What is the correct sentence for ‘’Those houses are their’s’’?

Last Updated on July 9, 2023 By Emma W. Thomas

The correct sentence for ‘’those houses are their’s’’ is ‘‘those houses are theirs’’. One of the uses of the apostrophe is to show the possessiveness of a noun. ”Their” shows that something belongs to ‘them’ so there is no need for the apostrophe.

Since ‘’theirs’’ is a possessive pronoun, adding an apostrophe before ‘’s’’ creates a grammatical error. The term ‘’those’’ is in the plural form showing that there is more than one house. The correct form of the possessive noun ‘’their’’ will then be ‘’theirs’’ and not ‘’their’s’’.

Key takeaways

• ‘’Those houses are their’s – is incorrect
• ‘’Those houses are theirs’’ – is correct
• The apostrophe should not be added before ”s” in the possessive pronoun “their”.

Most grammatical errors occur due to improper use of punctuation marks such as the apostrophe (‘). You can also make a grammatical mistake using homophones in the wrong places.

This article explains why ‘those houses are their’s’ is incorrect, and the rules for using their, they’re, and there. We also look at the proper use of the apostrophe and ‘’their’’. Keep reading!

Why is the sentence, ‘those houses are their’s’ incorrect?

Using the apostrophe before ‘s’ in the word ‘their’s’ makes it grammatically wrong. ‘Their’ is a possessive pronoun and does not require an apostrophe. Besides showing possessive form, the apostrophe is also used as a contraction between words. Putting it before ”s” in the word ”theirs” would mean a contraction of ‘their is’, which is wrong grammar.

The rules of the use of the apostrophe (‘) are essential. These rules will help you avoid unnecessary errors, and they include;

Use an apostrophe to show possession.

To show possession, you can add the apostrophe and ‘s’ to a noun. For example, ‘that table’s leg is broken’. But, if the noun’s plural ends in ‘s’, you can add the apostrophe after ‘s’. For example, ‘those tables’ legs are broken.

You cannot use the apostrophe with possessive pronouns

Examples of possessive pronouns that don’t need this punctuation mark are mine, my, her, his, and our. You can also not add the apostrophe to yours, their, hers, theirs, ours, and its. If you add the apostrophe to these pronouns, it will form contractions instead of possessives.

Avoid using the apostrophe with plural nouns.

Unless the plural nouns show possession, you should avoid using an apostrophe for them. For example, the sentence ”many students’ came to school” is incorrect.

Do not create two or three ‘s’ when you add the apostrophe

When adding the apostrophe, it is necessary to ensure that it does not make two or three ‘s’. For example, it would be wrong to write ‘those bosse’s’ houses are beautiful’. But, it is correct to write ‘those bosses’ houses are beautiful’.

For names or singular words ending in ‘s’, it would be appropriate to add an ‘s’ after the apostrophe. For example, ‘I will attend James’s party’

What are the rules for using their, they’re, and there?

When writing, it is not uncommon to confuse the homophones ‘their’, ‘they’re’, and ‘there’. But, you can pay some attention to the simple rules of using these words. This way, you will avoid unnecessary grammar errors. These rules include;

1 Using their

Their as a possessive adjective

When you use the word ‘their’ as a possessive adjective, it describes something belonging to more than one person. The word can also be referred to as a possessive determiner. In this case, the word is followed by a noun. For example, ‘their house is beautiful’. Other words that are possessive adjectives include his, her, my, your, our, and its.

A possessive adjective is written before a noun to modify it.

Their as a possessive pronoun

You can also use ‘their’ as a possessive pronoun by adding an ‘s’. When used this way, the word ‘theirs’ indicates that something belongs to more than one person. For example, ‘that house is theirs’, ‘those children are theirs’. Examples of possessive pronouns include yours, mine, ours, hers, his, its, and theirs.

You will do away with the noun when you use a possessive pronoun in a sentence. If you use a noun and possessive pronoun in the same sentence, it causes repetition. A possessive noun is usually written at the end of a phrase.

The following table shows examples of using possessive adjectives and pronouns with different personal pronouns.

Personal pronouns	Possessive adjective	Possessive pronoun
I	My	Mine
He	His	His
She	Her	Hers
It	Its	Its
You	Your	Yours
They	Their	Theirs
We	Our	Ours

2. Use of there

There as a noun

In most English sentences, the word ”there” is used as a noun. It refers to a particular place. For example, it is correct to say ”My friend lives in the US. I look forward to going there’’.

There as an adjective

You can use the word ‘there’ as an adjective to modify a pronoun or noun. For example, ‘’the teacher was there to help the students with their assignments’’. ‘’ I will always be there for my friend’’.

There as a pronoun

When you use it as a pronoun, the word ‘there’ introduces a phrase or a noun. For example, it is grammatically correct to say, “there are so many students in that school”. ”Is there a chair that I can use?”.

There as an adverb

You can also use the word there to mean the opposite of ‘here’. When you use it this way, it acts as an adverb. For example, ‘’ You can sit there’’,

3. Use of they’re

The word ‘they’re’ is used as a contraction of ‘they are. You can use ‘they’re as a substitute for ‘they are in a sentence without altering its meaning. For example, ‘’they’re moving into a new house’’.

Tips for using the correct word when writing (their, they’re, or there)

Sometimes it can be unclear what word (they’re, their, or there) to use when writing. But, with the following tips, you can avoid common grammatical errors;

• Use ‘there’ when referring to a particular location or place. You can apply this word as an adverb, adjective, pronoun, or noun.
• Use ‘their’ to show possession. i.e. indicate who owns something. For example, ‘their house is under construction, or ‘their children have gone to school’, ‘those houses are theirs’
• You can use ‘they’re’ as a contraction of ‘they are’. When you use it this way, it indicates what things or people are doing. For example, ‘those children look excited, they’re playing with their dolls’.

Can you use houses and homes interchangeably?

No. The words homes and houses have different meanings and cannot be used interchangeably. A house refers to a building or structure for human habitation. It can also be referred to as a living space or place that provides shelter to animals or humans.

On the other hand, home refers to the familiar place that a family or an individual lives in. It is a semi-permanent or permanent residence for the people. A home may not necessarily refer to a building or structure.

Frequently asked questions

a. Which is correct, ‘their’s’ or ‘theirs’?

‘Theirs’ is correct since it is a possessive pronoun like our, his, hers, and yours. They do not have an apostrophe; theirs should also not have one. The apostrophe in ‘their’s is inappropriate.

b. How do you use their and theirs?

‘Their’ is an adjective that modifies a noun. It is also used as a possessive determiner to show who owns something. For example, ‘their house is big’. ‘Theirs’ is a possessive pronoun that indicates something belongs to more than one person.

c. Is it their house or there house?

The correct phrase is ‘their house’ and not ‘there house’. A possessive pronoun indicates more than one person owns the house. ‘There’ suggests a place or a location and cannot show ownership.

d. Can we use their for non-living things?

Yes. It is alright to use their with inanimate objects. ‘Their’ is a possessive pronoun with nothing to do with living or non-living things.

e. Is it their house or their houses?

Both statements are correct since they show possession. The first show that one house belongs to more than one owner. The second one indicates more than one house with different or more than one owner.

Key takeaways and insights

The sentence ‘those houses are their’s’ is not grammatically correct. The apostrophe shows possessiveness or a contraction between words. Since ‘their’ is already in the possessive form, it does not require using the apostrophe. To use this pronoun, the correct sentence would be ‘those houses are theirs’.

Be careful when using the homophones ‘there’, ‘they’, and ‘their’. Confusing the words can create grammatical errors and give a different meaning. It is also important to check properly before using the apostrophe. Using this punctuation mark in the wrong place or with incorrect word can also alter the meaning or create an error.

We hope this guide helps you to write correct sentences with the above words.

References:

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-correct-sentence-for-Those-houses-are-theirs

https://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/262476/which-one-is-correct-this-house-is-their-or-this-house-is-theirs