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If you’re confused by these two little words, you’ve come to the right place. (Not that there aren’t other right places.)


It’s is a contraction for it is or it has.

Its is a possessive pronoun meaning, more or less, of it or belonging to it.

And there is absolutely, positively, no such word as its’.

A simple test

If you can replace it[‘]s in your sentence with it is or it has, then your word is it’s; otherwise, your word is its.

Another test

Its is the neuter version of his and her. Try plugging her into your sentence where you think its belongs. If the sentence still works grammatically (if not logically) then your word is indeed its.

Examples

It’s been good to know you. Contraction: it has
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! Contraction: it is

The dodo bird is known for its inability to fly. Possessive pronoun: its inability = the dodo bird’s inability


Bonus grammar – words that are often confused

Among/Amongst – Among is more common. You will see amongst on the British side of the pond, although amongst Americans it most certainly seems quite affected.

Attain/Obtain – Attain is to reach a goal or achievement. Obtain is just to get something.

Capitol/Capital – Capitol is the building where government representatives meet. Capital is everything else: money, punishable by death, chief in importance, an administrative city, etc,

Emigrate/Immigrate – Emigrate means to leave a place. Immigrate means to arrive at a place.

Eminent/Imminent – Eminent means distinguished or standing out. Imminent is something that is going to happen very soon,

e.g./i.e. – e.g. means “for example” and i.e. means “that is to say”.

Flout/Flaunt – Flout is to disregard the rules. Flaunt is to hype something up like a new car.

Gray/Grey – Gray is American, grey is British.

Lead/Led (both pronounced to rhyme with bed) – Lead is a metal while led is what is done to a follower (e.g. “Jimmy was led to the levee before it broke”).

Levee/Levy – A levee is a quay, dike or dam. To levy is to impose a tax, wage war or conduct a military draft.

Loose/Lose – Loose is something that isn’t fastened. Lose is to misplace something or to not win. A loser is a person who confuses these two words.

Principle/Principal – A principle is a code by which you live. A principal is the person in charge of your school, who may be your pal. Principal can also mean the money paid out for a loan.

There/They’re/Their – There is a location, they’re means they are, their means it belongs to them.

Who/Whom – Just use who. Nobody uses whom anymore. If you must, whom can be used as an object if you know what you are doing. For example, whom in “for whom the bell tolls” is the object of the preposition “for”.


More on grammar

See Jack Lynch’s popular and handy Grammar and Style Notes.

The Word Detective may surprise you with his history of it’s and its.