They’re, Their or There
Debbie Epps
OBJECTIVE: To correct usage of these three words as
students write, conference and edit.
STANDARDS:
N.C.T.E.
Standard 4- Students adjust their use
of spoken, written and visual
language
(e.g. conventions, style, vocabulary) to
communicate
effectively with a variety of audiences
and
for different purposes.
Standard 6- Students apply knowledge of
language structure, language
conventions
(e.g. spelling and punctuation) media techniques,
figurative
language, and genre to create, critique and discuss
non-print
and print texts.
N.C.S.C.S. 6-8 Grade
Goal 6- The learner will apply
conventions of grammar and language usage.
PROCEDURE:
TIME- 30 minutes
MATERIALS-
Overhead projector
9 Large cards/ A set of
three for each team with words "their, there or
they're"
singly on a card
List of sentences with
blanks for proper word insertion to be
shown
on overhead (Samples attached)
SUGGESTED USAGE-
Use this mini-lesson when it is obvious the usage of these words is
a problem or if the students are beginning writers and need
a
brush-up on this convention.
SCRIPT-
We have been writing and peer-editing
for a while, and I have noticed three little words that are giving some
of you big problems. Let's take a look at them and see if we can't
clarify what it is that trips us up. Please get out your writing notebooks and
we will add this to your list on conventions.
(Turn on
overhead and begin)
Our three troublesome words are
there, their and they're. A good way to remember which one to use
in a sentence is to focus on its usage.
For example, "their"
is a possessive pronoun, so I would use it in place of nouns. "This is
John and Jane's car" could be "This is their car". Their is a possessive, third person pronoun and must
always be followed by a noun or noun phrase.
This is their what? Car, book or whatever it may happen to be.
When we look at "they're",
what do we notice immediately? (Responses)
Right, it has an apostrophe
indicating a contraction. What is this word a contraction of?
Right again, they
and are. The word they is a pronoun and the word are is a verb.
For example, "They are going to camp this summer"
could be "They're going to camp this summer".
The word "there" is an
adverb which gives direction and answers the question "Where". It
helps a verb when the verb needs a "where" with it. For example,
"John put the book" is missing something. Where did John put the
book? We could write "John put the book on the table" or more simply,
"John put the book there."
Let's review and get this in
our notebooks.
THEIR- possession;
belonging to and followed by a noun or noun
phrase.
THEY'RE- pronoun-verb
contraction indicating action
THERE- place; direction
Does anyone have
any questions?
Now, let's play a
game to reinforce what we have reviewed.
GAME DIRECTIONS:
Divide class into three equal
teams or any way that works for your class.
Give each team one set of the
three cards with the words THERE, THEIR or
THEY'RE on it.
Put list of sentences on
overhead, covered up and reveal one at a time as
game
begins.
SAY: I am going to uncover a
sentence. Decide as a team which word best fits the
sentence
and hold up the appropriate card. BEWARE- Some sentences
have
more than one of the words, so hold the proper word in the order
you
would put it in the sentence from left to right.
NOTE: Teacher can use discretion for
awards, points etc.
INSTRUCTOR NOTES
& DATES USED-
1. _______________
will be a party at Anita's house tomorrow.
2. All her
friends will be ______________________.
3. ___________
going to bring presents for Anita.
4. _____________
expecting good food to eat.
5. They hope that
Anita will like ___________ presents.
6. Anita's
brother, Ricardo, will be ______________, too.
7. _____________
going to play games at the party.
8. After the
party, ___________ parents will pick them up.
9. Anita and
Ricardo will have to clean up _________ house.
10. My friends
are happy because _____________ going to
11. They have
wanted to go ____________ for a long time.
12. John laid
__________ tickets over _____________.
13. _____________
parents are planning lots of sightseeing for them.
14. __________ are many interesting sights in
15. __________
luggage got lost so ______________ going to have to buy some
new clothes.
16. ________
going to go shopping over ___________.
17. Now,
____________ dream is coming true.
18. When John and
Mary get home, __________ going to show us ________ pictures of the city.
19. The Empire
State building is ________ in the corner.
20. __________ so
glad they got to go ____________ even though ________ luggage got lost.