they're (their)

They're = they are (contraction). Their = possessive (belongs to them). Quick test: replace the word with "they are" - if the sentence still makes sense, use they're; if it shows ownership before a noun, use their.

Quick answer

They're = they are (contraction). Their = possession (their + noun). If "they are" fits, use they're; if the word marks ownership, use their.

They're = they are. Example: They're late = They are late.
Their = possessive. Example: their laptop, their idea.
Substitution test: replace with "they are". If grammatical, use they're; otherwise use their.

Core explanation: what each word does

They're always short for two words (they + are) and needs an apostrophe to mark the missing letters. Their never takes an apostrophe; it signals ownership and usually appears right before a noun.

Contraction → they're = they are.
Possessive → their = belonging to them.

Wrong: Their late to the meeting.
Right: They're late to the meeting.
Wrong: They're jacket is on the chair.
Right: Their jacket is on the chair.

Quick grammar checklist for editing

When you see their/they're, run three fast checks: expand, possession, and tone.

Test 1 - Expand: replace with "they are." If the sentence still works, use they're.
Test 2 - Possession: if it directly precedes a noun that belongs to them, use their.
Test 3 - Tone: in formal writing avoid contractions; prefer "they are" or recast the sentence.

Example: "Their arriving soon." Expand → "They are arriving soon." Use they're.
Example: "Their application is complete." Expand fails → use their.

Spacing, punctuation and hyphenation notes

The apostrophe in they're sits inside the word: they're. Never add a space (they 're) or a hyphen (they-are). Keep apostrophes consistent-straight or curly-throughout a document.

Hyphens belong to compound modifiers, not contractions: write their long-term plan (hyphenate long-term), not their-long-term or they're-are.

Correct contraction: they're (no spaces).
Do not place spaces around the apostrophe or add hyphens inside contractions.
Use hyphens only for compound modifiers (their long-term goal), not for contractions.

Wrong: They 're bringing dessert.
Right: They're bringing dessert.
Wrong: Their long term plan is ambitious.
Right: Their long-term plan is ambitious.

Rewrite help: copy-ready repair templates

When in doubt, rewrite. These templates are fast and reliable-drop in your details and go.

Template A (expand): Replace the contraction with full form. Example: "They're [doing X]" → "They are [doing X]".
Template B (split): Break a long sentence into two to separate ownership and action. Example: "Their coming with their notes and will present" → "They're coming with their notes. They will present."
Template C (clarify): Replace their with a specific noun or name when ownership is unclear. Example: "Their idea" → "Jordan and Kim's idea" or "the team's idea".

Rewrite:
Wrong: "Their going to test the prototype tomorrow." →
Correct: "They're going to test the prototype tomorrow."
Rewrite:
Wrong: "Their not confident about their answers." →
Correct: "They're not confident about their answers."
Rewrite:
Wrong: "Their presentation needs work." → Clarify: "The presentation by the design team needs work."

Try your own sentence

Test the full sentence, not just the phrase. Context usually makes the correct form obvious.

Real usage and tone: when to use they're vs "they are" vs their

Contractions work well in casual and many business contexts. In formal or academic writing prefer "they are" or recast the sentence. Their is required whenever ownership appears, regardless of tone.

Casual: use they're in texts and informal messages.
Business: contractions are often fine in internal emails; for client-facing or formal documents prefer "they are".
Academic/Formal: avoid contractions; use "they are" or a clearer noun phrase.

Casual: "They're on their way-be ready!"
Business: "They're reviewing the draft now and will send feedback." (acceptable)
Formal: "They are scheduled to present on April 12." (prefer non-contraction)

Examples: realistic work, school, and casual practice

Targeted wrong/right pairs you can copy into messages, emails, and notes.

Work - Wrong: Their sending the finalized slides by EOD.
Work - Right: They're sending the finalized slides by EOD.
Work - Wrong: Their going to join the client demo at 2pm.
Work - Right: They're going to join the client demo at 2pm.
Work - Wrong: Their required to complete the security training before access is granted.
Work - Right: They're required to complete the security training before access is granted.
School - Wrong: Their presenting their thesis draft next Tuesday.
School - Right: They're presenting their thesis draft next Tuesday.
School - Wrong: Their not turning in their assignment on time.
School - Right: They're not turning in their assignment on time.
School - Wrong: Their group will submit their lab report today.
School - Right: They're going to submit their lab report today.
Casual - Wrong: Their coming over for dinner tonight.
Casual - Right: They're coming over for dinner tonight.
Casual - Wrong: Their always posting photos from their trip.
Casual - Right: They're always posting photos from their trip.
Casual - Wrong: Their really proud of their new apartment.
Casual - Right: They're really proud of their new apartment.

Memory tricks and proofreading habits that stick

Combine two quick habits: substitution and ownership. Add a rapid final sweep before sending to catch slips.

Mnemonic: they're = they + 're (they are). Their = belongs to them (think "their thing").
Proofreading habit: one focused search for "their"/"they're" before sending.
When unsure, rewrite: replace the pronoun with a name or noun to remove ambiguity.

Tip: Use Ctrl+F for "their" and "they're", then run the substitution test on each occurrence.

Similar mistakes to watch for

They often appears near there (place) and it's/its. Treat they're/their/there distinctly: contraction, possession, location. Use the expansion test for it's (it is) too.

they're = they are; their = possessive; there = place or dummy subject ("there is").
it's = it is (contraction); its = possessive.
If several confused words appear close together, rewrite the sentence for clarity.

Wrong: Their over there with their backpacks.
Right: They're over there with their backpacks.
Wrong: Its raining and it's umbrella is wet.
Right: It's raining and its umbrella is wet.

FAQ

How do I remember when to use they're vs their?

Replace the word with "they are." If the sentence still makes sense, use they're. If it shows ownership before a noun, use their.

Is it acceptable to use they're in a formal paper?

Most formal writing avoids contractions. Prefer "they are" or rephrase (for example, use a noun like "the team"). Their is still required for possession.

I keep typing there instead of their - any fast tip?

Ask whether the sentence names a place or possession. There points to location ("over there") or starts "there is/are"; their marks ownership. Read the sentence aloud and apply the substitution test if needed.

Will a grammar checker always catch these mistakes?

Checkers catch many swaps but can miss ambiguous contexts. Combine an automated checker with the substitution test and a quick human read for best results.

Can I use "their" with singular they?

Yes. "Their" is standard as the possessive for singular they (e.g., "Someone left their umbrella"). Use the same rules: they're = they are; their = possession.

Still unsure about a sentence?

If a line still feels off, paste it into a checker, run the substitution test, or apply one quick rewrite template from above. A focused edit or one small rewrite fixes most cases in seconds.

Make the search-for-"their/they're" sweep a pre-send habit and you'll eliminate this error quickly.