Proofreading

Proofreading Task #5: Easily Confused Words

Review the following easily confused words.

its

belonging to it

  • That dog just walked on its back legs.
  • That store is having its back-to-school sale.
  • My car has a mind of its own.

it's

it is

  • Guess what? It’s my birthday!
  • Do you know if it’s four o’clock yet?

it has

  • It’s been driving me crazy.
  • I think it’s taken the waiter twenty minutes to come back.

there

  1. Most of the time, there means “at that place” (the opposite of "here").
    • I went there to meet my brother.
    • I found my wallet over there.
  2. When placed at the beginning of a sentence, there often has little meaning other than "something exists."
    • There are ghosts in that haunted house.
    • There is an old house on the corner.

 

their 

belongs to them

  • All of those kids with their contagious laughter really made my day.
  • They didn’t want to see all of their hard work go to waste.

 

they’re

"they are" or "they were".

  • They’re going to a party tomorrow.
  • You should meet my work friends; they’re a real hoot.

your

belonging to you

  • I like your shirt.
  • Your cat is hiding under the couch.
  • I think that pencil is yours.

you're

you + are

  • You’re sitting on my coat.
  • I think you’re ready for the next level.
  • He told me you’re a piano player

Lesson Steps

  1. Proofread your writing portfolio, looking for any mispelled instances of:
    • its / it's
    • there / their / they're
    • your / you're

Self Check

  • Did you fix all your mistakes?