It's vs. Its: The Apostrophe Trap
The Rule
- It’s = it is OR it has (contraction)
- Its = belonging to it (possessive)
That’s it. No exceptions.
It’s: The Contraction
“It’s” is a shortened form of “it is” or “it has”:
- “It’s raining outside.” ✓ (it is)
- “It’s been a long day.” ✓ (it has)
- “It’s not what I expected.” ✓ (it is)
If you can expand it to “it is” or “it has,” use the apostrophe.
Its: The Possessive
“Its” shows ownership—something belongs to “it”:
- “The dog wagged its tail.” ✓
- “The company changed its policy.” ✓
- “The tree lost its leaves.” ✓
No apostrophe needed for possession.
Why This Is Confusing
Usually, apostrophes show possession: “the dog’s tail,” “Sarah’s book.”
But “it” breaks the pattern. The possessive has NO apostrophe.
Why? Because “it’s” was already taken for “it is.” English chose to avoid the collision.
The Expansion Test
Can you replace it with “it is” or “it has”?
- Yes → it’s
- No → its
“The cat licked _____ paws.” → “The cat licked it is paws.” ✗ → Use its
”_____ going to rain.” → “It is going to rain.” ✓ → Use it’s
Compare to Other Pronouns
Notice that possessive pronouns never use apostrophes:
| Pronoun | Possessive |
|---|---|
| he | his (not he’s for possession) |
| she | hers (not she’s for possession) |
| they | theirs (not they’s) |
| it | its (not it’s for possession) |
“Its” follows the same pattern as “his,” “hers,” and “theirs.”
Common Mistakes
Wrong: “The team celebrated it’s victory.” Right: “The team celebrated its victory.”
Wrong: “Its a beautiful day.” Right: “It’s a beautiful day.”
The Memory Shortcut
If in doubt, say “it is” out loud. If it sounds right, use it’s. If it sounds wrong, use its.
“The bird spread (it is) wings.” → Sounds wrong → its
“(It is) time to go.” → Sounds right → it’s
Remember
- It’s = it is / it has (contraction with apostrophe)
- Its = possessive (no apostrophe, like his/hers/theirs)