Your and you’re are two of the most commonly confused words in English. It’s understandable, since both words sound the same, are spelled similary, and relate to the second person pronoun ‘you’.
However, there is a distinct grammatical difference between your vs you’re, and it’s important to follow this rule to avoid errors in your writing.
So, let’s take a look at when to use you’re or your, and how to remember the difference.
Your vs you’re: What’s the difference?
Simply put, the difference between your and you’re is:
-Your is a possessive adjective meaning belonging to you. -You're is a contraction of you are.
If you’re wondering which word to use, ask yourself whether you can change it to ‘you are’. If yes, use ‘you’re’. If no, use ‘your’.
Let’s look at each of these words in more detail now, with example sentences and common phrases that might still be causing confusion.
You’re is a contraction of ‘you are’
A contraction is a shortened version of two other words. In this case, ‘you are’ becomes ‘you’re’. Learn more about using apostrophes for contractions and in other situations.
There is quite a simple rule for deciding whether to use ‘you’re’ in your sentence: If it can be replaced with you are then use you’re. There are no exceptions to this. For example:
- I like the dress you’re wearing.
- You’re beautiful.
- You’re going on holiday to Japan this year, aren’t you?
- You’re looking happy today.
- You’re all fired!
Note that ‘you’re’ can be used with the second person singular and the second person plural, since in English they use the same pronoun: you.
Your is possessive
Your is the second person possessive adjective. Again, it can be used in singular and plural constructions. You should use ‘your’ when referring to something that belongs to the person or people you’re talking to. For example:
- I like your dress, where did you buy it?
- Your eyes are so beautiful.
- How was your holiday?
- Your singing is terrible.
- You can improve your English with this great website!
- Don’t forget to wear your uniforms for the rehearsal tomorrow.
If you often find yourself unsure about when to use your and you’re, you may also want to brush up on the difference between it’s vs its and they’re vs their vs there. These words also have the problem of the possessive form sounding the same as the contracted form.
Common phrases using your and you’re
Here are some of the most common expressions that use your and you’re. You’ll see that all of these phrases can actually take your or you’re, so you should look at the context to decide which is correct grammatically.
Is it your welcome or you’re welcome?
If someone thanks you, the correct reply is ‘you’re welcome’. This is a contraction of ‘you are welcome’.
Far less commonly, you may say ‘your welcome’ if referring to the welcome that somebody gave you, e.g. ‘I was touched by your warm welcome.’
Your or you’re beautiful?
It’s correct to say ‘you’re beautiful’, meaning ‘you are beautiful’.
The only time it’s correct to say ‘your beautiful’ is if it is followed by a noun, e.g. “I love your beautiful earrings.”
Your right or you’re right?
If you mean to say ‘you are right’ then it’s correct to say ‘you’re right’.
‘Your right’ refers to your legal claim or entitlement (using ‘right’ as a noun), e.g. “It’s your right to exchange the product if it breaks within 30 days of purchase.”
Your good or you’re good?
If you wish to tell someone ‘you are good’ then you may contract it to ‘you’re good’.
On the other hand, if you are talking about something being beneficial for someone, you would say ‘your good’, e.g. “I’m doing this for your good.” Often we use the expression ‘for your own good’.
Your or you’re: A summary
Now you know the difference between your and you’re, and what this means in practice when writing in English. Just remember that ‘your’ indicates possession, and ‘you’re’ is a shortened version of ‘you are’.
Don’t be put off by what you see other people write. Not all native speakers know when to use your and you’re correctly, so don’t assume they are always right! In fact, this mistake is so notorious that it is the subject of several amusing grammar gifts including hats, t-shirts, and tote bags.
If you’re still stuck on a particular example, why not share it in the comments below so we can help you figure out the correct word to use?
There are many other words that are easily mixed up in English. You might want to master the first-person I, me, and myself next, or take a look at these posts for some more examples.
