The Its vs It’s Rule
The confusion between “its” and “it’s” is one of the most common mistakes in English writing—even among native speakers. The good news? Once you understand the rule, you’ll never make this mistake again.
The Golden Rule
IT’S = It is / It has (contraction)
ITS = Possessive (belonging to it)
When to Use It’s (with apostrophe)
Use “it’s” ONLY when you mean “it is” or “it has”:
- It’s raining. (It is raining)
- It’s been a long day. (It has been a long day)
- It’s important to know. (It is important)
- It’s time to go. (It is time)
- It’s been three years. (It has been)
When to Use Its (no apostrophe)
Use “its” to show possession (belonging to something):
- The dog wagged its tail.
- The company changed its policy.
- The phone lost its charge.
- The book has its merits.
- Every action has its consequence.
The Simple Test
Replace with “it is” or “it has”:
If the sentence still makes sense → use IT’S
If it doesn’t make sense → use ITS
Examples:
- “The cat licked ___ paws.” → “The cat licked it is paws” ✗ → Use ITS
- “___ a beautiful day.” → “It is a beautiful day” ✓ → Use IT’S
Common Examples
| Correct | Incorrect |
|---|---|
| It’s going to rain. | Its going to rain. |
| The car lost its wheel. | The car lost it’s wheel. |
| It’s been great! | Its been great! |
| The tree shed its leaves. | The tree shed it’s leaves. |
Why the Confusion?
In English, we usually add ‘s to show possession:
- John’s book
- The dog’s toy
- Sarah’s car
But pronouns follow different rules:
- his (not hi’s)
- hers (not her’s)
- ours (not our’s)
- theirs (not their’s)
- its (not it’s)
Practice Exercises
- ___ a good idea. (It’s)
- The bird built ___ nest. (its)
- ___ time to leave. (It’s)
- The company announced ___ earnings. (its)
- ___ been a pleasure. (It’s)
- Every story has ___ ending. (its)
- ___ not too late. (It’s)
- The hotel has ___ own restaurant. (its)
In Professional Writing
Email example:
❌ “The team presented it’s findings.”
✓ “The team presented its findings.”
Report example:
❌ “Its important to note that…”
✓ “It’s important to note that…”
Memory Tricks
Trick 1: The Expansion Test
Can you say “it is” or “it has”? → IT’S
Can’t expand it? → ITS
Trick 2: Think of Other Possessives
Just like his, hers, yours → ITS has no apostrophe
Trick 3: Apostrophes = Missing Letters
IT’S = something is missing (the “i” in “is”)
ITS = nothing is missing, shows ownership
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ❌ “The dog wagged it’s tail.”
✓ “The dog wagged its tail.” - ❌ “Its raining outside.”
✓ “It’s raining outside.” - ❌ “The app has it’s own settings.”
✓ “The app has its own settings.” - ❌ “Its been a long time.”
✓ “It’s been a long time.”
Conclusion
Remember this simple rule: If you can replace it with “it is” or “it has,” use IT’S. Otherwise, use ITS.
This one rule will eliminate one of the most common writing mistakes. Practice it consistently, and soon it will become second nature.