their lists

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "their lists" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to lists that belong to a group of people or individuals previously mentioned in the context. Example: "The students were asked to submit their lists of preferred topics for the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

"Everyone has lost their lists," she said.

The New York Times

Give them 2-3 minutos to brainstorm their lists.

The New York Times

After a few minutes, ask students to share their lists.

The New York Times

Eventually 12 participants (including me) turned in their lists.

The New York Times - Books

At home or work, they have their lists.

The Guardian - Opinion

(Fifa hadn't made their lists available at that time).

The Guardian

The parties determine the order of names on their lists.

Encyclopedia Britannica

They put vague and unrealistic goals on their lists.

The New York Times

Tourists have scratched the country off their lists.

The New York Times

Airlines compile their lists using names on the federal list, Mr. Hawley said.

The New York Times

After a few minutes, allow students time to share their lists.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure clarity by specifying the context of "their" when using "their lists". For instance, clarify who "they" refers to within the sentence to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "their lists" without clearly defining who "they" are, leading to confusion. Always provide context or antecedent for the possessive pronoun.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "their lists" functions primarily as a noun phrase acting as the object of a verb or the complement of a preposition. The determiner "their" indicates possession or association, while "lists" refers to a plural collection of items. Ludwig shows the phrase in diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Wiki

9%

Science

7%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "their lists" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase that indicates a collection of items belonging to a group, as validated by Ludwig. It's crucial to ensure the antecedent of "their" is clear to prevent ambiguity. While the phrase exhibits a neutral register, it commonly appears in news and media contexts. When aiming for more formal writing, consider alternatives like "the lists belonging to them". Remember that proper grammar and word usage is important. Overall, "their lists" is a simple and effective phrase when used correctly.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the lists belonging to them

Replaces the possessive determiner with a prepositional phrase to indicate ownership.

the lists of theirs

Uses a possessive pronoun to convey the same meaning with a slightly different structure.

the inventories they possess

Replaces "lists" with "inventories" and uses "possess" to indicate ownership, implying a more comprehensive collection.

the items they have cataloged

Substitutes "lists" with "items they have cataloged", suggesting a structured record of possessions or entries.

the enumeration they compiled

Replaces "lists" with "enumeration", emphasizing the act of counting or specifying items.

the records that they maintain

Uses "records" instead of "lists", implying a formal or official collection of data.

the compilation they assembled

Replaces "lists" with "compilation", suggesting a gathering of items from various sources.

their set of items

Uses "set of items" to refer to a collection, which could be used instead of "their lists".

their collection

Replaces "lists" with "collection", emphasizing the act of gathering instead of the enumeration.

the schedules they drafted

This alternative uses "schedules" to imply planned list, which may be appropriate depending on the context.

FAQs

How can I use "their lists" in a sentence?

"Their lists" can be used to refer to multiple lists that belong to a group of people or entities. For instance, "The students submitted "their lists" of book preferences for the semester".

What's a more formal way to say "their lists"?

A more formal alternative to "their lists" is "the lists belonging to them" or "the aforementioned individuals' lists". These options provide greater clarity and formality.

Is it correct to say "there lists" instead of "their lists"?

No, "there lists" is grammatically incorrect. "There" indicates a location, whereas "their" is a possessive pronoun indicating ownership. The correct phrase is ""their lists"".

How do I avoid ambiguity when using "their lists"?

To avoid ambiguity, make sure the antecedent of "their" is clear. For example, instead of "The team members reviewed their lists", specify "The team members reviewed each of "their lists"" or "The marketing team reviewed their lists of potential clients".