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I am not bringing up the discussion on the frequent mix-up of these two, which I think has already been covered. Rather I am wondering whether anyone has devised/found a way to explain the difference between them to people who are not very knowledgeable in grammatical parlay, so that they will remember it (like a mnemonic device). My co-worker keeps getting them mixed up in printed public notices, though I have explained about possessives and verbs time and time again. He says he can't remember which is which and which is for what! Any help out there? 
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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just tell him to keep the apostrophe out of "his" possessive pronouns.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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you / you're , so that they will remember it (like a mnemonic device).
-----------------------
If you're writing it you're, you are writing it right.
You're welcome.
Your pal,
wow
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Pooh-Bah
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If you're doing it, do it with an apostrophe, but if you own it, your apostrophe is redundant.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Marianna, I'm glad you're here!
To take tsuwm's suggestion a bit further (his original post on the subject was a little more detailed than this one),
what about something along the lines of: What is yours,
isn't ours. (Leaving 'you're' to the process of elimination.)
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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If you can replace it with "you are" then it's "you're"
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old hand
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old hand
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If you can replace it with "you are" then it's "you're" Exactly. And I could have sworn I posted something to a similar effect yesterday, but apparently the AWAD server sprites found that message a very tasty treat ~  Something to the effect that once someone pointed out the obvious to me, I've never forgotten it since!
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journeyman
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journeyman
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Just as FB said----If you can replace it with "you are" then it is You're and if it belongs to you---it is yours. (your car, your house, your dog etc---but on the other hand----"you're going to the car, you're going to the house, you're feeding the dog, etc"
enthusiast
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Fiberbabe, I'm wondering if those server sprites are not Ænigma's spawn?  ...The point here is if Marianna's colleague doesn't understand grammar, it's no use discussing it with him. Just make it simple.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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make it simple
Language Acquisition (Part Deux):
"Me Tarzan. You Jane."
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old hand
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old hand
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BM (oh my... I think we need to be careful about our abbreviations! ) ~ in all fairness, it was AnnaStrophic who said it first. AS, you're restored to your rightful throne of the origination of the quote! And as for you, Mav... "Me Tarzan, You Jane" provides the perfect forum for just this discussion. "Me Tarzan, You're Jane" fits the actual meaning of the phrase, whereas "Me Tarzan, Your Jane" implies that there was more to his leopardskin miniskirt than previous generations had ever suspected... 
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"Me Tarzan, Your Jane" implies that there was more to his leopardskin miniskirt than previous generations had ever suspected... --------------------------------------------------- Believe me dear FB, those micro mini, side slit pelt skirts worn by Maureen O'Sullivan in the earliest Tarzan adventures left little to the imagination ... except for the flights of fancy about what went on when the sun went down in the steamy jungle.  wow
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old hand
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old hand
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All of the mnemonics suggested so far are fine and dandy if it's written out on paper, but most likely someone would want something that they can say out loud to remember. You can't hear the difference between you're and your. I suggest something like "When you are, an appostrophe is apposite."
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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JazzOctopus makes a good point about needing to say the mnemonic rather than writing so I think AnnStrophic is right on the money with her observation "If you can replace it with "you are" then it's "you're""
wow
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Carpal Tunnel
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to say...There's no apostrophe in your name. ..unless your name is Jane
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addict
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Thanks for all your help, everyone. I have been away for a bit of a long weekend, but I shall start putting your suggestions to work first thing tomorrow... I'm afraid my poor colleague may be a bit overwhelmed by the end of the week! I'll let you know how we get on with it.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Good luck with it Marianna. I think Jackie's suggestion >What is yours, isn't ours. is quite good because it clearly explains your as a word explaining possession.
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