Main Difference – Your vs You’re
Even though your and you’re are homophones, there is a grammatical difference between these two forms. You’re is a contraction of you are. Your is a possessive adjective of you. This grammatical disparity is the main difference between your and you’re. Let us see the different functions of these two words separately.
Your – Meaning and Usage
Your is a possessive adjective. This word indicates possession; it indicates that something belongs to someone (in this case – you.) Your is always placed before a noun. This adjective is always related to you. ie, it talks about things belonging to you, people related to you.
Your hair is longer than mine.
I enjoyed your presentation; it was very informative.
I met your sister and mother yesterday.
What’s your opinion on this?
Please raise your hands if you know the answer.
Can I borrow your pen for a second? 
You’re – Meaning and Usage
You’re is the contraction of you are. It has no other grammatical use. If you have a problem identifying the difference between your and you’re, the best thing to do is to replace you’re with you are. If the meaning of the sentence remains unchanged, then you’re is the correct choice. If not, change it to your, the possessive form.
I didn’t know that you’re not well.
You never know when you’re going to be fired.
Can you visit my parents when you’re in Amsterdam?
We’ll you’re not a bad singer, but you need more practice.
Is that what you’re wearing?
You’re supposed to be helping me.
I know that you’re frustrated, but there is no need to yell.
It is also important to know that contractions are not very much used in formal writing. Therefore, it is better to use you are than you’re, in formal writing.
Now that you know how to identify the difference between your and you’re look at the following sentences and see whether you can correctly identify the difference between your and you’re.
- Sorry, I didn’t hear you’re name.
- I can’t believe you’re an engineer.
- Is this your little sister?
- What happened to you’re car?
- Your house looks lovely.
- When your my age, you’ll understand what I’m saying now.
- Thank you so much. Your the best.
- Your working late is causing problems to others.
Answers: 1- your, 2- you’re, 3- your, 4- your, 5-your, 6-you’re, 7- you’re, 8- your
Difference Between Your and You’re
Grammatical Adjective
Your is a possessive adjective.
You’re is a contraction of you are.
Meaning
Your indicates possession.
You’re indicates a state of being.
Position
Your is always placed before a noun.
You’re can be followed by a noun or an adjective.
Formal Writing
Your can be used in formal writing.
You’re is not preferred in formal writing.
Image Courtesy:
“Image 1” by Vector conversion by Ericmetro – Own work- based on photo and File:Keep Calm and Carry On Poster.svg by Mononomic., (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
“Image 2″y Packer, poster artist, Artist (NARA record: 8467744) – U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Public Domain via Commons Wikimedia
