Difference Between Your and You're
You're is a contraction of 'you are.' Your shows possession (something belonging to you). Simple test: if you can replace the word with 'you are' and it makes sense, use you're. Otherwise, use your. Example: You're (you are) going to love your (belonging to you) new car.
Key Takeaways
- You're is short for 'you are.
- In very formal writing, 'you are' may be preferred over the contraction 'you're.
- Text messages and informal writing often misuse these, but professional communication should be correct.
Explanation
You're is short for 'you are.' The apostrophe replaces the missing 'a.' Examples: You're welcome (you are welcome). You're right (you are right). You're going to be late (you are going to be late). Always expand the contraction to test if it is correct.
Your is a possessive adjective showing ownership or association. It answers 'whose?' Examples: Your coat is on the chair. What's your name? Is this your book? Your friend called. You cannot expand 'your' to 'you are' in these sentences.
The test is foolproof: read the sentence with 'you are' in place of the word. 'You are coat is on the chair' makes no sense, so use 'your.' 'You are welcome' makes perfect sense, so use 'you're.' Do this every time you are uncertain.
Things to Know
- In very formal writing, 'you are' may be preferred over the contraction 'you're.'
- Text messages and informal writing often misuse these, but professional communication should be correct.
- Similar confusion exists with its/it's - same rule applies.