It’s its - their there - and other common errors

Something that really bugs me is when journalists use their instead of they’re or there; your instead of you’re and its instead of it’s. Ok, I admit, the latter case is so common that it can be excused, however there should be no confusion with the other two.

Their and your denote possession. e.g. Your cooking is excellent.

There denotes a location or a case when used as an adverb. e.g. Are you there? I agree with you there.

There can also be used as an pronoun. e.g. There is a fly in my soup.

(There can furthermore be used as noun, adjective and intejection … but let’s not labour the point).

You’re is a contraction of you are. e.g. Tell me you’re cooking for me tonight.

The tough one to remember is its and it’s.

The simple rule of thumb is that it’s is a contraction of either it is or it has, whereas its denotes possession. e.g. It’s said, and it’s been long said of The Curragh that its grass is short. This is equivalent to writing the folowing: It is said, and it has been long said of The Curragh that its grass is short.

Make sense? Clear as mud? I doubt it, but it’s off my chest now. (I feel tempted to say, so their! [sic])