they are." A quick check prevents repeated mistakes and helps reinforce the correct pattern.

Using a checker for confidence can speed up learning and reduce the small errors that undermine clarity.