Knowing When to Use the Your and You’re Rule
One of the most common writing mistakes made by people when spelling is following and knowing when to use the your and you’re rule. For most of us, it is easy to mistake one for the other when trying to use either one of them in a sentence. Your is always followed by a gerund or a noun since it is the second person possessive adjective. It is used to describe anything or something belonging to you. On the other hand, You’re is a contraction of you are. Since it has no other uses, it is the easier of the two to fully comprehend its usage. The good news is that once you know and learn the difference between your and you’re, you will probably never mistake one for the other again.
Other common misspelled words to consider are the There, Their, and They’re trio
Your Knowledge of Spelling Means You’re Smart
In many instances involving spelling grammar lessons and techniques, the sounding it out before spelling tip works best. The same can be applied when trying to determine which of the two to use between your and you’re. Sounding out the word before using it helps you to visualize it in your head and find the proper one to use. Keep in mind that your means that whatever you are referring to in the sentence belongs to you therefore you’re would not apply. “Your bat is excellent for hitting” is a perfect example. Since the bat belongs to you and it pertains to YOUR possession, the you’re would be wrong.
Another tip to follow when trying to differentiate from the two is to spell out the ‘you are’ completely in the sentence such as “You’re such a liar” which spelled out normally would be “You are such a liar”. Or “You’re the best friend anyone can have” by spelling it out “You are the best friend anyone can have”
Unsure about other words commonly misused? Read Commonly Misused Words – Learn to Use Them Correctly
Other Writing Rules To Consider
One thing to keep in mind though is that as a general rule, it is not a good idea to use contractions. Therefore, words such as isn’t, can’t, don’t, it’s and you’re should be spelled out and expanded in formal writing. Not only will it guarantee that you will not make a mistake in your writing, but it will also be more professional. Another reason to not use contractions and expanding them is that most people when writing tend to make mistakes when using it’s and you’re. Expanding them will ensure you do not fall victim to these grammar villains known to haunt many out there.
Remember this last tip when using an absolute possessive such as (yours, ours, his and hers). There are no apostrophes in any of them. This is another 100% rule to abide by and to keep in mind when writing. The best part about knowing when to use the your and you’re rule is that once you learn to use them properly, you’re on your way to properly spelling them always.
