Difference between its and it’s

This is the fourth part of the difference between series.

One of the most common grammatical mistakes I see is using it’s instead of its. Or vice versa. Telling the difference is really easy actually.

It’s is a contraction. A contraction is a word formed by omitting or combining some of the sounds of a longer phrase. Other examples include won’t, can’t, shouldn’t.

In this case, it’s actually means “it is”.

Its, on the other hand, is the possessive form of “it”. In other words, we use it to speak of something that belongs to something else (e.g. its ball, its doghouse, its wings).

Let me know if you have any grammar questions, and I’ll be sure to post the question and answer here.

By Kim Siever

I am a copywriter and copyeditor. I blog on writing and social media tips mostly, but I sometimes throw in my thoughts about running a small business. Follow me on Twitter at @hotpepper.