#3. Language Lessons with Miss Mandy

In the immortal words of Ross Gellar: “Y-O-U-R is your; Y-O-U apostrophe R-E means you are.”

Yes, my little readers, today we’re talking a problem that we’ve all had to deal with: the your/you’re debate. We’ll also be talking about the difference between it’s and its and those every so confusing triplets, they’re, there, and their. Hold on, here we go!

Your v. You’re It’s really quite easy. If you could say you are, then you should use you’re. Because that’s exactly what it means! You’re is a contraction; it’s basically two words smushed together. Your indicates possession, meaning it’s best used when you’re trying to tell someone about something they own or have. Like your crazy kids, your ugly couch, your overwhelming spirit of pessimism. If you want to tell people about something they are, use you’re. Examples: You’re an eternal optimist. You’re a good friend. Don’t think this differentiation is unimportant. It is. You look stupid when you don’t know the difference. Other countries make fun of us. And guys, if you’re trying online dating, several women I know knock you right out of the competition if you don’t use good grammar. Some study up and get some skills. Then maybe—maybe—you’ll have a date.

It v. It’s Really, this one’s not that difficult either. It’s is another contraction; it denotes the phrase it is. It is simply a pronoun—a possessive pronoun, to be exact. Anyway, the only time you are ever, ever, ever going to use it’s is when you’re using it in place of it is. There is no room for error on this one. It and it’s are not—and never will be—interchangeable. Way too many of you think they are. Use it’s in place of it is only; use its in all other instances. Learn it. It’s a good thing to know. (See, it’s in place of it is.)

There/their/they’re Ah, the hated triumverate. The one so many people out there on the World Wide Web really don’t understand. The one we find incorrectly written in reports, church bulletins, and basically anywhere anything is written. Here’s the lowdown: there generally indicates a place or location; their is a possessive pronoun; and they’re is they are smushed together in a contraction. There can also be used in phrases like there are or there is. So easy thing to remember: if you would say they are, use they’re. If you’re talking about a place, it’s there, always and forever. If you’re talking about some quality or thing others possess, it’s their.

Really, my dears, none of these are that hard. It just takes a little thought and attention to use them correctly. Which means most of us are just lazy.

Good grammar IS hot. So learn some! 🙂