their

their — determiner

1. owned by or connected with a group that was mentioned before — the group may inc

1.determinerA1
Definition

owned by or connected with a group that was mentioned before — the group may include people, animals, or objects that the speaker and listener already know about.

Example

The children picked up their bags and walked to the bus.

their + noun: physical possession

Salma and Reuben sold their old sofa and bought a smaller one.

Common collocations
  • their own
  • their way
  • their turn
  • their house
  • their family
  • their money
  • their children

Grammar Patterns

their + noun

Usage Note

This is the most common use of 'their'. The noun that follows 'their' can be a physical object, a family member, a body part, or an abstract thing belonging to the group.

Common Mistakes

Their going to the store.
They're going to the store.
'Their' shows possession; 'they're' means 'they are'.
I left my keys over their.
I left my keys over there.
'There' refers to a place; 'their' shows possession.

2. used instead of 'his' or 'her' when talking about one person whose gender is not

2.determinerA2
Definition

used instead of 'his' or 'her' when talking about one person whose gender is not known, not stated, or not important — for example, if a student forgot their book, you do not know if the student is a boy or a girl, so you say 'their'.

Example

Someone left their umbrella in the classroom after the meeting.

their + noun: singular they with 'someone'

If a customer is unhappy, please listen to their complaint carefully.

Common collocations
  • their own
  • their mind
  • their opinion
  • their seat
  • their phone
  • their ticket
Synonyms
  • his or her

    formal and wordy alternative; 'their' is now preferred in most contexts

Grammar Patterns

their + noun (referring to one person)

Usage Note

This use of 'their' with a singular meaning is now standard in both spoken and written English. It is preferred over the older 'his or her' because it is shorter and more inclusive. The verb that follows the subject stays plural even when the meaning is singular: 'Someone left their bag' (not 'leaves').

Common Mistakes

If anyone calls, take there message.
If anyone calls, take their message.
'Their' shows possession; 'there' indicates a place.
Each driver should check his tires before leaving.' (when gender is unknown)
Each driver should check their tires before leaving.
'Their' is now standard for singular, gender-neutral reference.

their — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: determiner/1

These three possessive determiners all show ownership or association, but they differ in the number and identity of the owner. 'Their' refers to a group of people, animals, or things that are neither the speaker nor the listener ('the children found their seats'). 'Our' includes the speaker and possibly the listener ('We hung our coats by the door'). 'Its' is used for one thing or animal whose gender is unknown or irrelevant ('The cat licked its paw'). A common confusion for learners is overusing 'their' when talking about a single thing — for one animal or object, use 'its'. For example: 'The dog wagged its tail' (not 'their tail'), but 'The dogs wagged their tails'.

their ↗its ↗our ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • in their own way
  • on their own
  • in their opinion
  • for their sake
  • in their honour

Etymology

Old NorseMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'their' comes from Old Norse 'þeirra', which was the possessive form of 'þeir' meaning 'they'. It entered English during the Viking settlements in northern England and gradually replaced the Old English word 'hiera' (also meaning 'their'). By the 15th century, 'their' had become the standard form in written English. The use of 'their' to refer to a single person (the 'singular they') dates back to the 14th century and was common in the works of writers such as Chaucer and Shakespeare.