Like I previously mentioned, I am a bit of grammar freak when it comes to professional writing. As such, I’d like to begin giving you short tips that will help you avoid grammar mistakes that may not show up on a regular spell check.
Today’s tip is one of my all-time pet peeves - the difference between your and you’re.
Your is possessive - it shows ownership. Your towel. Your hat. Your mistake.
You’re is a contraction - it means you are. You’re nice. You’re talented. You’re insane.
As a general rule with contractions, if I’m personally not sure if a contraction is necessary (i.e. you’re instead of your), I break up the word. Since the apostrophe stands for one or more missing letters, I check if the word is actually two words:
“Your my sunshine” = You are my sunshine = You’re is the correct form.
When I write in 140 characters or less, I tend, out of necessity, to shorten words (U instead of you) or use symbols (& instead of and), however Twitter (and Facebook statuses and other social media) do not require the same level of professionalism that your articles require.
I will be tagging grammar tips with a “grammar tips” tag so you can sift through our various tips whenever you’d like. Keep in mind that this was number one, so it may take a while to accumulate many tips. 
Awesome! Trying to improve my English writing so more such posts are very welcomed
Excellent tip!
Good, keep the tips coming. Many bloggers, for example, need to know the difference between “affect” and “effect” … and also “loose” and “lose”. They ought to know when alright is not all right! Thanks.
As a french speaking from Montreal, Quebec, I am most interested to improve my English writing. Thanks.
Markk - I will post both. I have had several requests on our Facebook fan page as well.
If any of you have any requests for info or suggestions, let me know in the comments. Thanks!
Personally I do not like to use contractions I feel it usually sounds better and you make less mistakes if you use do not rather than don’t and the same with the rest of them. Good post.
This a great lesson in the difference in “your” and “you’re”. Actually I’m one of those who simply didn’t “care” in high school. I was perfectly capable of passing English in high school but due to the previously mentioned attitude I didn’t. I do however know when to use each but I have never seen it explained so well before. The explanation on how to know when to use words containing apostrophes and when not to was them as good as it gets. I just had to use a dictionary to spell “apostrophes”…lol…Great post.
Ooops..(Is that really a word?) In regards to my previous comment; “The explanation on how to know when to use words containing apostrophes and when not to “was” them as good as it gets.” Should have read “The explanation …and when not to “use” them “was” as…gets.” See? I really can write in English>..LOL…
Excellent suggestions. Remember as publishes of online information, we will have readers coming to us from all backrounds and all languages. Making sure that what we publish is acute in English is important. It is also the responsiblity of the writer to proof read, not to simply rely on a spell check to do the task.