Mixing up it’s and its is an extremely common mistake. In this article, we’ll explain the difference between its and it’s, provide tips about how to remember the difference, and even cover some related questions.
Its with no apostrophe, on the other hand, is the possessive word, like "his" and "her," for nouns without gender. For example, "The sun was so bright, its rays blinded me."
Explore the difference between “its” and “it’s” with rules, tips, and examples. Learn to use "its" and "it's" correctly and confidently in your writing.
It’s (it is) nearly the end of the month. It’s (it has) gone really quickly. Its is a possessive determiner (like my, your, his) which we use when referring to things or animals: Every house in the street has got its own garage. [talking about a famous American journalist]
It's vs its is one of the most common English grammar mistakes made. Its (no apostrophe) is the possessive form of the pronoun it. Most possessives use an 's, which is probably the reason that many people find this confusing. It's (with apostrophe) is the shortened form of it is.
Here are example sentences with "it's" and "its": It's been raining for a week, and now it's starting to snow. (The first "it's" expands to "it has." The second "it's" expands to "it is.") It's one of the hardest courses in it's history. (The first "it's" is correct. The second should be "its.")
Its is the possessive form of "it." It's (with an apostrophe) is always short for "it is" (it's so fun) or "it has" (it's been nice knowing you). But, you might ask, don't apostrophes show possession, as in "teacher's pet"? Well, yes they do, but not necessarily with pronouns.
"Its" and "it's" are often confused because they sound the same, but they have very different meanings and uses. Here’s how to distinguish between them: