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About This Quiz
English is a complicated language and those who are native speakers often feel lucky that we didn't have to learn it as a second language. There, their, and they're sound alike, but have very different meanings. Do you know which is correct?
Please put your clean laundry over _______.
There
There is the correct answer. It is not possessive, like their, or a contraction, like they're.
Their
They're
_______ arriving on the 5:30 flight.
There
Their
They're
They're is the correct response, because it is short for they are.
_______ is no easy way to say this.
There
In this case, there is used as a pronoun to introduce a sentence in which the verb comes before the subject and has no complement.
Their
They're
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How did you like _______ new house?
There
Their
Their is correct in this example, because it refers to a house that is owned by someone.
They're
All students should now be in _______ caps and gowns.
There
Their
Their is always the correct choice when possession is involved.
They're
_______ is no time to lose.
There
If it's not possessive and not an abbreviation for they are, it has to be there.
Their
They're
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_______ moving to Pittsburgh next month.
There
Their
They're
When referring to more than one person doing something, the contraction they're is correct.
He stopped his speech _______ because he needed a drink of water.
There
In this case, there is used as an adverb to mark a certain place or time.
Their
They're
Will you find out if _______ going to be late?
There
Their
They're
If you're in doubt, use they are instead of they're and see if it makes sense.
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_______ boat cost a small fortune.
There
Their
This refers to a boat that is possessed by more than one person, so the correct answer is their.
They're
You really shouldn't interfere, because it's _______ choice.
There
Their
This case needs a possessive pronoun, so their is the correct choice.
They're
_______ bringing pulled pork and we're making cole slaw.
There
Their
They're
In this situation, more than one person is contributing to the pulled pork, so the contraction for they are is correct.
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He said he left it somewhere over _______.
There
The person in question left his item at a physical location, so the correct response is there.
Their
They're
_______ going to a movie later.
There
Their
They're
The contraction for they are is the only correct answer.
He grew up _______ but moved away for college.
There
The place where someone grew up is a physical location, so there is correct.
Their
They're
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It's _______ turn to host the pot luck dinner.
There
Their
Even when you're not referring to a physical object, their is correct when possession is involved.
They're
I don't think _______ going on vacation with us this year.
There
Their
They're
This refers to people, so the contraction for they are is appropriate.
I'll help you with the first question, but you're on your own from _______ on.
There
In addition to a physical space, there also refers to a state or condition.
Their
They're
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_______ grounded for the rest of the week.
There
Their
They're
They are grounded, so the contraction they're is correct.
I don't know if _______ coming or not.
There
Their
They're
If you could use two words -- they are -- interchangeably, it's they're.
_______, this project is finally finished.
There
In this case, there is used as an interjection to express relief.
Their
They're
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Been _______, done that, got the t-shirt.
There
There can also be used as an idiom, in this case meaning something that you've done and are bored by.
Their
They're
It's _______ house, so they can impose any rules they choose.
There
Their
When it's possessive, it's their.
They're
John said _______ getting married in June.
There
Their
They're
Substitute they are. If it works, it's they're.
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They left _______ passports at home.
There
Their
The passports belong to someone, making this possessive, so it's their.
They're
I've heard that argument before, so don't go _______.
There
In this case, there refers to a place, even though it's not specifically geographic.
Their
They're
It's _______ decision and we shouldn't interfere.
There
Their
This is possessive because the decision belongs to them, so the correct answer is their.
They're
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_______, _______, everything will turn out OK.
There
There can also be used as an interjection to indicate consolation.
Their
They're
_______ is no way I'll agree to that.
There
If you're not sure, ask yourself if it's possessive (their) or a contraction for they are (they're) and if not, it's there.
Their
They're
_______ not going to go to Aruba after all.
There
Their
They're
When it's a contraction for they are, it's they're.
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I haven't been _______ for a few years.
There
When it's a physical or geographic place, such as a restaurant or city, it's there.
Their
They're
_______ not nearly as funny as they think they are.
There
Their
They're
When it's a contraction for they are, it's they're.
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You Got:
/35
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