Its vs It's at a glance
- its
/ɪts/ · determiner
Belonging to it.
- The dog wagged its tail.
- The company changed its logo last year.
- it's
/ɪts/ · contraction of it is or it has
A short form of "it is" or "it has".
- It's cold outside today.
- It's been a long week.
How to remember it
His, hers and its never have an apostrophe. If you can say "it is" or "it has", write it's.
Good to know
The form its' does not exist.
Common mistakes
Wrong: The phone is old and it's battery is weak.
Right: The phone is old and its battery is weak.
Wrong: Its raining again.
Right: It's raining again.
Quick quiz
1. too late to call him now.
2.The tree is losing leaves.
3. been ages since we last met.
Pick the right word for each gap.
Often confused too
- theirvstherevsthey'reUse their for possession (their house), there for a place or "there is", and they're only as a short form of "they are".
- yourvsyou'reUse your to show something belongs to you (your bag) and you're only as a short form of "you are".
- whosevswho'sUse whose to ask or say who owns something (whose bag?) and who's only as a short form of "who is" or "who has".