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'Their going to' often mixes up three words that sound the same: they're (they are), their (possessive), and they (pronoun). Fixing it usually means choosing between a contraction, a possessive plus noun, or the full form (they are / they will).

Quick answer

'Their going to' is almost always wrong. Most of the time you mean they're (they are) going to, or you need their + noun (possession). If you're unsure, expand the phrase or rewrite the sentence.

They're = they are - use before verbs: They're going to arrive late.
Their = possessive - use before a noun: Their schedule is full.
They / they are / they will - use the full form for clarity or formality.
When in doubt, rewrite: They will arrive soon; or Their plan is to arrive soon.

Core explanation: why the phrase is wrong

'Their' is a possessive adjective and must modify a noun (their car, their idea). It cannot directly take a verb phrase like going to. 'They're' is a contraction of 'they are' and is correct before verb phrases: they're going to, they're leaving.

If a verb follows the word, the contraction they're is usually correct.
If a noun follows, use their + noun.
To avoid errors in formal writing, use they are or they will instead of contractions.

Grammar mechanics: contraction vs. possession vs. pronoun

Three homophones behave differently in writing. Use a quick substitution test: replace the suspect word with 'they are.' If the sentence still works, use they're. If a noun must follow, use their. If neither fits, rephrase the sentence.

Expansion test: substitute 'they are' - if it fits, they're.
Possession test: does a noun belong after the word? If yes, use their.
Object vs subject: they (subject) vs them (object) - check who performs the action.

Hyphenation and spacing (typing slip-ups)

Contractions are one word with an apostrophe: they're. Avoid extra spaces, missing apostrophes, or hyphens like they 're, theirgoing, or they-re. Hyphens don't fix homophone errors.

Correct contraction: they're - one word, apostrophe replaces the missing letter.
Wrong spacing: they 're or their going - fix by using the proper apostrophe and word.
Reserve hyphens for true compound modifiers (e.g., well-known problem), not contractions.

Real usage: when to choose each form

Match formality and meaning to the context. In reports and academic writing, prefer they are or they will. In casual messages, they're is natural. Use their only when a noun follows.

Work: Avoid contractions in formal docs - write They are going to present the update.
School: Follow your instructor's style; when unsure, use they are or rephrase (their presentation).
Casual: They're is fine - They're going to be late works in a text.

Try your own sentence

Test the whole sentence, not just the phrase. Context usually makes the correct choice obvious.

Examples: wrong/right pairs (work, school, casual) + rewrites

Real sentences and straightforward corrections. Each wrong example shows the usual error; the right example fixes it. Rewrites below cover different tones and intents.

Work - Wrong: Their going to review the Q3 numbers in the meeting.Work -
Right: They're going to review the Q3 numbers in the meeting.
Work - Wrong: Their going to finalize the contract today.Work -
Right: They're going to finalize the contract today.
Work - Wrong: Their going to call IT about the outage.Work -
Right: They're going to call IT about the outage.
School - Wrong: Their going to hand in the essay on Friday.School -
Right: They're going to hand in the essay on Friday.
School - Wrong: I think their going to fail the lab if they skip it.School -
Right: I think they're going to fail the lab if they skip it.
School - Wrong: Their going to study together after class.School -
Right: They're going to study together after class.
Casual - Wrong: Their going to love your gift.Casual -
Right: They're going to love your gift.
Casual - Wrong: Are their going to come to the party?Casual -
Right: Are they going to come to the party?
Casual - Wrong: Their going to text you later.Casual -
Right: They're going to text you later.
Usage (possession correct): Their plan is to expand next quarter. - correct: 'their' used before a noun.
Usage (formal): They are going to release the update tomorrow. - expanded form for formality.
Rewrite set 1 - Wrong: Their going to be late.Formal: They are likely to be late.Neutral: They will probably be late.Possessive intended: Their lateness could cause delays.
Rewrite set 2 - Wrong: Their going to miss the deadline.Formal: They are expected to miss the deadline.Neutral: They probably won't meet the deadline.Possessive intended: Their missed deadline will cause problems.
Rewrite set 3 - Wrong: Their going to present their results.Concise: They'll present their results.
Formal: They will present their results on Friday.Possessive clarified: Their presentation is scheduled for Friday.

Rewrite help: quick fixes you can paste in

Choose a template that fits your tone and swap in the verb or noun needed.

Casual: They're going to + [verb phrase]. Example: They're going to bring snacks.
Neutral: They will + [verb]. Example: They will submit the form tomorrow.
Formal: They are + [verb phrase]. Example: They are expected to submit their report by Friday.
Possession intended: Make sure a noun follows 'their': their decision, their schedule, their response.

Example rewrite: Wrong: Their going to change the policy.-
Casual: They're going to change the policy.- Neutral: They will change the policy.-
Formal: They are going to revise the policy next quarter.- Possessive: Their policy change was unexpected.
Example rewrite: Wrong: Their going to need more time.-
Casual: They're going to need more time.- Neutral: They will need more time.-
Formal: They are likely to require additional time to complete the task.
Example rewrite: Wrong: Their going to take their books.-
Casual: They're going to take their books.- Neutral: They will take their books with them.- Clarify: The students will take their books.

Memory tricks and habits to avoid the error

Small checks catch most mistakes before you hit send.

Expansion test: replace with 'they are.' If it makes sense, use they're.
Noun test: if a noun must follow, it's likely their + noun.
Draft habit: in formal drafts, write 'they are' until you can tell forms apart quickly.
Proofreading habit: do a quick scan specifically for homophones-there/their/they're and your/you're.

Similar mistakes worth checking for

These common confusions are solved the same way: expand contractions and check whether a noun must follow.

your vs you're - insert you are to test.
its vs it's - insert it is / it has to test.
there vs their vs they're - location vs possession vs contraction; read aloud to check meaning.
they vs them - confirm subject vs object use.

FAQ

Is 'their going to' ever correct?

Only in a rare, unusual reading where going is a noun that belongs to them (e.g., "Their going to the city was costly"). Even then, it's clearer to use a noun: "Their trip to the city was costly." For future actions, 'their going to' is incorrect.

Should I use they're or they are in a formal paper?

Prefer the full form (they are / they will) in formal writing unless your style guide allows contractions. The full form reduces ambiguity and reads more formal.

How can I quickly test which word I need?

Run two quick checks: (1) substitute 'they are' - if it fits, use they're. (2) see if a noun can follow - if yes, use their + noun. If neither fits, rewrite the sentence.

Will grammar checkers catch every their/they're error?

Many checkers flag obvious mismatches, but they can miss context-specific meanings. Read suggested fixes to ensure they match your intent.

What quick rewrites remove the ambiguity?

Use they will, they are going to, or rephrase to include the noun for possession (their plan, their decision). Rewrites like these remove the need to choose between contraction and possessive.

Quick tip before you send it

When unsure, expand the contraction or rephrase - it's faster than fixing mistakes later. Use the template rewrites above as ready-made fixes and practice a short homophone scan to prevent repeat errors.