The Grammar Helpbook

4

You're and Your

Some writers are confused by you're and your. A mistake involving these constitutes a grammatical howler.

You're

You're is a contraction of you are. It has no other uses. This is a 100% rule. If you cannot expand it to you are in your sentence, then it is wrong.

Examples:

The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat.
(Expands to you are - correct)

Doing nothing is very hard to do. You never know when you're finished.
(Expands to you are - correct)

Please ask Joan to post the parcel when you're in London.
(Expands to you are - correct)

You said that you couldn't believe you're ears.
(Does not expand to you are - should be your)

Your

The word your sits before another word (usually a noun or a pronoun) to show that it belongs to "you" (e.g., your car, your arm), is of "you" (e.g., your picture, your photograph) or is related to "you" (e.g., your uncle).

Your is a possessive adjective. (Other possessive adjectives are: my, your, his, her, its, our, and their.)

Examples:

Our expert will answer your questions about pensions and savings.
(questions belonging to "you")

Sarah doesn't look like your sister.
(related to "you")

So next time that you're confused about which one to use. See if it expands to you are. And remember to always check your work.