The Difference Between Its and It’s

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mp;display_name=Vimeo&url=https%3A%2F%2Fvimeo.com%2F272809095&image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.vimeocdn.com%2Fvideo%2F704462751_1280.jpg&key=a19fcc184b9711e1b4764040d3dc5c07&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=vimeo" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="1080" width="1920"> </div> </div> </figure></iframe></div></div></figure><p id="72a4">This article was originally published on my site at <a href="https://createteachinspire.com/">CreateTeachInspire.com</a>. You can reach me there or email me at [email protected]</p><p id="243a">Want more grammar tips? Check these out:</p><div id="67f3" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/how-to-use-apostrophes-correctly-faef3a99e137"> <div> <div> <h2>How to Use Apostrophes Correctly</h2> <div><h3>The apostrophe has two purposes. When you understand them, it’s easy to use this punctuation mark correctly.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*m8tLik1wpt8xwWF8JaHZUw.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="2882" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/how-to-use-quotation-marks-correctly-1915dca97ee6"> <div> <div> <h2>How to Use Quotation Marks Correctly</h2> <div><h3>The incorrect use of quotation marks can confuse the reader and change the meaning of your message.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*1TQkcgkWfYWdUSxLm0Nqrg.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="6ff0" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/how-to-make-proper-nouns-plural-and-possessive-428cfb28d0fa"> <div> <div> <h2>How to Make Proper Nouns Plural and Possessive</h2> <div><h3>The difference between plural and possessive proper nouns — and how to always do it right.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*

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hE-bqrx0B0GX1pvZbB7FsA.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="2716" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/there-theyre-their-5089e13fcd62"> <div> <div> <h2>There, They’re, Their</h2> <div><h3>How to never make one of the most common word usage mistakes again</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*R86z2ztzp-P8C9-2O3r7cw.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="e88b" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/are-you-begging-the-question-when-you-should-be-raising-it-b008221823e1"> <div> <div> <h2>Are You Begging the Question When You Should be Raising It?</h2> <div><h3>If you have a question, don’t beg it — just ask it.</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*g4RjiduPQSrNIybpwaKpzw.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="9ea4">Here’s a little more about me:</p><div id="439d" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/i-couldnt-be-an-elephant-so-i-became-a-writer-d54048740b51"> <div> <div> <h2>I Couldn’t be an Elephant, so I Became a Writer</h2> <div><h3>When you love what you do, it’s still work — but it’s awesome work!</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*sY4FpBF5g1dnlvg2zITdbw.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="8c83">I’d love to connect with you! May I send a brief inspirational message every Saturday morning? Visit <a href="https://createteachinspire.com/saturday"><b>CreateTeachInspire.com/saturday</b></a> to receive messages like these:</p><figure id="ea2c"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*AbEexoQxUV2vVk2C.jpeg"><figcaption>Photos by Jerry D. Clement; text added by Jacquelyn Lynn</figcaption></figure></article></body>

In this Grammar Tip, we’re going showcase two words that sound alike but are often mixed up. And I’ll give you some tips so you won’t mix them up again.

The English language is full of grammar exceptions, and the specific one that applies in the case of when to use IT’S and when to use ITS confuses a lot of people.

A primary reason for that is that one of them is an exception to one of the rules for using apostrophes. (See below for the link to my grammar tip on apostrophes.) Don’t question it, just accept it and remember it. Here’s what you need to know:

IT’S is the contraction for IT IS. This follows the apostrophe rule for creating a contraction, which is when you combine two words to make one and use an apostrophe to replace the deleted letters.

If you can replace IT’S with IT IS and your sentence still makes sense, you’ve got it right.

ITS is another story. Another rule for using apostrophes is to show possession by combining an apostrophe with an s at the end of a word. If you applied that rule to ITS, however, you’d be wrong.

ITS without an apostrophe is the possessive form of the word IT. ITS means belonging to it. If you can replace ITS with HIS or HER and the sentence still makes sense, you’re doing it right.

For example:

IT’S wonderful means it is wonderful. I can see ITS teeth means I can see the teeth that belong to it.

The confusion between IT’S and ITS is understandable, but knowing how to use each word correctly is quite simple.

Grammar Tip

The Difference Between Its and It’s

These two words are often mixed up, but with these tips, you’ll always get them right

In this Grammar Tip, we’re going showcase two words that sound alike but are often mixed up. And I’ll give you some tips so you won’t mix them up again.

Watch the video:

How to Use Apostrophes Correctly

The apostrophe has two purposes. When you understand them, it’s easy to use this punctuation mark correctly.

How to Use Quotation Marks Correctly

The incorrect use of quotation marks can confuse the reader and change the meaning of your message.

How to Make Proper Nouns Plural and Possessive

The difference between plural and possessive proper nouns — and how to always do it right.

There, They’re, Their

How to never make one of the most common word usage mistakes again

Are You Begging the Question When You Should be Raising It?

If you have a question, don’t beg it — just ask it.

I Couldn’t be an Elephant, so I Became a Writer

When you love what you do, it’s still work — but it’s awesome work!