I read a lot of stories from this site, and I find that many authors, either from lack of knowledge or from inattention to the knowledge they have, often use these sound alikes improperly. The same is true for other sound alikes as well, but maybe this comparison of meanings will spur these authors to be more careful in all of these cases.
The pairs (not pears or pares) I address here are
1) there and their
2) your and you’re
there - Show Spelled Pronunciation[th air; unstressed th er] Pronunciation Key
–adverb
1. in or at that place (opposed to HERE): She is there now.
2. at that point in an action, speech, etc.: He stopped there for applause.
3. in that matter, particular, or respect: His anger was justified there.
4. into or to that place; thither: We went there last year.
5. (used by way of calling attention to something or someone): There they go.
6. in or at that place where you are: Well, hi there.
–pronoun
7. (used to introduce a sentence or clause in which the verb comes before its subject or has no complement): There is no hope.
8. that place: He comes from there, too.
9. that point.
–noun
10. that state or condition: I'll introduce you to her, but you're on your own from there on.
–adjective
11. (used for emphasis, esp. after a noun modified by a demonstrative adjective): Ask that man there.
–interjection
12. (used to express satisfaction, relief, encouragement, approval, consolation, etc.): There! It's done.
their - Show Spelled Pronunciation[th air; unstressed th er] Pronunciation Key
–pronoun
1. a form of the possessive case of THEY used as an attributive adjective, before a noun: their home; their rights as citizens; their departure for Rome.
2. (used after an indefinite singular antecedent in place of the definite masculine form his or the definite feminine form her): Someone left their book on the table. Did everyone bring their lunch?
your (y r, y�r, y r; y r when unstressed)
adj. The possessive form of you.
1. Used as a modifier before a noun: your boots; your accomplishments.
2. A person's; one's: The light switch is on your right.
3. Informal. Used with little or no sense of possession to indicate a type familiar to the listener: your basic three-story frame house.
you're - Show Spelled Pronunciation[yoo r; unstressed yer] Pronunciation Key
contraction of you are: You're certain that's right?
The pairs (not pears or pares) I address here are
1) there and their
2) your and you’re
there - Show Spelled Pronunciation[th air; unstressed th er] Pronunciation Key
–adverb
1. in or at that place (opposed to HERE): She is there now.
2. at that point in an action, speech, etc.: He stopped there for applause.
3. in that matter, particular, or respect: His anger was justified there.
4. into or to that place; thither: We went there last year.
5. (used by way of calling attention to something or someone): There they go.
6. in or at that place where you are: Well, hi there.
–pronoun
7. (used to introduce a sentence or clause in which the verb comes before its subject or has no complement): There is no hope.
8. that place: He comes from there, too.
9. that point.
–noun
10. that state or condition: I'll introduce you to her, but you're on your own from there on.
–adjective
11. (used for emphasis, esp. after a noun modified by a demonstrative adjective): Ask that man there.
–interjection
12. (used to express satisfaction, relief, encouragement, approval, consolation, etc.): There! It's done.
their - Show Spelled Pronunciation[th air; unstressed th er] Pronunciation Key
–pronoun
1. a form of the possessive case of THEY used as an attributive adjective, before a noun: their home; their rights as citizens; their departure for Rome.
2. (used after an indefinite singular antecedent in place of the definite masculine form his or the definite feminine form her): Someone left their book on the table. Did everyone bring their lunch?
your (y r, y�r, y r; y r when unstressed)
adj. The possessive form of you.
1. Used as a modifier before a noun: your boots; your accomplishments.
2. A person's; one's: The light switch is on your right.
3. Informal. Used with little or no sense of possession to indicate a type familiar to the listener: your basic three-story frame house.
you're - Show Spelled Pronunciation[yoo r; unstressed yer] Pronunciation Key
contraction of you are: You're certain that's right?
