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Saturday, April 28, 2012

Your v. You're

Your v. You're

They certainly sound the same, but they are worlds apart in meaning. Nonetheless, many people tend to use them interchangeably. But we can do our small part to right this problem.

Your is a possessive pronoun. It denotes ownership of something.
     For example: Go get your shoes. If you don't see them in the hall, look under your jacket. I'm really tired of you leaving your stuff in the floor.

You're is a contraction of the pronoun you and the verb are.
     For example: You're failing to take responsibility for your belongings. Someday, you're sure to appreciate how I've cleaned up behind you.

Tip: If you are uncertain about which word to use in a sentence, insert the words you are. If the sentence makes sense, then you're is the word you're looking for. If you are does not make sense in the sentence, then your should be used.

Now that we've settled that, I feel a calm settling on us all.

Tomorrow: Zero Article

This post is brought to you by the April A to Z Blog Challenge. Check back all through April for daily discussions of writing conventions.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

This one drives me crazy when I see it.

Jo said...

Me too and one sees it in the most unlikely places.

Grover said...

I make no secret of the fact that I hate it when these two are mixed up and used incorrectly. A friend of mine used the wrong one in a text yesterday and then sent another message correcting the mistake before I could start ranting about it. Thanks for highlighting the difference between the two!

Wendy said...

I like your tip. Errors in usage result from laziness. Come on people; get with the program!

Kimberly said...

I have to admit when I'm typing my manuscript sometimes, I mix these up - but it's not because I don't know how to use them, it's because I'm typing too fast. :)

Great post!

Donna K. Weaver said...

Yes! Now if our fingers would just behave when we're in a hurry.

Tara Tyler said...

your grammar/editing posts have been great! very helpful! thanks!

William Kendall said...

I don't have a problem with mixing them up myself, but I'll frequently see them in other places, blogs, or even in newspapers.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Lucy .. I absolutely know and understand this one - but the typos creep in for some extraordinary reason and I'm a typist too ...

Oh well .. as Donna says ..

Cheers Hilary