Homophones: their, there, they're and other sound-alike words

What homophones are

Homophones are words that sound alike but are spelled differently and mean different things. Write and right, flour and flower, and night and knight are all homophones. Spoken aloud they are identical, so your ear cannot help you choose. Only the meaning of the sentence can.

Two related ideas often get mixed in. Homographs are spelled the same but differ in meaning, and sometimes in sound, like the wind outside and to wind up a toy. Near-homophones sound similar but not quite the same, like accept and except or quite and quiet.

Their, there and they're

• Their means belonging to them: The Nguyens painted their porch. Trick: if you can swap in our and the sentence still works, use their.
• There is a place, or it starts a sentence like There is or There are: Put the box over there. Trick: there has the word here inside it, and here and there are both places.
• They're is short for they are: They're coming at six. Trick: if you can say they are instead, use they're.

Your and you're, its and it's

These pairs follow one rule: the apostrophe means letters are missing. You're is short for you are, and it's is short for it is or it has. Your and its show belonging, just like his and her, which never have an apostrophe.

• Your: Is this your jacket?
• You're: You're the fastest runner on the team.
• Its: The snail pulled its head inside its shell.
• It's: It's colder today than it was yesterday.

To, too and two, and other common homophones

To shows direction or comes before a verb: We walked to the pool to swim. Too means also or more than enough: The water was too cold, and my sister thought so too. Two is the number 2. A trick for too: it has one o too many, which fits a word that can mean more than enough.

• Hear and here: you hear with your ear, and here is a place.
• Know and no: I know the answer. No, thank you.
• Whose and who's: Whose shoes are these? Who's (who is) at the door?
• Weather and whether: The weather is sunny. I can't decide whether to go.
• Piece and peace: a piece of pie; some peace and quiet. Trick: a piece of pie.
• Brake and break: press the brake to stop; try not to break the glass.
• Principal and principle: the principal is your pal at school; a principle is a rule you believe in.
• Stationary and stationery: stationary means standing still; stationery means paper and envelopes. Trick: e for envelope.

How it is taught in school

In the US, Common Core asks grade 4 students to correctly use frequently confused words, with to, too and two and there and their given as examples (L.4.1.g). Children meet these pairs well before then, as soon as they start writing them in their own sentences.

In England, the spelling curriculum lists homophones for each stage of primary school. Year 2 covers pairs such as there, their and they're, here and hear, and to, too and two. Years 3 and 4 add pairs like brake and break, meat and meet, and whose and who's. Years 5 and 6 move on to trickier pairs such as aloud and allowed, principal and principle, and stationary and stationery.

Helping at home

• Teach one set at a time, starting with the set your child mixes up most in their own writing.
• Make the trick visible: draw an ear inside the word hear, or a slice of pie next to piece.
• Make up a sentence that uses a whole set, such as Two of us want to come too, and ask your child to explain each word.
• Try the practice set below, then print a fresh homophones worksheet with an answer key.