The Grammar Police: Lesson One. There, they're and their.
By Captain_Insano 49 Comments
Hello all,
Now I am aware that this is the internet, and people do not come here to Giantbomb to be lectured on correct sentence structure and grammar. Indeed people often intentionally type incorrectly on the internet as a way to kick back and as a means of convenience (e.g u r lame).
However it is disheartening to see people make simple mistakes that I am certain carries over to their actual lives. Simple mistakes that are easily corrected when thought about. I myself am not the worlds premier writer or expert on grammar, and I often make plenty of mistakes. However there are some things that really irritate me and, no matter how much thought you put into your topics or threads, if you make one of these mistakes, it shows that you are not all that intelligent and essentially invalidates your arguments. I know that last bit was fairly judgemental but how you write can change the validity of the content.
So quite simply:
1. There = refers to a location or a particular point. Examples: Right = I am going over there. I see what you did there.
Wrong = Their is a fair point you have made.
2. Their = refers to ownership, something belonging or associated with one or more persons. Examples:
Right = That is their opinion. I like their game collection.
Wrong = I see what you did their.
3. They're = merely a contraction of 'they are'. Examples:
Right = They're going to the ball game today.
Wrong = They're games are amazing.
So to conclude, I know I'm going to come across as an English snob and a bit of a dickhead, but that's ok. If someone, somewhere, learns something from this, then I have achieved something.
Cheers everyone.