Your vs You're: Stop This Embarrassing Mistake

The Most Common Email Mistake—Fixed in 2 Minutes

Quick Answer

You're = "you are" (contraction). Your = possession (belonging to you).

Quick test: Replace with "you are." If it makes sense, use you're. If not, use your.

When to Use "You're"

You're is a contraction of "you are." The apostrophe replaces the missing letter "a."

  • You're the best! → You are the best! ✓
  • You're welcome. → You are welcome. ✓
  • You're doing great. → You are doing great. ✓
  • You're going to love this. → You are going to love this. ✓
  • You're invited to the party. → You are invited to the party. ✓

When to Use "Your"

Your is a possessive pronoun—it shows that something belongs to "you."

  • Is this your book? → Does the book belong to you? ✓
  • I like your idea. → The idea belongs to you. ✓
  • Your car is nice. → The car belongs to you. ✓
  • What's your name? → The name belongs to you. ✓
  • Your flight is delayed. → The flight belongs to/is for you. ✓

Comparison Chart

Word Definition Trick to Remember Example Sentence
You're Contraction of "you are" The apostrophe replaces the missing "a" "You're amazing!" (You are amazing)
Your Possessive pronoun (belonging to you) No apostrophe = ownership "I love your style."

Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

❌ Incorrect:

"Your the best!"

✓ Correct:

"You're the best!"

Why? This means "You are the best"—use the contraction "you're."
❌ Incorrect:

"You're car is nice."

✓ Correct:

"Your car is nice."

Why? The car belongs to you—possessive, so use "your."
❌ Incorrect:

"I hope your doing well."

✓ Correct:

"I hope you're doing well."

Why? This means "I hope you are doing well"—use "you're."
❌ Incorrect:

"Your welcome."

✓ Correct:

"You're welcome."

Why? This is short for "You are welcome"—contraction needed.
❌ Incorrect:

"Is this you're book?"

✓ Correct:

"Is this your book?"

Why? We're asking about possession (who owns the book)—use "your."

Quick Tips

💡 The Substitution Test

Replace with "you are." If senetence makes sense, use "you're." If it sounds wrong, use "your."

✅ Apostrophe = Missing Letter

The apostrophe in "you're" replaces the "a" from "are." You're = You a[re].

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do people confuse your and you're?

They sound identical when spoken (homophones), so the error often comes from writing how we speak without thinking about the grammatical meaning.

Is "your" ever correct before a verb?

Yes, when using a gerund (verb form used as noun): "Your running has improved" or "I appreciate your helping me." The gerund acts as a noun, so "your" shows possession of that action.

Is "your welcome" ever correct?

Only if you're talking about someone's welcome (noun): "Your welcome was warm." But in the common phrase, "You're welcome" (you are welcome) is always correct.

What about "ur" in text messages?

"Ur" is informal shorthand that can mean either. It's fine for casual texting but should be avoided in professional emails, resumes, and formal writing.

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