their

USAGE SUMMARY

“their” is a correct and usable word in written English.
It is a possessive adjective used to show ownership or relationship between two or more people. Example: The Jones family enjoyed their summer vacation in Florida.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

As an environmentalist, and someone who believes that everyone in this world has a right to a healthy and nutritious diet of their choosing, I could not have chosen a more counter-productive path.

The New York Times

Their conclusion?

The New York Times - Magazine

"For customers intending to start or finish their journey at King's Cross, consideration should be given to deferring travel plans to either Sunday or Monday.

The Guardian - Business

We are very aware of the impact it will have on those involved and we are doing all we can to provide our support to those injured and their families.

The Guardian

Their response?

The New York Times

They have had enough of career politicians in three parties who don't even understand the problems they face in their everyday lives.

The Guardian

"It is a huge waste of the next generation's skills, potential and talent and it comes at a huge cost to young black and minority-ethnic people, their families, taxpayers and the economy".

The Guardian

We must show them that there are other ways to express disagreement, that their right to do so is dependent on the very freedoms that extremists seek to destroy.

The Guardian

"A body's function is far more intricate and important than looking 'beach ready', so in fact it is Protein World who have confused their priorities, if anyone".

The Guardian

He said: "It's outrageous that students exercising their traditional democratic right to protest have been persecuted in this way".

The Guardian

"But I look at people who have been in politics for five, 10, 15 years, and muck up, you see them muck up and think, 'You guys are supposed to be pro!' "People that have gone to Oxbridge, had thousands spent on their education, and I mean they are royally mucking up".

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure that the pronoun "their" agrees in number with the antecedent. If the antecedent is plural, "their" is correct. If the antecedent is singular, consider using "his or her" or rewriting the sentence for clarity.

Common error

Avoid the common mistake of using "their" in place of "there" or "they're". "Their" indicates possession, "there" indicates a place, and "they're" is a contraction of "they are". Proofread carefully to ensure you've used the correct word in context.

Linguistic Context

The word "their" functions as a possessive determiner, modifying a noun to indicate ownership, association, or relationship. As Ludwig AI explains, it demonstrates ownership or relationship between two or more people. It's used before nouns to show that something belongs to or is associated with the group they refer to. For instance, "their car", "their house", "their opinions".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

10%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "their" is a highly frequent possessive determiner used to indicate ownership or association by a group. Ludwig AI identifies it as correct and usable, with a common function across diverse contexts. Analysis of the source data reveals its prevalence in News & Media, Formal & Business, and Scientific writing. While the word itself is grammatically straightforward, confusion can arise with homophones like "there" and "they're". Alternatives include "belonging to them", and "of theirs", each with subtle differences in emphasis. Understanding these nuances ensures accurate and effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

belonging to them

Emphasizes ownership more directly, replacing the possessive determiner with a prepositional phrase.

of theirs

Indicates possession but can also imply a selection or subset.

in their possession

Highlights the act of owning or holding something.

associated with them

Focuses on a connection or relationship rather than direct ownership.

connected to them

Similar to "associated with them", emphasizing a link or relationship.

held by them

Similar to "in their possession", but emphasizes the act of holding.

pertaining to them

A more formal way of indicating relevance or connection.

at their disposal

Highlights availability for use, suggesting control or ownership.

for them

Can indicate purpose or intended use, subtly implying possession.

from them

Indicates origin or source, implying a previous association or possession.

FAQs

How do I use "their" in a sentence?

"Their" is a possessive pronoun used to show ownership by a plural noun or pronoun. For example, "The students brought their books to class."

What's the difference between "their", "there", and "they're"?

"Their" shows possession (e.g., "their car"), "there" indicates a place (e.g., "over there"), and "they're" is a contraction of "they are" (e.g., "they're going to the store").

Can I use "their" with a singular antecedent?

While traditionally "their" was used only with plural antecedents, it's now increasingly accepted to use "their" with a singular non-binary antecedent to avoid gender assumptions. For example, "Each student should bring their own lunch."

What are some alternatives to using "their" with a singular antecedent?

To avoid using "their" with a singular antecedent, you can use "his or her", rewrite the sentence to be plural, or use a gender-neutral pronoun if appropriate. For example, instead of "Each student should bring their lunch", you could say "Each student should bring his or her lunch" or "All students should bring their lunches."