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It’s and its are two of the most commonly mixed-up words in English.
It’s = it is [OR] it has
It’s is a contraction of it is or it has.
In other words, it’s is short for it is or it has when we use it in a sentence.
Examples:
- It’s raining again.
= It is raining again.- It’s been a long day.
= It has been a long day.- It’s not the end of the world.
= It is not the end of the world.
Its = Possession
Its (without the apostrophe) shows possession or association.
For example:
- An elephant flaps its ears to stay cool.
The flapping ears belong to the elephant. When we say ‘an elephant flaps its ears’, the word its shows that the ears belong to the elephant.
More examples:
- Mars has its own seasons, but they are much longer than Earth’s.
- Egypt is best known for its ancient civilization, particularly the pyramids.
- Mount Everest is the world’s highest mountain. Its peak rises more than 8,800 meters above sea level.
Note: Its is a possessive determiner. You can learn more about determiners here.
Choosing Between It’s and Its
To check whether we are using it’s or its correctly, there is a simple test we can apply:
– Replace the word with it is or it has. If the sentence still makes sense, use it’s. If it doesn’t, use its.
For example:
- My laptop needs its battery replacing.
Now let’s apply the test and replace its with it is or it has:
- My laptop needs it is battery replacing.
- My laptop needs it has battery replacing.
The sentences above no longer make any sense, so we would use its (not it’s).
✅ – My laptop needs its battery replacing.
❌ – My laptop needs it’s battery replacing.
Let’s take another example:
- It’s getting cold.
Replace it’s with it is:
- It is getting cold.
The sentence still makes sense, so we know that it’s is correct here.
✅ – It’s getting cold.
❌ – Its getting cold.
Quick Practice – It’s vs Its
The full question list and answers are below.
Instructions: Fill in each blank with either its or it’s.
- Every country has ______ quirks.
- The restaurant changed ______ menu and now nobody goes there.
- ______ an old car, but ______ engine still runs like new.
- ______ been ages since we last caught up.
- ______ hard to believe The Matrix is already over 25 years old.
- ______ funny how things work out sometimes.
- Central Park is one of the best things about New York, and ______ completely free.
- My phone keeps restarting on ______ own.
- I wouldn’t eat that if I were you. ______ been in the fridge since I can remember.
- ______ one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. ______ beaches, temples, mountains, and bustling cities with vibrant nightlife offer something for everyone.
Show Answers [Click]
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