How Do You Spell THEY'RE?

Pronunciation: [ðe͡ɪˈə] (IPA)

The word "they're" is a contraction of "they are", which is commonly used in English language. It is spelled as t-h-e-y-apostrophe-r-e. The pronunciation of this word is /ðɛər/, where "th" is pronounced as a voiced dental fricative, like the "th" in "the", "ɛə" represents the sound of a diphthong, and "r" is pronounced as an alveolar approximant. The apostrophe serves to replace the letter "a" in "are" and should not be confused with the possessive form, "their".

THEY'RE Meaning and Definition

  1. "They're" is a contraction of the words "they" and "are," forming a commonly used English contraction. It is an example of the plural third-person pronoun "they" being combined with the present tense form of the verb "to be" in its third-person plural form "are." The contraction "they're" is primarily used as a subject or main verb in a sentence, where it represents a group of people or things.

    The contraction "they're" is typically employed in situations where one wants to express a plural subject or group's action or state of being. It is often used when referring to multiple people or objects that are performing an activity, possess certain characteristics, or exist in a particular state. For instance, in the sentence "They're going to the park," "they're" signifies that a group of people is planning or currently engaged in a visit to the park.

    While "they're" is used to represent the plural third-person pronoun "they" with the present tense form "are," it should not be confused with the homophonic words "their" or "there." "Their" is a possessive adjective, indicating ownership by a group, and "there" is an adverb indicating a location or existence. The use of "they're" instead of "they are" makes sentences more concise and fluid, contributing to clearer and more efficient communication.

Top Common Misspellings for THEY'RE *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for THEY'RE

Etymology of THEY'RE

The word "they're" is a contraction of the words "they" and "are". It is used to refer to a group of people, animals, or things, and indicate that this group is currently in a state of being or doing something.

The individual words have their own separate origins:

1. "They" originated from the Old Norse word "their", which means "those" or "them".

2. "Are" comes from the Old English word "eart" (second person singular present of "beon"), which later evolved into "are" to represent the second person plural and third person forms of the verb "be".

The contraction "they're" emerged over time as a convenient way to combine the pronoun "they" with the auxiliary verb "are" to create a shortened form that is commonly used in spoken and written English today.

Idioms with the word THEY'RE

  • don't count your chickens before they're hatched The idiom "don't count your chickens before they're hatched" means that one should not make plans or assume a positive outcome before it has actually happened, as there is always a chance that things may not turn out as expected. It advises against premature optimism or making premature decisions based on uncertain or hypothetical situations.
  • not be worth the paper it's/they're printed/written on The idiom "not be worth the paper it's/they're printed/written on" is used to express that something, such as a document, contract, agreement, or guarantee, has no real or practical value or use. It implies that the item is not sufficiently reliable or trustworthy to be considered valuable or trustworthy, even though it may appear authoritative on the surface.
  • just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me The idiom "just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me" suggests that even if someone is overly suspicious or anxious about others' motives, it doesn't imply that their fears and suspicions are baseless. It emphasizes the idea that just because someone may be excessively doubtful or cautious, it doesn't imply that their concerns are unwarranted or untrue.
  • kick somebody when they're down To take advantage of someone's misfortune or weakness by further mistreating, betraying, or criticizing them.
  • who's someone when they're at home The idiom "who's someone when they're at home" is used to express confusion or disbelief about someone's identity or role, often indicating a lack of recognition or understanding. It implies that the person in question is not well-known or significant in any way.
  • hit somebody when they're down To take advantage of someone when they are already in a difficult situation or feeling vulnerable.
  • count your chickens before they're hatched To "count your chickens before they're hatched" means to plan on or worry about future events or benefits that may not actually happen. It is a warning against expecting too much or being overly confident about something that is uncertain or still in the planning stages.
  • they're only after one thing This idiom is often used to imply that someone is seeking a romantic or sexual relationship with someone else, rather than having sincere or genuine intentions. It suggests that the person's intentions are not honorable or genuine.
  • who's (someone) when (he's/she's/they're) at home

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