of theirs

USAGE SUMMARY

"of theirs" is a perfectly valid phrase to use in written English.
An example sentence might be: "They left all of their old clothes in a pile of theirs."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

She's one of theirs".

The New York Times

And all of theirs.

The Guardian - Tech

"Was it that woman of theirs, Biffer?

The New Yorker

Pilar was a relation of theirs.

The New Yorker

And I'm in three of theirs!

The New York Times

Anyway, it's no business of theirs.

The New Yorker

John Yossarian were of theirs.

The New York Times - Books

Our methods are a generalization of theirs.

Journal of Functional Analysis

China, India and South Korea recouped 71-74% of theirs.

The Economist

Bolivia's socialists saved much of theirs.

The Washington Post

Al-Araibi was one of theirs.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "of theirs" to clearly indicate that something belongs to or is associated with a group of people previously mentioned. Ensure the context makes it clear who "theirs" refers to.

Common error

Avoid using "of theirs" when referring to a singular entity or when the referent is unclear. For example, instead of saying "That idea is of theirs" when you mean a specific person, say "That idea is "of his"" or "That idea is "of hers"" for clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "of theirs" primarily functions as a possessive pronoun. It indicates that something belongs to or is associated with a group of people. Ludwig shows many examples of its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Wiki

14%

Science

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "of theirs" is a possessive pronoun used to indicate that something belongs to a group. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage. It's important to ensure that the referent is clear and that the phrase is not used in place of singular possessive pronouns like ""of his"" or ""of hers"". As shown by Ludwig, this phrase appears most frequently in news and media, signifying its prevalence in general communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

belonging to them

Replaces the possessive construction with a prepositional phrase indicating ownership.

that which belongs to them

A more formal and explicit way of indicating possession.

their own

Emphasizes the personal ownership or connection.

from their collection

Specifies that something is taken or originates from their possessions.

a possession of theirs

Highlights the item as something they own.

among their belongings

Indicates something is included within their possessions.

something they possess

Focuses on the act of possessing something.

in their ownership

A formal way of stating that they own something.

part of their property

Highlights the item as a component of their overall property.

within their domain

Suggests control or influence over something.

FAQs

How can I use "of theirs" in a sentence?

Use "of theirs" to indicate possession or association with a group. For example, "That car is "of theirs"" means the car belongs to them.

What phrases are similar to "of theirs"?

Similar phrases include "belonging to them", "their own", or "a possession "of theirs"", which all express ownership or association.

Is it ever incorrect to use "of theirs"?

It's incorrect if you're referring to a single person's possession. Use ""of his"" or ""of hers"" instead. Also, ensure the group you're referring to is clear from the context.

What's the difference between "their" and "of theirs"?

"Their" is a possessive adjective (e.g., "their car"), while "of theirs" is a possessive pronoun (e.g., "that car is "of theirs"").