Fun With Words: You're vs Your
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You're/Your: The Eternal Conflict
If you've been around the Internet for more than five minutes, you've probably noticed that many people have trouble knowing when to use "your" instead of "you're". Maybe you yourself are one of these people. Don't despair! (Well, you can despair if you want to, but it's really not necessary.)
How To Tell Them Apart!
Here's a handy way to tell these troublesome words apart:
..."You're" ALWAYS equals "you are."
..."Your" NEVER equals "you are."
Therefore, if you're not sure which to use, substitute "you are" in the sentence and see if it makes the remotest sense. For example:
WRONG WRONG A THOUSAND TIMES WRONG:
This is you're chainsaw.
Try the substitution test: "This is you are chainsaw"? I certainly hope that doesn't make sense. Thus, your is the one you want:
RIGHT RIGHT A MILLION TIMES RIGHT:
This is your chainsaw.
Another example:
You're starting to scare me with that chainsaw.
"You are starting to scare me"? Yes, that works fine. So "you're" is the correct word.
..."You're" ALWAYS equals "you are."
..."Your" NEVER equals "you are."
Therefore, if you're not sure which to use, substitute "you are" in the sentence and see if it makes the remotest sense. For example:
WRONG WRONG A THOUSAND TIMES WRONG:
This is you're chainsaw.
Try the substitution test: "This is you are chainsaw"? I certainly hope that doesn't make sense. Thus, your is the one you want:
RIGHT RIGHT A MILLION TIMES RIGHT:
This is your chainsaw.
Another example:
You're starting to scare me with that chainsaw.
"You are starting to scare me"? Yes, that works fine. So "you're" is the correct word.
More On "Your".
Your is used when indicating possession (no, not by demonic forces). Examples: your car, your beehive, your axe, your torture chamber, your severed head. These indicate an object belonging to the hypothetical "you" the speaker's talking to.
Don't be confused if an adjective, etc., comes before the object. Example:
Your cheerful dog just threw up on my carpet.
It's the dog that's cheerful, not the "you". Therefore, your is used. However:
You're cheerful, pleasant, fun at parties, and the most terrifying person I've ever known.
Here, "cheerful" etc. describes the person being spoken to.
Always try the substitution test when unsure. You're funny = you are funny, you're insane = you are insane, you're insanely funny = well, you get the idea.
And finally, when someone on the Internet thanks you, and you want to respond in an appropriately polite fashion, always say:
You're welcome.
Clip art from Heraldic Crests by James Fairbairn.
Don't be confused if an adjective, etc., comes before the object. Example:
Your cheerful dog just threw up on my carpet.
It's the dog that's cheerful, not the "you". Therefore, your is used. However:
You're cheerful, pleasant, fun at parties, and the most terrifying person I've ever known.
Here, "cheerful" etc. describes the person being spoken to.
Always try the substitution test when unsure. You're funny = you are funny, you're insane = you are insane, you're insanely funny = well, you get the idea.
And finally, when someone on the Internet thanks you, and you want to respond in an appropriately polite fashion, always say:
You're welcome.
Clip art from Heraldic Crests by James Fairbairn.
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