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Their vs. There: Know the Difference

Shumaila Saeed
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on November 24, 2023
"Their" is a possessive pronoun indicating ownership, while "there" refers to a place or a point in a discussion.
Their vs. There

Key Differences

"Their house is beautiful," shows ownership of the house. "There is a cat on the roof," indicates the location or existence of the cat.
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Nov 21, 2023
"Their" is used to indicate possession or ownership by multiple people or entities. "There" refers to a location or is used as an introductory subject in sentences.
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Nov 21, 2023
Misusing "their" in place of "there" changes the meaning from possession to location. Confusing "there" with "their" can lead to unclear or incorrect statements about ownership.
Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 21, 2023
"Their" is a possessive pronoun, a part of speech that shows ownership. "There" can be an adverb, pronoun, or noun, depending on its use in a sentence.
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Shumaila Saeed
Nov 21, 2023
Their" is always used in the context of showing that something belongs to them. "There" is used to denote a place or to indicate the existence of something.
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Nov 21, 2023

Comparison Chart

Part of Speech

Possessive pronoun
Adverb, pronoun, or noun
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Shumaila Saeed
Nov 21, 2023

Usage

Indicates ownership or belonging
Indicates location or existence
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Nov 21, 2023

Example Usage

"Their book is on the table."
"There is a book on the table."
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Nov 21, 2023

Context

Refers to something owned by people or entities
Refers to a place or introduces a subject
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Nov 21, 2023

Grammar Rule

Used before a noun to show possession
Used to indicate a place or to start a sentence
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Nov 21, 2023

Their and There Definitions

Their

"Their" indicates something that belongs to them.
Their ideas were innovative.
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Nov 16, 2023

There

"There" introduces a sentence or clause.
There are many options to consider.
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Nov 16, 2023

Their

"Their" is used to denote possession by multiple people or entities.
Their car is parked outside.
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Nov 16, 2023

There

"There" can denote a point in a conversation or argument.
There, I told you it would work!
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Nov 16, 2023

Their

"Their" is a possessive pronoun replacing "his or her" in plural form.
The students presented their projects.
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Nov 16, 2023

There

At or in that place
Sit over there.
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Oct 19, 2023

Their

"Their" shows group ownership or association.
Their teamwork led to success.
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Nov 16, 2023

There

To, into, or toward that place
Wouldn't go there again.
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Oct 19, 2023

Their

"Their" refers to something associated with a group of people.
Their enthusiasm was contagious.
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Nov 16, 2023

There

At that stage, moment, or point
Stop there before you make any more mistakes.
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Oct 19, 2023

Their

Used as a modifier before a noun
The politicians boasted of their accomplishments. “It is fatal for anyone who writes to think of their sex” (Virginia Woolf). See Usage Notes at he1, they.
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Oct 19, 2023

There

In that matter
I can't agree with him there.
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Oct 19, 2023

Their

Belonging to, from, of, or relating to, them (plural).
They will meet tomorrow at their convenience
This is probably their cat
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Oct 19, 2023

There

In a readily accessible or discoverable state
The answer is out there. All we have to do is look for it.
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Oct 19, 2023

Their

Belonging to someone (one person, singular).
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Oct 19, 2023

There

Used especially for emphasis after the demonstrative pronoun that or those, or after a noun modified by the demonstrative adjective that or those
That person there ought to know the directions to town.
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Oct 19, 2023

Their

Misspelling of there
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Oct 19, 2023

There

(Nonstandard) Used for emphasis between a demonstrative adjective meaning "that" or "those" and a noun
"You see them there handles?" (Cormac McCarthy)."I tell you ... that you buried paving-stones and earth in that there coffin" (Charles Dickens).
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Oct 19, 2023

Their

The possessive case of the personal pronoun they; as, their houses; their country.
Nothing but the name of zeal appears'Twixt our best actions and the worst of theirs.
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Oct 19, 2023

There

That place or point
Stopped and went on from there.
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Oct 19, 2023

There

Used to express feelings such as relief, satisfaction, sympathy, or anger
There, now I can have some peace!.
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Oct 19, 2023

There

(location) In a place or location (stated, implied or otherwise indicated) at some distance from the speaker (compare here).
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Oct 19, 2023

There

(figuratively) In that matter, relation, etc.; at that point, stage, etc., regarded as a distinct place.
He did not stop there, but continued his speech.
They patched up their differences, but matters did not end there.
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Oct 19, 2023

There

(location) To or into that place; thither.
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Oct 19, 2023

There

(obsolete) Where, there where, in which place.
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Oct 19, 2023

There

In this world, used to say that someone or something exists; see pronoun section below.
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Oct 19, 2023

There

Used to offer encouragement or sympathy.
There, there. Everything is going to turn out all right.
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Oct 19, 2023

There

Used to express victory or completion.
There! That knot should hold.
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Oct 19, 2023

There

That place.
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Oct 19, 2023

There

That status; that position.
You rinse and de-string the green beans; I'll take it from there.
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Oct 19, 2023

There

Used as an expletive subject of be in its sense of “exist”, with the semantic, usually indefinite subject being postponed or (occasionally) implied.
There are two apples on the table. [=Two apples are on the table.]
There is no way to do it. [=No way to do it exists.]
Is there an answer? [=Does an answer exist?]
No, there isn't. [=No, one doesn't exist.]
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Oct 19, 2023

There

Used with other intransitive verbs of existence, in the same sense, or with other intransitive verbs, adding a sense of existence.
If x is a positive number, then there exists [=there is] a positive number y less than x.
There remain several problems with this approach. [=Several problems remain with this approach.]
Once upon a time, in a now-forgotten kingdom, there lived a woodsman with his wife. [=There was a woodsman, who lived with his wife.]
There arose a great wind out of the east. [=There was now a great wind, arising in the east.]
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Oct 19, 2023

There

Used with other verbs, when raised.
There seems to be some difficulty with the papers. [=It seems that there is some difficulty with the papers.]
I expected there to be a simpler solution. [=I expected that there would be a simpler solution.]
There are beginning to be complications. [=It's beginning to be the case that there are complications.]
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Oct 19, 2023

There

That.
Therefor, thereat, thereunder
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Oct 19, 2023

There

(colloquial) Appended to words of greeting etc.
Hi there, young fellow.
Oh, hello there, Bob, how are you doing?
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Oct 19, 2023

There

Misspelling of their
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Oct 19, 2023

There

In or at that place.
The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
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Oct 19, 2023

There

In that matter, relation, etc.; at that point, stage, etc., regarded as a distinct place; as, he did not stop there, but continued his speech.
The law that theaten'd death becomes thy friendAnd turns it to exile; there art thou happy.
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Oct 19, 2023

There

To or into that place; thither.
The rarest that e'er came there.
A knight there was, and that a worthy man.
There is a path which no fowl knoweth.
Wherever there is a sense or perception, there some idea is actually produced.
There have been that have delivered themselves from their ills by their good fortune or virtue.
Spend their good there it is reasonable.
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Oct 19, 2023

There

A location other than here; that place;
You can take it from there
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Oct 19, 2023

There

In or at that place;
They have lived there for years
It's not there
That man [who is] there
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Oct 19, 2023

There

In that matter;
I agree with you there
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Oct 19, 2023

There

To or toward that place; away from the speaker;
Go there around noon!
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Oct 19, 2023

There

"There" is used to indicate a place or location.
The book is over there.
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Nov 16, 2023

There

"There" is used to emphasize a statement.
There, that's exactly what I meant.
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Nov 16, 2023

There

"There" refers to a specific point in time or process.
We are not there yet in our plan.
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Nov 16, 2023

Repeatedly Asked Queries

Can 'their' refer to singular nouns?

Yes, when the ownership is by a collective group or entity.
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Nov 21, 2023

What's a common mistake with 'their'?

Confusing it with 'there' or 'they're'.
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Shumaila Saeed
Nov 21, 2023

Does 'there' have a singular and plural form?

No, 'there' remains the same regardless of the number of subjects or objects.
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Nov 21, 2023

What does 'their' imply?

It implies possession or ownership by a group or multiple entities.
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Nov 21, 2023

How is 'their' used in a sentence?

As a possessive pronoun before a noun, e.g., "Their dog is friendly."
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Nov 21, 2023

Does 'their' change in plural form?

No, 'their' is the same in both singular and plural possessive cases.
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Nov 21, 2023

What does 'there' signify?

A location, a point in conversation, or an introductory subject.
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Nov 21, 2023

Can 'there' be used for emphasis?

Yes, often to emphasize a point or statement.
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Nov 21, 2023

Is 'there' always about location?

Not always, it can also introduce sentences or concepts.
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Nov 21, 2023

How do you differentiate 'their' from 'there'?

Remember that 'their' shows ownership, while 'there' indicates location or existence.
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Shumaila Saeed
Nov 21, 2023

Is 'their' gender-specific?

No, it is gender-neutral.
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Nov 21, 2023

How do you use 'there' in a sentence?

To indicate a place or start a sentence, e.g., "There is a solution."
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Nov 21, 2023

Can 'their' be used for inanimate objects?

Yes, it can refer to anything owned by a group.
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Nov 21, 2023

Is 'there' used in formal writing?

Yes, but its usage depends on the context and sentence structure.
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Nov 21, 2023

Does 'there' imply a specific distance?

Not necessarily, it can refer to any location, near or far.
Shumaila Saeed
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Nov 21, 2023

How can I improve using 'their' and 'there'?

possession for 'their', location or introduction for 'there'.
Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 21, 2023

Can 'their' refer to people and animals?

Absolutely, it's commonly used for both.
Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 21, 2023

Can 'there' start a question?

Yes, e.g., "Is there a way to solve this?"
Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 21, 2023

What's a common error with 'there'?

Mixing it up with 'their' or 'they're'.
Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 21, 2023

Can 'their' be used for abstract concepts?

Yes, it can refer to intangible things like ideas or feelings.
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Nov 21, 2023

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Shumaila Saeed
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Shumaila Saeed
Shumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.

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