Your and You're

You're

You're is a contraction of you are. It has no other uses. This is a 100% rule. If you cannot expand it to you are in your sentence, then it is wrong. Examples:

• The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat. (Lily Tomlin)

• (Expands to you are – correct)

• Doing nothing is very hard to do. You never know when you're finished. (Leslie Nielsen)

• (Expands to you are – correct)

• Please ask Joan to post the parcel when you're in London.

• (Expands to you are – correct)

• You said that you couldn't believe you're ears.

• (Does not expand to you are – should be your)

Your

The word your sits before another word (usually a noun or a pronoun) to show that it belongs to "you" (e.g., your car, your arm), is of "you" (e.g., your picture, your photograph) or is related to "you" (e.g., your uncle). Your is a possessive adjective. (Other possessive adjectives are my, your, his, her, its, our, and their.) Examples:

• Our expert will answer your questions about pensions and savings.

• (questions belonging to "you")

• Sarah doesn't look like your sister.

• (related to "you")