Your vs. you’re: Learn the differences

Key takeaways:

  • “Your” is a possessive pronoun used to show ownership (e.g., your book, your car).

  • “You’re” is a contraction of “you are” (e.g., you’re amazing).

  • Misusing these two words is a common grammatical error but easy to fix with practice.

Part of the series “Grammar Debugged—English for Devs”

English learners and even native speakers often confuse “your” and “you’re,” but these words have distinct meanings and functions. In this Answer, we’ll explain their differences, highlight common mistakes, and provide quizzes to help you master their usage.

Your vs. You're
Your vs. You're

When to use your

“Your” is a possessive pronounA possessive pronoun is a type of pronoun that shows ownership or possession. It replaces a noun and indicates that something belongs to someone or something. that indicates ownership or something belonging to “you.”

Examples:

  • “Is this your bag?”

  • “Don’t forget to bring your homework tomorrow.”

  • “I love your sense of humor!”

Tip: If you can replace “your” with “my,” “his,” or “her,” and the sentence still makes sense, “your” is the correct choice.

When to use you’re

You’re is a contraction of “you are.” It is used to describe a state of being or an action.

Examples:

  • “You’re the best friend anyone could ask for.” (You are the best friend...)

  • “I think you’re doing a great job.” (You are doing...)

  • “If you’re ready, we can start now.” (You are ready...)

Tip: If you can expand "you’re" to "you are" and the sentence still works, then “you’re” is correct.

Quick test

Choose the correct word (your or you’re) for each sentence:

  1. Don’t forget to bring _____ lunch to school.

  1. _____ going to love this movie!

  1. I can’t believe _____ finally here!

  1. Is that _____ phone on the table?

Common mistakes

Here are some frequent errors and how to avoid them:

Using your instead of you’re:

  • Incorrect: “Your welcome to join us anytime.”
  • Correct: “You’re welcome to join us anytime.”

Using you’re instead of “your”:

  • Incorrect: “You forgot you’re keys at home.”
  • Correct: “You forgot your keys at home.”

Forgetting the contraction form:

  • Incorrect: “Your amazing!”
  • Correct: “You’re amazing!”

You're vs. Your

Word

Type

Meaning

Examples

Your

Possessive pronoun

Shows ownership

"Is this your jacket?"

You're

Contraction

Short for "you are"

"You’re late for the meeting."

Conclusion

Mastering the difference between “your” and “you're” is all about context. Remember, “your” shows possession, while “you're” is short for “you are.”

Mismatch: Understand your vs. you’re

Match the examples that demonstrate the difference between your vs. you’re:

Match The Answer
Select an option from the left-hand side

If _____ not busy, can we talk for a moment?

you’re

Please submit _____ report by Friday.

your

I think _____ mistaken about the directions.

_____ going to need an umbrella today.

Is this really _____ best idea?

Master the nuances of grammar and elevate your writing skills with this comprehensive course: Grokking the Technical Writing Process—your gateway to mastering tricky topics like 'your' vs. 'you're' and beyond!

Frequently asked questions

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When to use “your” vs. “you're”?

  • “Your” is used for possession (Your food is getting cold).
  • “You’re” is used as a contraction of “you are” (You’re going to miss the flight).

Is it “you’re beautiful” or “your beautiful"?

  • “You’re beautiful” is correct because it means “You are beautiful.”
  • “Your beautiful” is incorrect unless followed by a noun (Your beautiful dress).

When to use “you” or “your”?

  • “You” is a subject or object (You are my friend).
  • “Your” shows possession (Your idea is great).

Is it “your learning” or “you're learning”?

  • “You’re learning” is correct. It means “You are learning.”
  • “Your learning” would refer to something that belongs to you, like Your learning is impressive.

Is it “you're” or “your” cute?

  • “You’re cute” is correct. It means,“You are cute.”
  • “Your cute” is incorrect.

Why do people write “you're” instead of “your”?

People often mix up “you’re” (you are) and “your” (possessive) because they sound the same, especially in informal writing or speech.

To enhance technical writing and minimize common grammar mistakes, continue exploring these topics:

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