Practice
Your, you're, or yours: what is the difference?
Sign in to saveYour name is on the list. You're next in line. Is this coat yours? The three words sound similar, but each one has a different job.
Use your before a noun, use you're when it means you are, and use yours when a possessive noun phrase is already understood.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
your, you're, and yours /jɔː(r)/, /jʊə(r)/, and /jɔːz/ in strong British forms/
The short answer
Use your with a noun, such as your phone. Use you're only when you can say you are. Use yours when you do not need to repeat the noun, as in The phone is yours.
Your phone is on the desk, and you're ready to go. Is the blue bag yours?
Why it works: Your comes before phone. You're means you are ready. Yours stands for your blue bag.
5 more examples
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Your jacket is on the chair.
Your introduces the noun jacket and shows whose jacket it is.
Not this:The jacket on the chair
is yours. What changes: Yours replaces your jacket, so the noun does not need to be repeated. -
You're early for your appointment.
You're means you are early.
Not this:
Your appointmentstarts at ten. What changes: Your comes before the noun appointment. -
Is this notebook yours?
Yours means your notebook, which is already named in the question.
Not this:Please write
your namein the notebook. What changes: Your introduces the noun name. -
You're carrying your keys today.
You're expands to you are carrying.
Not this:These keys
are yours, not mine. What changes: Yours replaces your keys after are. -
Your answer is clear, and yours is different from mine.
The first your comes before answer. The later yours means your answer.
Not this:
You're givinga clear answer. What changes: You're means you are giving.
Read the full guide
Look at the word after the gap. A noun usually needs your. If you can replace the word with you are, choose you're. If the noun has already been named and you mean belonging to you, choose yours.
Choose the word by its job
These words all refer to the person you are speaking to. First decide whether the sentence needs a noun, the verb phrase you are, or a word that replaces a noun phrase.
Your table is near the window. You're near the window. The table near the window is yours.
Your needs the noun table. You're means you are. Yours replaces your table.
Put your before a noun
Use your to introduce a person, thing, place, or idea connected with the listener. Look ahead for the noun in the phrase.
Your bus leaves in five minutes.
Bus is the noun. Your tells us whose bus it is.
Which word fits before the noun password: your, you're, or yours?
Use your: Your password is private. Password is the noun after the word.
Test you're with you are
You're is a short spelling of you are. Expand it when you are unsure. If the longer form makes sense, you're is the right spelling.
You're welcome becomes You are welcome.
The full words work, so the contraction is correct.
You're waiting outside becomes You are waiting outside.
Use yours when the noun is already clear
Yours means your one, your things, or your idea. It replaces a noun phrase, so it does not come directly before a new noun.
My coat is black. Yours is brown.
Yours means your coat in the second sentence. Writing yours coat would be incorrect because yours already replaces the noun phrase.
Choose the correct form: This seat is ___.
Use yours: This seat is yours. Seat has already been named.
Avoid apostrophe mistakes
The apostrophe in you're marks the missing letter in you are. Your and yours show possession, but neither word has an apostrophe.
Your plan is useful. The final choice is yours.
Do not write your's. Use your before a noun or yours without a noun.
Before you go
Remember this
Before a noun, use your. When you mean you are, use you're. When the noun is already known and you mean belonging to you, use yours. Neither your nor yours has an apostrophe.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Your, you're, or yours: what is the difference?"
What is the difference between your, you're, and yours?
Use your before a noun, such as your jacket. You're is the short form of you are. Yours replaces a possessive noun phrase when the noun is already clear, as in The jacket is yours.
Your jacket is on the chair.
How can I check whether you're is correct?
Replace you're with you are. If the full form works in the sentence, use you're. For example, You're early becomes You are early. If the sentence needs a noun after the word, you usually need your.
The jacket on the chair is yours.
Can yours come before a noun?
No. Yours already replaces a possessive noun phrase, so it does not introduce a new noun. Say your notebook before a noun, but say The notebook is yours when the notebook is already known.
You're early for your appointment.
Do your and yours need an apostrophe?
No. Your and yours do not take an apostrophe. The apostrophe belongs in you're because it shows the short form of you are. Write your plan and The plan is yours.
Your appointment starts at ten.
Why do your and you're sound similar?
In quick speech, your and you're can have similar weak pronunciations. The spelling comes from the grammar: use your with a noun and use you're when you mean you are. Yours usually has a final z sound.
Is this notebook yours?