there/ they're

marybeth11 · Post by **marybeth11** » Wed Feb 04, 2004 5:51 pm

Does anyone have a good way or explaining the difference between there are and they are to a low level class with out going into too much grammar?

Glenski · Post by **Glenski** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 6:44 am

There is an adverb. It describes a location.
I went there [email protected]
There is a new sheriff in town. (a general way to cite location)

They're is a contraction that means "they are". Totally different.
They're going to see us next weekend.

marybeth11 · Post by **marybeth11** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 3:53 pm

thanks for the information. I have tried explaining the difference but notice that many students are still confusing the two. I guess I'll just keep correcting them and hopefully soon they will get it.

Thanks,

mb

Glenski · Post by **Glenski** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 9:11 pm

Are you sure it's not just a pronunciation problem, whether theirs or yours?

Lorikeet · Post by **Lorikeet** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 10:08 pm

Speaking of pronunciation, "They're" "there" and "their" are all pronounced the same in my dialect. So maybe it's a spelling confusion

How are they confusing them? Just putting the wrong one in the wrong place? That is a common problem among native speakers (Yeah, it drives me nuts too

).

marybeth11 · Post by **marybeth11** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 9:53 pm

Hi-

Basically it is a spelling issue and is most obvious in writing. However, I have even noticed in speaking. Some students will use "they are" instead of "there" (over correction?). My class has very little knowledge of grammar (although many are enrolled in a grammar class this semster). Most have been in the US for quite a while and have fossilized. They have asked for the explanation of the difference but without an understanding of grammar- in L1 or L2 it's difficult to illustrate, as are many things

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