Common spelling mistakes in English: their, there or they're.
You may recognise that a minor spelling mistake in an e-mail can quickly influence your perception of the sender. In business e-mail communication, you obviously want to appear professional, but a small mistake can quickly slip into your message.
However, you can avoid spelling mistakes if you pay extra attention to them.
We have listed a number of common spelling mistakes. If you become aware of these mistakes, you will be one step closer to professionalising your business English.
Their, there or they're
Should you write their, there or they're? These three words sound quite similar when you pronounce them, but they mean something completely different:
- Their is the possessive pronoun of they.
- There refers to a place or indicates that something exists (with the verb 'to be').
- They're is the contration of 'they are'.
Examples
- Incorrect: *There house is for sale.
Correct: their house is for sale - Incorrect: *I work their in that office.
Correct: I work there in that office - Incorrect: *Their going to the beach tomorrow.
Correct: They’re going to the beach tomorrow.
More tips on English grammar and common mistakes in English? These articles might also interest you:
- English spelling: its or it's
- English spelling: full or ful
- English spelling: no, know or now
- English spelling: than or then
- English spelling: live, lives or life
- English spelling: to, two or too
- English spelling: your or you're
- English spelling: were, wear, where or we're
- English spelling: with, which or witch
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