You’re vs your: simple tips to get it right first time

Do you know the difference between YOU’RE and YOUR? These simple tips will help you get it right every time.

In a nutshell, you’re is always a contraction of you are, while your describes something that belongs to you.

When to use YOU’RE

The apostrophe reminds you that you’re is a shortened form of you are. If you can replace the word with you are, use you’re.

When to use YOUR

Usually followed by a noun, describing something that belongs to you: your book, your dog, your job.

We get confused because we know apostrophes are used to indicate possession – that something belongs to someone: Amy’s dog, George’s car. But this doesn’t apply with pronouns – yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs.

Example:

You’re going to get it right if you remember this – just use your head.

ADVANCED – if you’re already confused, save this for another day.

You’re and you’ll can sound similar in speech, and occasionally get mixed up.

Remember that you’ll means you WILL. Don’t write you’re (you ARE) when you mean you will.

Example:

You’ll be late – *applause*

You’re be late – quack quack oops

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