This is the easiest, and most annoying mistake to make, I think. And sometimes it could just be a slip of the finger that misses - or hits - the apostrophe button. But the thing is, it's really easy to fix this in your manuscript without pulling out all your hair. Okay, it'll take time. But it's worth it, right?
They're my friends. = correct
Their my friends. = incorrect
There my friends = incorrect in this usage
(Using "There, there, my friend." as an expression meant to calm someone is entirely different, and acceptable.)
That's their house. = correct
That's they're house. = incorrect
That's there house = incorrect
The house is over there. = correct
The house is over they're. = incorrect
IT / IT'S / ITS
It = pronoun
The teacher told the class it had to stay late.
It's = contraction of "it is"
It's time to go home.
Its = possessive pronoun for "it"
You can't judge a book by its cover.
It's one o'clock = correct
Its one o'clock = incorrect
Its colour is blue = correct
It's colour is blue = incorrect
Make sense? Okay. Now go to your book and do a Search/Replace. Yes, it'll take time. But the incorrect usage of those words is a definite flag for editors/agents.
Their my friends. = incorrect
There my friends = incorrect in this usage
(Using "There, there, my friend." as an expression meant to calm someone is entirely different, and acceptable.)
That's their house. = correct
That's they're house. = incorrect
That's there house = incorrect
The house is over there. = correct
The house is over they're. = incorrect
IT / IT'S / ITS
It = pronoun
The teacher told the class it had to stay late.
It's = contraction of "it is"
It's time to go home.
Its = possessive pronoun for "it"
You can't judge a book by its cover.
It's one o'clock = correct
Its one o'clock = incorrect
Its colour is blue = correct
It's colour is blue = incorrect
Make sense? Okay. Now go to your book and do a Search/Replace. Yes, it'll take time. But the incorrect usage of those words is a definite flag for editors/agents.
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