Commonly Confused Words:  were / we're / where

Note that these three words have structural or spelling differences

            were                          we're                          where

       no apostrophe                    apostrophe                           "h" added

Also, each of these words

• is PRONOUNCED differently
• has a different MEANING

were

    Pronunciation: Were rhymes with purr, stir, and her.

   Meaning - Were is the past tense of the verb are.

    Look at this example of were used in a sentence.

    In present tense, this sentence would say   

Since were means the same as the past tense of are in this sentence, it is the correct word to use.

SUGGESTION:  To test whether were is the correct word to use in a sentence, see if you can use are in its place, putting the sentence into the present tense.

we're

We're looks different from were:  it has an apostrophe between the first e and the r.

Pronunciation - We're rhymes with beer, fear, and pier.

Meaning - We're is a contraction made from the two words we and are.

It is correct to use we're when you can substitute we are for it.

   Look at this example of we're in a sentence.

This sentence means

Since we're means we are in this sentence, we're is the correct word to use.

where

Where looks different from were and we're because where contains an h.

Pronunciation - Where rhymes with scare, wear, and hair.

Meaning - Where refers to a place and often asks a question.

                  Where means "in which place" or "to which place."

   Look at this example.

   This sentence means

Since where means in which place in this sentence, where is the correct word to use.

     Look at this example of a question.

   This example means

Since where means to which place in this sentence, where is the correct word to use.

Link to exercises on  were, we're, and where.