You are writing a message and suddenly stop at one small question: should you write theirs or their’s? This is a very common English grammar mistake. Both forms look almost the same, so it is easy to think that the apostrophe belongs in their’s.
The good news is that the rule is simple. Theirs is the correct spelling when you want to show possession. Their’s is not the standard English form.
You may see this confusion at school, at work, in emails, on social media, in text messages, or while writing everyday sentences. It can also appear in online searches when learners are trying to check the correct spelling.
People usually search for the theirs or their’s meaning, correct spelling, grammar difference, examples, usage, and definition. Some learners also wonder why words such as it’s and that’s use apostrophes while theirs does not.
This confusion makes sense because possessive words can follow different patterns. For example, we write John’s book, but we write theirs without an apostrophe. Learning this small difference can make your writing much cleaner and more confident.
The key idea is easy: theirs already shows possession, so it does not need an apostrophe.
In this guide, you’ll learn the meaning, pronunciation, examples, usage, grammar rules, common mistakes, expert tips, and simple explanations in easy English.
Theirs or Their’s – Quick Answer
👉 Theirs = correct
It is a possessive pronoun meaning something belongs to them.
👉 Their’s = incorrect in standard English
It is not the standard possessive form of their.
Examples
- That house is theirs. ✅
- The blue car is theirs. ✅
- I think this bag is theirs. ✅
- The final decision was theirs. ✅
- The seats near the window are theirs. ✅
❌ That house is their’s.
✔ That house is theirs.
Simple Rule
👉 Their + noun: their car, their house, their idea
👉 Theirs alone: The car is theirs.
Memory trick: If the word stands alone and means belonging to them, use theirs, with no apostrophe.
What Does Theirs or Their’s Mean?
Theirs is a possessive pronoun. It tells us that something belongs to two or more people.
For example:
This laptop is theirs.
Here, theirs means the laptop belongs to them.
Unlike their, the word theirs normally appears without a noun directly after it.
Compare:
- Their dog is friendly.
- The dog is theirs.
Synonyms
Depending on the sentence, related expressions include:
- belonging to them
- owned by them
- their property
- their possession
Related Terms
The main possessive pronouns are:
mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs
Notice the pattern: these possessive pronouns do not normally need apostrophes.
The Origin of Theirs
Theirs comes from the older English possessive forms connected with they and their.
Over time, English developed separate forms for possessive determiners and possessive pronouns. Their became the form used before a noun, while theirs became the form that can stand by itself.
That is why we say:
- their books
- The books are theirs
The apostrophe in their’s is not part of the standard modern form.
How to Pronounce Theirs or Their’s
Both forms are often pronounced the same in casual speech.
Theirs: /ðerz/ or /ðɛrz/
An easy pronunciation guide is:
theirs → thairz
The beginning sounds like the th in this, followed by a sound similar to air, and then a z sound.
Examples:
- Theirs → thairz
- Their → thair
The pronunciation does not help you decide the spelling. You need to remember the grammar rule.
British English vs American English Usage
The spelling rule is the same in standard British and American English.
| Feature | British English | American English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Correct form | theirs | theirs | Same spelling |
| Incorrect standard form | their’s | their’s | Avoid it |
| Meaning | Belonging to them | Belonging to them | Same |
| Apostrophe | No | No | Do not add one |
| Formal writing | theirs | theirs | Fully accepted |
So, writers in the UK, US, Canada, Australia, India, and Pakistan can use theirs in standard English.
Which One Should You Use?
Use theirs whenever you need a possessive pronoun meaning belonging to them.
| Situation | Correct example |
|---|---|
| School | The project is theirs. |
| Workplace | The decision was theirs. |
| The responsibility is theirs. | |
| Social media | That photo is theirs. |
| Daily conversation | The blue bag is theirs. |
| Academic writing | The conclusion was theirs. |
Avoid their’s in formal and standard English writing.
Common Mistakes With Theirs or Their’s
Mistake 1: Adding an apostrophe
❌ The house is their’s.
✔ The house is theirs.
Why? The possessive pronoun already has its correct form.
Mistake 2: Confusing their and theirs
❌ Theirs car is outside.
✔ Their car is outside.
Tip: Use their directly before a noun.
Mistake 3: Using their when theirs is needed
❌ That car is their.
✔ That car is theirs.
Here, no noun follows the possessive word, so theirs is needed.
Mistake 4: Thinking every possessive needs an apostrophe
❌ The books are their’s.
✔ The books are theirs.
Apostrophes are not automatically used for every possessive form.
Mistake 5: Copying the pattern of it’s
It’s can mean it is or it has, but theirs does not work the same way.
❌ Their’s is ready.
✔ Theirs is ready.
Theirs or Their’s in Everyday Examples
Work
The final documents are theirs.
School
Those notebooks are theirs.
Social Media
That picture is theirs, not ours.
Daily Life
The seats by the door are theirs.
The responsibility for the report is theirs.
Text Message
I think this jacket is theirs.
Online Content
That design is theirs.
Conversation
Which phone is theirs?
These examples show the main pattern: theirs can stand alone as the possessive word.
Theirs or Their’s in Different Contexts
Education
Students often confuse their and theirs because both show possession.
Remember:
Their + noun: Their teacher is helpful.
Theirs alone: The teacher is theirs.
Business and Workplace
In professional writing, correct possessive forms matter because small grammar mistakes can make a message look careless.
For example:
✔ The account is theirs.
✔ The responsibility is theirs.
Social Media and Internet Writing
People may type their’s online because it looks familiar. Casual internet writing can contain many spelling and grammar mistakes, but standard English still uses theirs.
Grammar Learning
The most useful lesson is to learn possessive pronouns as a group:
mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs
None of these normally needs an apostrophe.
Theirs or Their’s – Google Trends and Usage
Searches for theirs or their’s usually come from learners who notice the apostrophe pattern in other English words.
People may search questions such as:
- Is theirs or their’s correct?
- How do you spell theirs?
- Why is theirs not their’s?
- Is theirs a possessive pronoun?
- When should I use their or theirs?
- What is the difference between their and theirs?
This type of search is common among English learners in countries such as the US, UK, India, Pakistan, Canada, and Australia.
The confusion is especially understandable for beginners because theirs sounds very similar to their.
Comparison Table: Theirs or Their’s
| Feature | Theirs | Their’s |
|---|---|---|
| Standard spelling | ✅ Correct | ❌ Incorrect |
| Possessive meaning | Yes | Intended, but nonstandard |
| Apostrophe | No | Incorrectly added |
| Can stand alone? | Yes | No |
| Example | The car is theirs. | The car is their’s. |
| Formal writing | Recommended | Avoid |
| Academic writing | Recommended | Avoid |
Theirs or Their’s in Professional Life
Correct grammar can help your workplace writing look clear and polished.
Use theirs in emails, reports, presentations, business messages, and other professional documents.
For example:
✔ The responsibility for this task is theirs.
✔ The final choice was theirs.
✔ The documents on the desk are theirs.
There is no special business version of the word. The standard form is simply theirs.
Theirs or Their’s for Students and Beginners
Beginners often make this mistake because they learn that apostrophes can show possession:
- Sarah’s book
- John’s phone
- the company’s office
That rule is correct for many nouns, but possessive pronouns follow their own forms.
Learn this short list:
mine → yours → his → hers → ours → theirs
Think of these as special possessive words. Do not add an apostrophe.
Common Uses of Theirs
You will commonly see theirs when:
- something belongs to a group
- ownership has already been mentioned
- the noun does not need to be repeated
- comparing your property with another person’s property
- answering a question about ownership
Examples:
- Is this pen yours or theirs?
- Our team finished first, but the other team’s score was higher than theirs.
- We brought our own food, and they brought theirs.
Simple Trick to Remember Theirs or Their’s
Think of it this way:
Their needs a noun. Theirs replaces the noun.
Look at these two sentences:
Their car is new.
Here, car comes after their.
The car is theirs.
Here, theirs stands alone.
Memory Shortcut
👉 Their + thing
👉 Thing + theirs
And remember:
Theirs has no apostrophe.
Expert Tips for Using Theirs Correctly
- Check the word after their. If a noun follows, their may be correct.
- If the possessive word stands alone, think of theirs.
- Never add an apostrophe to theirs.
- Learn mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs together.
- When proofreading, search your document for their’s and replace it with theirs when possession is intended.
A quick test can help:
Can I replace the word with belonging to them?
If yes, theirs is probably the form you need.
Related Searches People Also Ask
- Is theirs or their’s correct?
Theirs is the standard correct form. - Why is theirs spelled without an apostrophe?
Because theirs is a possessive pronoun with its own established form. - Is theirs a possessive pronoun?
Yes. It shows that something belongs to them. - What is the difference between their and theirs?
Their comes before a noun; theirs can stand alone. - Can I write their’s in an essay?
No. Use theirs in standard English. - Is theirs used in American English?
Yes. - Is theirs used in British English?
Yes. - Does theirs need an apostrophe?
No.
FAQs About Theirs or Their’s
Is theirs the correct spelling?
Yes. Theirs is the standard spelling.
Is their’s ever correct?
Their’s is not the standard English possessive form. Use theirs.
Is theirs a pronoun?
Yes. Theirs is a possessive pronoun.
What does theirs mean?
It means belonging to them.
Should I write their car or theirs car?
Write their car. The word their comes before a noun.
Should I write the car is their or theirs?
Write the car is theirs.
Does theirs have an apostrophe?
No. The correct spelling is theirs.
Is theirs formal English?
Yes. Theirs is correct in formal, academic, workplace, and everyday English.
How do you pronounce theirs?
It is commonly pronounced like thairz.
What is an easy way to remember theirs?
Remember: their + noun, but theirs alone.
Final Verdict
Theirs is correct. Their’s is not the standard English form.
The easiest rule is:
👉 Their + noun: their house
👉 Theirs alone: The house is theirs.
Most importantly, do not add an apostrophe to theirs.
Conclusion
The theirs or their’s confusion is easy to fix once you understand the difference between their and theirs.
Their comes before a noun:
Their car is outside.
Theirs replaces the noun:
The car is theirs.
The spelling their’s may look natural because English uses apostrophes in many possessive forms, but theirs is a special possessive pronoun and does not need one.
So, next time you hesitate, remember this simple trick: their needs a noun, theirs stands alone—and theirs never needs an apostrophe.
Camila Green is an English language writer who specializes in confusing word comparisons and spelling explanations. She creates simple, beginner-friendly guides on topics like “niece or neice” and other common English mistakes. Her writing focuses on clarity, real-life examples, and easy learning. At VerrsaPick, she helps readers improve their English with practical and engaging content.
