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(ordered by seriousness) ESL Vocabulary Lists Parts of Speech Lists A-Z Idioms and Proverbs Grammar Videos
(ordered by category) Tests and Games Top Tip Install a grammar checker
for your browser
You're or Your?
What Is the Difference between "You're" and "Your"?
"You're" and "your" are easy to confuse because they sound identical.You're
"You're" is short for "you are." For example:- You're rich now!
- Does she think you're happy?
Your
"Your" is to show something belongs to "you" or is related to "you." For example:- Your answer is correct.
- Your uncle has a Roman nose.

You're
"You're" is a contraction of "you are." It has no other uses. This is a 100% rule. If you cannot expand it to "you are" in your sentence, then it is wrong.Example sentences with "you're":
- The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat.
(Actress Lily Tomlin)
(This expands to "you are," so it is correct.)
- Doing nothing is very hard to do. You never know when you're finished.
(Actor Leslie Nielsen)
(This expands to "you are," so it is correct.)
- Please ask Joan to post the parcel when you're in London.
- You said that you couldn't believe you're ears.
Your
"Your" is a possessive determiner. (Other possessive determiners are "my," "your," "his," "her," "its," "our," and "their.")"Your" is used before a word one of three reasons:
(1) To show it belongs to "you."
For example:- your car, your arm, your dog
(2) To show it is of "you."
For example:- your picture, your photograph, your portrait
(3) To show it is related to "you."
For example:- your uncle, your mother, your sibling
- Our expert will answer your questions about pensions and savings.
- Pin your photograph to the top of the application.
- Sarah doesn't look like your sister.
A Video Summary
Here is a short video summarizing the difference between "you're" and "your":Are you a visual learner? Do you prefer video to text? Here is a list of all our grammar videos.
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