“It’s” vs “Its”

Using the incorrect form of “it’s” and “its” is one of the most common pet peeves of grammar rules. “It’s” is the contraction of “it is” or “it has”. The basic grammar rule for the use of “it’s” and “its” is actually very simple. If you mean to write “it is” or “it has” then you should use “it’s” and for everything else you should use “its”. Here are some examples for you to further understand the correct use of it’s:

It’s time for dinner.

In the above sentence, “it’s” actually means “it is time for dinner.”

It’s been a really long time.

In the above sentence, “it’s” is used as a contract for “it has been a really long time.”

“Its” is the other form that has no apostrophe. It is used as the possessive determiner to designate things. Here are some examples for you to further understand the correct use of “its:”

My dog hurt its leg.

The company awarded its employees.

Now if you try to replace “its” with “it is” or “it has” in the above sentences, they will not make any sense. Therefore, during writing whenever you feel confused about whether to use “it’s” or “its”, try reading the sentence without contraction. If the sentence makes sense use “it’s” otherwise use “its.”