Question: Good day, Sir. Can I get a clarification on the differences between THEIR, THEY & THERE with examples please?
Answer: This question of yours is timely following the incessant mis-use of these words by non-native speakers. Without prevarication, see the rejoinder below:
THEY (/ðeɪ/) – is a third person pronoun (plural). However, “it, she, he” are regarded as third person singular. It is against the backdrop that ‘THEY’ is used to identify a group of persons, things or objects etc.
Many a user of English misconstrue or ignorantly intertwine THEY for THERE because the pronunciation of these words are nearly similar but not the same.
For examples:
- They (Joseph, Dr. Fatai, Dr. Ibrahim, Professor Bode and Engr. Ikani) latched interests to partner with N-Power.
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They (Pot, Stove, Spoon and other kitchen utensils) are used for cooking.
Therefore, from the foregoing, you’ll notice that ‘THEY’ which is a pronoun (a pronoun is a word that replaces a noun) comes before a verb. Thus, every pronoun or noun serves as a subject ( a subject is the performer of an action).
How to use ‘THERE’ ( /ðɛə(ɹ)/)
This word ‘THERE’ is an adverb; it is used to identify or show the distance or location of a thing or person. In comparison, see ‘HERE’. Sometimes, you could say ‘here and there’ – what do you mean?
Examples:
- Bola is there or here (Not They).
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He didn’t stop THERE (not they) when you ordered him to.
Very importantly, ‘THERE’ could be used to identify the existence of an idea, ideology, concept, etc.
For examples:
- There are principally three functions of a noun.
-
In spoken English, there are several misconceptions, especially in pronouncing vowel sounds.
Are you following?
In conclusion;
THEIR (/ðɛə(ɹ)/) shares pronunciation with THERE but different in meaning and usage.
THEIR – is an adjective, and of course, most adjectives are used side-by-side a noun. It therefore means that adjectives are used to modify or add more meaning to a noun. Insightfully, the word ‘THEIR’ is also used to show ownership of things, persons etc.
For examples:
- They will meet tomorrow at their convenience.
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This is their ( Samuel and David’s) parents.
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That is probably their ( Emmanuel and Rose’s own) cat.
Can you now see the differences?