Its VS It's

Its VS It's 

There is often confusion between its and it's. However, the matter is very simple:

It's

• It's is short for it is or it has. 

• This is a 100% rule. 

• It cannot be used for anything else.

•  If you cannot expand it's to it is or it has, then it is wrong.

Its

• Its is like his and her.

• His is used for a masculine possessor (owner). (These are his pies.)

• Her is used for feminine possessor. (These are her flowers.)

• Its is used for neuter possessor. (These are its footprints.)

Examples:It's been raining for a week, and now it's starting to snow.
(It has been raining....it is starting to snow)

It's one of the hardest courses in it's history.
(The first it's is correct. The second should be its.)

I think the company wants to have its cake and eat it.
(its – possessive form. This is correct.)

The reef shark chases it's prey through the coral.
(should be its, i.e., the possessive form. You cannot expand this to it is or it has.)

I'm astounded by people who want to know the universe when it's so hard to find your way around Chinatown.  (Woody Allen)

 A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.  (Winston Churchill)

There is nothing in the world like the devotion of a married woman. It's a thing no married man knows anything about. (Oscar Wilde)

Whenever cannibals are on the brink of starvation, Heaven, in its infinite mercy, sends them a fat
missionary. (Oscar Wilde)

Constant company wears out its welcome.

A frog can't empty its stomach by vomiting. To empty its stomach contents, a frog throws up its stomach first, so the stomach is dangling out of its mouth. Then the frog uses its forearms to dig out all of the stomach's contents and then swallows the stomach back down again.

Now you can try the following exercises for Its or It’s:

1 - Circle the correct word in each sentence.

• Its is a possessive pronoun.

• Itʼs is a contraction that means it is.

a) The tiger licked its it’s paw.

b) I wonder if its it’s going to rain tomorrow.

c) I’m glad its it’s sunny outside today.

d) My cat and its it’s kittens are taking a nap.

e) Your puppy is so cute, what’s its it’s name?

f) Have you seen my toy? Its It’s not in its it’s box.

g) That dress is beautiful! Its It’s color is perfect for you.

h) Hurry up and catch the train! Its It’s coming!

i) Its It’s time to go to school.

j) Its It’s going to be a long walk to the train.

Have a good week!