Your vs You're

[pinkdrizzly]

Do you get your and you're confused? I personally think that it's pretty easy to remember which one to use, but I see it incorrectly used a lot. Mostly by people my own age. You're is there for you are. I think the apostrophe makes it easy to remember, but not everyone agrees. Do you have trouble with this or have you got it down pat? 

[sillylucy]

I don't know how many people get this mixed up. Just think of "you're" as "you are." It's that difficult. I would think the apostrophe lets you know there is a break so think of it as a separation and thus, two words. I learned it fairly early on. Ugh, just frustrates me. lol

[LauraM]

I see this error a lot.  I see it more and more these days.  I think people are doing this thoughtlessly or because they see the error so frequently they pick it up thinking it's correct.

Really the error is surprising because if and when you reason it through, it's quite clear what the difference is between these two words:

"You're" = you are. 

"Your" = possessive form of the pronoun. 

Very simple!

[writeletters]

I actually find it outrageous when someone confuses these two. I mean, we learned this stuff at the age of, what, six or seven? And still, in adulthood, people use them incorrectly. It's definitely one of my pet peeves.

[calebmelvern]

Well, it is a little irritating to see so many people commit this error. But I'm pretty sure that most people know the correct usage of these terms; it's just that when typing they do not immediately recognize the error. This happens to me from time to time as well when using words with homonyms such as "hear" and "here." This is why proofreading is a must.

[SpiralArchitect]

I don't think there are a lot of people out there who actually get confused between these two, it is perhaps more of a typing issue. I mean how difficult can it be for someone to differentiate between these two.

[Miya]

"You're" and "your" are kind of like "their", "there", and "they're" and "its" and "it's". People mix them up all the time and won't realize their mistake until someone points it out to them.

[pinkdrizzly]

I don't think there are a lot of people out there who actually get confused between these two, it is perhaps more of a typing issue. I mean how difficult can it be for someone to differentiate between these two.

It may happen more in typing, but I am in college and I see it a lot. Many people just use your for both a possessive situation and a descriptive situation. They don't even realize there's a difference. I think it's common within my age group, for some reason. It's really grating.

[SpiralArchitect]

They don't even realize there's a difference. I think it's common within my age group, for some reason. It's really grating.

In that case, I must say that it is a lot less common place here in India where English is not the native language. Perhaps people here are just more careful with the usage.

Admittedly, it does seem like the problem affects the current generation more, with the severity increasing the younger kids get. Sad state of affairs I must say.

[LauraM]

In that case, I must say that it is a lot less common place here in India where English is not the native language. Perhaps people here are just more careful with the usage.

Admittedly, it does seem like the problem affects the current generation more, with the severity increasing the younger kids get. Sad state of affairs I must say.

Yes, I've been noticing this more and more within the last 10 years or so.  It may have started with the current generation, but it seems to be an error that people of all ages are making.  I think that people see the incorrect use of these words so often that they just thoughtlessly pick them up thinking they are correct.  It's almost like a bad grammar virus is spreading and people are catching it and passing it along unknowingly. 

It's really unfortunate as it is grating to see this error so often. 

[JulesX]

In school we had several classes to correct this very problem. I think the issue originates from associating the apostrophe with possession. In some cases, people just don't care; as long as they are understood, they can't be bothered.

To simplify matters just do as everyone else and use "ur". 

[diprod]

Do you get your and you're confused? I personally think that it's pretty easy to remember which one to use, but I see it incorrectly used a lot. Mostly by people my own age. You're is there for you are. I think the apostrophe makes it easy to remember, but not everyone agrees. Do you have trouble with this or have you got it down pat? 

It's a common mistake by people. But seriously, it shouldn't be that hard to determine their use. But I'm guilty of falling victim to this madness as well sometimes. Lol

[mansa]

I do not really see it as something that should confuse people but I think that general ignorance and not understanding how to phrase sentences is usually the main issue. But at the end of the day it is pretty straight forward.

[justusforus]

I think part of the reason so many mistakes are being made is that many read social media more and more which is what may account for seeing the mistake (and people picking it up).  With blogs, web sites and twitter anyone can "publish" their writing with no editor or proof reader.

Sort of like when calculators came out, people could not add a column of numbers anymore.  These days if you say where did you get that, the answer may be I read it somewhere.  We are in an information explosion where anyone can basically publish an opinion worldwide from a keyboard.

[dunkan63]

Yeah.. these two can be quite confusing.. There are many people who use YOUR for both possession and "you are". We may think that is a mistake (and it is).. However, I have found that some of them DO know about it.. they just don't bother thinking every time they write.. Sometimes (mostly in chats) it is like using "4" instead of "For".. It's not gramatically correct but everybody knows what it means..

[scottman]

It's not one of those things I'm consciously confused about, but I think it is something that I can unconsciously get mixed up. If you asked me what the difference between you're and your is, obviously I would know. It can be very easy to mix it up when your writing is rushed.

[Alfonso]

Do you get your and you're confused? I personally think that it's pretty easy to remember which one to use, but I see it incorrectly used a lot. Mostly by people my own age. You're is there for you are. I think the apostrophe makes it easy to remember, but not everyone agrees. Do you have trouble with this or have you got it down pat? 

In the past I had trouble with your and you're. I actually use the exact same technique of using the apostrophe as indicator that it means you are. I never had a problem with the two since.

[MyDigitalpoint]

In both Internet chatting and cell phone texting, omitting the apostrophe in contracted words is common, when the right thing to do would be using the two words without contraction to make difference clear.

However the limited size of texting had made that people do not only omit the apostrophe and keep using contacted words, but that make of many other nonsense abbreviations unless you know the meaning of them

[russianrocket]

I've been aware of this mistake for quite some time now. I have used you're in place of "your" many times. Funny enough many native speakers make the same mistake  :wacky:

[russianrocket]

I've been aware of this mistake for quite some time now. I have used youre in place of "your" many times. Could also have used both youre and you're with first meaning "your", and second "you are". Funny enough many native speakers make the same mistake  :wacky:

[Shannonbutler18]

Personally, I find it extremely easy to remember the correct usage, but I constantly see people writing "Your cute" and "Your lucky" and "You're cat is adorable". It frustrates me, to say the least. Especially because all my friends are 18 and over.