Grammar Trap: Your vs. You're

This trap is similar to last month's (Whose vs. Who's) in that people confuse these two words when writing because they, too, sound the same when speaking.

"Your" is an adjective that means relating to yourself, especially in the sense of possession.

Example: I hope your vacation is a great one.

"You're" is the contraction of "you are"

Example: I hope you're doing all you can to ensure a that you have a great vacation.

There's no tip that will help you avoid this trap or last month's--other than to stop and think.

Thanks to Ken Penrod, Crawford County, for suggesting this topic.

Do you have a grammar (or usage) trap you'd like to see discussed? Do you have a tip that will help the rest of us avoid one? If so, please let me know.

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Visit our archive for past "Grammar Traps."

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