Peeve for the day – learn the differences! Some of these are repeats, but I’ll repeat them until you get them right. 🙂

They’re – short for ‘they are’ as in “They are (they’re) going swimming.

There – a place: The pool is over there. (see the word ‘here’ in there meaning a place)

Their – belonging to them. We’re going swimming in their pool. (see the word ‘heir’ in there as in someone who’s going to get something)

It’s – short for it is: It’s their turn to clean the pool (It is their turn)

Its – a pronoun, cannot be substituted with ‘it is’: the dog wagged its tail.

Your – a possessive (belonging to you) – That is your dog not mine.

You’re – short for you are: You’re not going to like this (you are not going to like this)

we’re – short for we are: We’re going swimming (we are going swimming)

were – past tense of are: We were going to go swimming, but something came up.

then – a point in time: we’re going hiking, then we’re going swimming

than – a choice: I’d rather go swimming than hiking.

affect – a verb meaning ‘to influence’: The illness affected his body

effect – a noun meaning consequence or result: The illness has had an effect on his body.

few – used for number and countable nouns: There were ten fewer people at the party than we expected.

less – used for quantity, measure, degree and non-countable nouns: The guru gave us less advice than we expected.

farther – physical distance (see the word ‘far’ in there?) We hiked two miles farther into the mountain.

further – virtual distance (cannot be measured) – this argument can go no further.

each other – used when involving only two people: John and I hugged each other.

one another – used with three or more people: The baseball team consoled one another after losing the game.

who – refers to people: I appreciate the person who (not that) cleaned house for me.

that – refers to things: I like the puppy that licked me.