The word, ‘it’s’, with an apostrophe, is a contraction of ‘it is’ or ‘it has’. When you want to say ‘it is’ or ‘it has’, use an apostrophe. Guide to Grammar and Style Examples:
- It’s a nice day.
- It’s your right to refuse the promotion.
- It’s time to move on.
- It’s been great talking to you.
- It’s a powerfully expressive poem that proclaims the strength of Fidel Castro.
- Apple left little doubt that it’s poised to reveal the new product at an event in San Francisco.
- The business began in June, and since then, it’s been booming.
The word, ‘its’, without an apostrophe, is the possessive of the pronoun ‘it’. When you want to indicate ‘possession’ or ‘ownership’ don’t use the apostrophe. Walden University Grammar Handbook Examples:
- The dog hurt its paw.
- The school celebrated its tenth anniversary.
- There is a general sense that the United States and its allies have limited leverage.
- Columbia University seems to have forgotten its core values.
- Most of its funding comes from federal grants with very little oversight.
Which is correct, ‘Its’ or ‘it’s’?
Whether you should use ‘Its’ or ‘it’s’ depends upon what you want to say!
- Incorrect: Its very late to go to work.
- Correct: It’s very late to go to work.
- Incorrect: The glass is in it’s rack.
- Correct: The glass is in its rack.
- Incorrect: Its always sunny in Florida.
- Correct: It’s always sunny in Florida.
- Incorrect: The dog is in it’s house.
- Correct: The dog is in its house.
- Incorrect: Its been five months.
- Correct: It’s been five months.
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FAQs
A good way to know whether you should use “its” or “it's” is do this: take out the “its” or “it's” and replace it with “it is.” If the sentence still is grammatically correct then you can use “it's.” If not, then “its” is probably appropriate.
When to use its instead of it's? ›
It's is a contraction and should be used where a sentence would normally read "it is" or "it has." The apostrophe indicates that part of a word has been removed. Its with no apostrophe, on the other hand, is the possessive word, like "his" and "her," for nouns without gender.
How do you use its as a possessive? ›
Its and it's are often confused, but its (without apostrophe) is the possessive form of 'it' (e.g., its tail, its argument, its wing). You use 'its' instead of 'his' and 'her' for neuter, inanimate nouns.
Do you ever put an apostrophe after its? ›
In a nutshell: It's is always a contraction, so if you can replace it's with "it is" or "it has," then keep that apostrophe on there. It's appropriate! If you try to replace its with "it is" or "it has" and it doesn't make sense, don't use it. Its meaning will shine without that pesky apostrophe.
Is it its time or it's time? ›
Both can be correct in the appropriate sentence. “It's time to leave.” This means “It is time to leave.” “It's” is a contraction of “it” and “is.” “The car was invented before its time.” In that case, “its” refers to the car; it isn't a contraction.
Why is its vs it's a problem? ›
Here's the rub: its (without an apostrophe) is a possessive pronoun, like his or her, for nouns that don't have a defined gender. In contrast, it's (with an apostrophe) is the shortened form, or contraction, of it is or it has.
Why do we use its in a sentence? ›
"It's" is a contraction, which means that it is actually two words condensed into one word. The word "it's" stands for "it is" or "it has." So, writers can use "it's" when they want to say "it is." "Its," on the other hand, is a possessive pronoun, which means that it shows the ownership of something.
How to use its in a sentence example? ›
Example sentences which use 'its'
- This cheese is past its expiration date.
- The flag is on its pole.
- This book is better than its cover would suggest.
- The elephant is in its zoo.
- The milk is in its container.
- This pillow is too big for its case.
- This frog is too small for its aquarium.
- The ball is in its bin.
The basic rule is simple enough: a possessive form is spelled with 's at the end. Hence: Lisa's essay. England's navy.
What are 10 examples of possessive pronouns in a sentence? ›
Possessive Pronouns | Examples, Definition & List
| Possessive pronouns | Possessive determiners |
|---|
| Is this car yours? | Your car is very nice. |
| That stuff is his. | His stuff is all over the living room. |
| That cat of hers is always causing problems. | Her cat is so aggressive. |
| – | This building is very large; its elevator holds fifty people. |
4 more rowsJun 25, 2024
When NOT to Use an Apostrophe
- Do not use an apostrophe in the possessive pronouns whose, ours, yours, his, hers, its, or theirs.
- Do not use an apostrophe in nouns that are plural but not possessive, such as CDs, 1000s, or 1960s.
- Do not use an apostrophe in verbs.
The correct form is "it's OK," with an apostrophe. "It's" is a contraction of "it is," so when you say "it's OK," you are essentially saying "it is OK." The apostrophe represents the omitted letters, making it the proper way to write this phrase.
Why is there no possessive pronoun for it? ›
Here are all the possessive pronouns along with the adjectives: *There is no possessive pronoun for 'it' because it would be too unclear what the meaning was.
Which is correct, talk to him or talk with him? ›
They are both correct and have different meanings. “I talked to him” means that I gave him information. That would be a one way communication. “I talked with him” means we exchanged information.
Is it correct to say what time is it? ›
“What time is it?” is the correct way to say it. Anyone asking “what time is this” or “what time is that” would sound like a non-native English speaker. You could also say, “Do you have the time?” The problem with that is the person could respond with a simple “yes” and no tell you what the time is.
Why past tense after it's time? ›
We can use IT'S TIME + PAST SIMPLE to talk about an action that should have already been done. The context determines whether it was a short or long time ago, but the feeling of the message is the same, that there is a sense of urgency and that the action really needs to happen now.
What to use instead of its? ›
Synonyms for Its
- own. adj.
- him. n.
- inherent. adj.
- yours. adj.
- hers. adj.
- owned. adj.
- theirs. adj.
- his. adj.
In general, both it is I and it's me are valid ways of introducing yourself. It's just that it is I is more formal, and can sound old fashioned to the modern ear. It's me is more casual and relaxed, and you're more likely to hear it in present-day conversations. Make Your Writing Shine!
