What is the difference between its and it's? Thank you!!
3 Answers
Its means possessive of something. (e.g. its day.)
It's is the short form of it is or it has. (e.g. it's eleven.)
ITS is possessive. IT'S is a contraction if "it is" or "it has".
Explanation:
The main confusion that arises from ITS/IT'S is that ITS is possessive but doesn't use an apostrophe.
Most possessive forms use an apostrophe:
John's house is painted red.
The dog's nose was moist.
The noodles' warmth will dissipate.
However, when using ITS to denote possession, there is no apostrophe. While this may seem confusing, remember that ITS is a possessive pronoun, and that none of the possessive pronouns use apostrophes:
Its main cause is yet to be known.
Her lackluster effort is to blame for staying up too late.
Their legs were tired after the long walk.
IT'S, on the other hand, is a contraction, just like wasn't and don't. The apostrophe takes the place of the missing letter(s):
#"it "mathbf("i")"s "rarr" it's"#
#"it "mathbf("ha")"s "rarr" it's"#
For example:
It has been so long since I have seen you!
Can become
It's been so long since I've seen you!
Or, we can use IT'S in the present tense:
When the microwave beeps, it is time to eat.
Can become
When the microwave beeps, it's time to eat.
ITS is possessive. IT'S is a contraction of "it is" or "it has".
Explanation:
The main confusion that arises from ITS/IT'S is that ITS is possessive but doesn't use an apostrophe.
Most possessive forms use an apostrophe:
John's house is painted red.
The dog's nose was moist.
The noodles' warmth will dissipate.
However, when using ITS to denote possession, there is no apostrophe.
While this may seem confusing, remember that ITS is a possessive pronoun, and that none of the possessive pronouns use apostrophes:
Its main cause is yet to be known.
Her lackluster effort is to blame for staying up too late.
Their legs were tired after the long walk.
IT'S, on the other hand, is a contraction, just like wasn't and don't. The apostrophe takes the place of the missing letter(s):
#"it "mathbf"i""s "rarr" it's"#
#"it "mathbf"ha""s "rarr" it's"#
For example:
It has been so long since I have seen you!
Can become
It's been so long since I've seen you!
Or, we can use IT'S in the present tense:
When the microwave beeps, it is time to eat.
Can become
When the microwave beeps, it's time to eat.
