Its vs. It’s – What’s the Difference?

English learners often get confused between “its” and “it’s” — and even native speakers make mistakes with these two! But don’t worry. Once you understand the difference, it’s easy to get it right every time.

🔤 Quick Explanation

• ✅ It’s = it is or it has
• ✅ Its = possessive form of “it” (shows that something belongs to “it”)

🔎 When to Use “It’s”

It’s is a contraction (short form) of:

• it + is
• it + has

📌 Examples with “it is”:

• It’s a sunny day. (= It is a sunny day.)
• It’s very late. (= It is very late.)

📌 Examples with “it has”:

• It’s been a long time. (= It has been a long time.)
• It’s got two bedrooms and a balcony. (= It has got…)

TIP: If you can say “it is” or “it has,” use it’s.

🧸 When to Use “Its”

Its is the possessive form of “it.”
Use it to show that something belongs to “it.”

📌 Examples:

• The cat licked its paw.
• The company changed its logo.
• This book has lost its cover.

🧠 Think of “its” like “his” or “her” — there’s no apostrophe.

🚫 Common Mistake

Many learners think that “its” should have an apostrophe to show possession. But in English, possessive pronouns (like his, hers, its, yours) don’t use apostrophes.

🔁 WRONG: The dog chased it’s tail. ❌
✅ RIGHT: The dog chased its tail.

📝 Mini Quiz – Choose “its” or “it’s”

1. ___ raining outside.
2. The robot lost ___ arm.
3. ___ been a long week.
4. I love this phone. ___ design is perfect.
5. ___ time to leave!

Answers:

1. It’s
2. Its
3. It’s
4. Its
5. It’s

🔁 Quick Recap

💡 Final Tip

If you’re not sure which one to use, try replacing it with “it is” or “it has.” If the sentence still makes sense, use it’s. If not, you probably need its.