While driving to the beach and blasting Sabrina Carpenter’s new album Short n’ Sweet, I first heard lyrics in the song Slim Pickins that had me screaming. And cackling. As a writer, hearing “this boy doesn’t even know the difference between there, their, and they are” was hilarious. It amazes me every day how many people—not just naked boys in Miss Carpenter’s room—don’t know the difference.

True, English can be tricky. (Too, to, two, your, you’re…) However, these three rhyming T words don’t have to be that difficult to navigate.

Here’s a short & sweet refresher on the difference between there, their, and they are.

There, their, and they are are commonly confused because they sound similar but serve different functions in a sentence. There refers to a location or place, such as in the sentence "The book is over there." Their is a possessive pronoun used to indicate ownership, as in "Their car is parked outside." On the other hand, they are is a contraction that combines the pronoun "they" with the verb "are," which can be used in phrases like "They’re going to the store." Understanding these distinctions is essential for clear and effective communication.

Understanding the difference between similar words like there, their, and they're is essential for effective communication. Mastering these distinctions not only enhances clarity in writing but also helps avoid common grammatical errors, contributing to a more professional presentation. And to making you a more attractive person in general.

Thank you Sabrina Carpenter for bringing this issue to attention.

—ᴍᴍᴍ