Commonly Confused Words: It's versus Its

A common grammatical conundrum that puzzles many writers is understanding when to use  its versus  it’s. While this may seem confusing, there is a simple way to determine the correct choice between  it’s and  its. In fact, these two different words actually represent two different parts of speech.

It’s is a form of speech known as a contraction. Contractions include words such as don’t, won’t, and isn’t. It is this last contraction that is useful to consider when thinking about  it’s. Don’t is a contraction replacing “do not” while won’t is a contraction replacing “will not”; isn’t is a contraction that replaces “is not.”  It’s is a contraction replacing “it is” or “it has.” Therefore, you should choose  it’s when you intend to say “it is” or “it has.” This is an easy way to remember the difference. For example, i t’s my intention as the author of this article to help you discern the difference between these two commonly confused words:  it’s and  its.

On the other hand,  its is a possessive form of speech; specifically, this form of  its signifies belonging. The greatest attribute of this short article is  its articulation of the difference between two commonly confused words. I hope that this paper serves  its purpose in assisting writers and aspiring writers to understand the difference between  it’s and  its. Another example is "The frog stretched its leg." One other common error when using this possessive form (its) is the use of an apostrophe after the word (its’). However, this isn’t a correct use of this word.

When you're considering whether to use "its" versus "it's", try to replace the word in the sentence with "it is" or "it has". If the sentence is still grammatically correct, then you can use it's. If the sentence is not grammatically correct and the word indicates possession, then use its.

FAQ

When do you use "it's" versus "its"?

Although it's and its are pronounced the same, their meaning differs.

It’s (using an apostrophe) is a contraction, or shortened version of "it is" or "it has". For example, one might say, “It’s time to wake up.”

Its (no apostrophe) is the possessive form of "it". This indicates belonging. For example, one might say, “The bird plucked at its nest.”

What does "its" mean?

Without an apostrophe, its is the possessive form of “it” (e.g., its ears, its thesis, its photo). Its denotes ownership of or belonging to.

 Professional Help for Your Writing

It’s a challenge to understand the vast amount of rules in the English language. However, if you need help writing your paper, consider using some of the resources on  Editor World: Writing, Editing, & Proofreading Services. Using a resource has  its benefits for improving your writing.  It’s a great idea to seek the services of a professional editor to improve and polish your document. When faced with the choice between  it’s and  its, remember that the apostrophe in  it’s indicates a contraction, while  its represents possession.