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Word Study · Homophones
Homophones: There, Their, They're and Other Sound-Alikes
Choose between there, their and they're, to, too and two, your and you're, its and it's, and hear and here, using quick tricks you can check yourself.
The idea
The last two lessons were about word parts: prefixes at the start of a word and suffixes at the end. This lesson is about a different spelling puzzle. Homophones are words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings. Spell-check often misses them, because each spelling is a real word.
The most useful trick works for contractions. A contraction joins two words with an apostrophe: they're = they are, you're = you are, it's = it is (or it has). If you are not sure, read the sentence with the two full words. "They're going to the park" becomes "They are going to the park", which makes sense, so they're is right. "They are dog is barking" does not make sense, so that sentence needs their.
Ownership words have no apostrophe: their, your and its tell who something belongs to (their coats, your turn, its tail). Its can feel surprising, because we write "the dog's tail" with an apostrophe. Remember: its with no apostrophe means belonging to it.
Memory tricks help with the rest. There and here both have the word here inside them, and both talk about a place. Hear has ear inside it, and you hear with your ears. Two is the number 2, and it starts with tw like twin and twelve. Too has an extra o and means also or more than enough: too much. To is the short, everyday word: go to school, want to play.
Word bank
there
adverb · THAIRin or at that place; also used to say something exists (there is, there are)
Example: Put your boots over there by the door.
their
possessive adjective · THAIRbelonging to them
Example: The twins packed their lunches.
they're
contraction · THAIRshort for they are
Example: They're coming over after school.
to
preposition · TOOtoward a place or person; also used before an action word (to play)
Example: We walked to the library to return a book.
too
adverb · TOOalso; or more than is wanted (too hot)
Example: The cocoa is too hot to drink.
two
number · TOOthe number 2
Example: I need two mittens, not one.
your
possessive adjective · YORbelonging to you
Example: Is this your backpack?
you're
contraction · YORshort for you are
Example: You're next in line.
its
possessive adjective · ITSbelonging to it
Example: The maple tree dropped its leaves.
it's
contraction · ITSshort for it is or it has
Example: It's cold outside today.
hear
verb · HEERto take in sounds with your ears
Example: Did you hear the thunder?
here
adverb · HEERin or at this place
Example: Come here and look at this leaf.
Worked examples
Example 1 · Expand the contraction
Choose they're, their or there: "___ playing soccer at recess."
- Try they're as they are: "They are playing soccer at recess." It makes sense.
- Their would need a thing after it, such as their ball.
- There is a place word, and "There playing soccer" does not make sense.
They're playing soccer at recess.
Example 2 · Ownership or contraction?
Choose its or it's: "The puppy wagged ___ tail."
- Try it's as it is: "The puppy wagged it is tail." That does not make sense.
- The tail belongs to the puppy, so you need the ownership word.
- The ownership word its has no apostrophe.
The puppy wagged its tail.
Example 3 · To, too or two
Fill both blanks: "I want ___ eat ___ apples."
- The first blank comes before an action word (eat), so use to.
- The second blank is a number, so use two.
- Check: neither blank means also or more than enough, so too does not fit.
I want to eat two apples.
Example 4 · Hear or here
Fill both blanks: "Come over ___ so you can ___ the music."
- The first blank is a place, like there, so use here.
- The second blank is something you do with your ears, so use hear (it has ear inside).
- Read it again to check.
Come over here so you can hear the music.
Common mistakes
Why this fails: Expand it: "The cat licked it is paw" makes no sense. The ownership word its has no apostrophe.
Why this fails: Expand it: "You are welcome" is what you mean, so write you're welcome.
Why this fails: When the word means more than enough or also, it needs the extra o: too loud.
Why this fails: There is a place word. The house belongs to them, so use their. They're does not work either: "They are house" makes no sense.
Foundation
Foundation practice
Match each homophone to its meaning.
1. What does they're stand for?
- they were
- their own
- they are
- over there
2. "The kids hung ___ coats on the hooks."
- there
- they're
- their
3. "I have ___ cats and one dog."
- two
- too
- to
4. "Put the library books over ___."
- their
- there
- they're
5. Write the contraction for you are.
Practice
Practice practice
Choose the homophone that fits the sentence.
6. "___ going to love this book!"
- Your
- You're
7. "Is that ___ hat on the bench?"
- your
- you're
8. "The bird built ___ nest in the cedar tree."
- it's
- its
9. "___ raining, so bring an umbrella."
- It's
- Its
10. "This box is ___ heavy for me ___ lift."
- too, to
- to, too
- two, to
- too, two
11. "Can you ___ the geese honking overhead?"
- here
- hear
Think
Think practice
Find mistakes, fix them and explain your thinking.
12. Which sentence uses every homophone correctly?
- Their going to the movies tonight.
- The dog chased it's ball.
- Your going to need a coat.
- We left our bikes over there.
13. Fix every mistake: "There going too the park with they're dog."
14. Explain how to decide between its and it's in this sentence: "___ been a long day."
15. Write one sentence that uses there, their and they're correctly.
Answer key
- 1. they are
The apostrophe in they're replaces the a in are: they're = they are. Their means belonging to them, and there is a place word. They were has no short form that looks like they're. - 2. their
The coats belong to the kids, so use the ownership word their. Expanding they're gives "they are coats", which makes no sense, and there is a place word. - 3. two
The blank is a number, so use two. Too means also or more than enough, and to comes before a place or an action word. - 4. there
The blank is a place, and there has here inside it, like other place words. "Over they are" makes no sense, and their needs a thing after it. - 5. you're
The apostrophe takes the place of the a in are: you + are = you're. - 6. You're
Expand it: "You are going to love this book!" makes sense, so write you're. Your shows ownership and would need a thing after it, such as your book. - 7. your
The hat belongs to you, so use the ownership word your. Expanding you're gives "Is that you are hat?", which makes no sense. - 8. its
The nest belongs to the bird, so use its with no apostrophe. Expanding it's gives "built it is nest", which makes no sense. - 9. It's
Expand it: "It is raining" makes sense, so write it's. Its means belonging to it, and nothing here belongs to anything. - 10. too, to
The first blank means more than enough, so it needs the extra o: too heavy. The second comes before an action word: to lift. Two is only for the number 2. - 11. hear
Honking is something you take in with your ears, and hear has ear inside it. Here is a place word. - 12. We left our bikes over there.
There is a place word, so it fits. The others need fixing: they're going (they are going), its ball (belonging to it, no apostrophe) and you're going (you are going). - 13. They're going to the park with their dog.
They're = they are ("They are going"). To comes before a place (to the park). The dog belongs to them, so use their. - 14. Expand it: "It has been a long day" makes sense, so write it's.
It's can stand for it is or it has. If neither long form makes sense, use its, the ownership word. - 15. Example: They're putting their skates over there.
Check each one: they're = they are, their shows ownership, and there is a place.