Like most English speakers, you may sometimes confuse " its " with " it's ". This error is easy to make, but also easy to fix. To eliminate this error in writing, remember that " it's " always means " it is " or " it has ". If you get into the habit of checking for common mistakes like this, you'll never go wrong with making sentences!
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Part 1 of 2: Using “It's” and “Its” Correctly in Sentences
Step 1. Use " its " to signify ownership
When the pronoun " it " is used, the possessive form you should use for the pronoun is " its ". Like the possessive markers " hers " and " his ", the word " its " (or the suffix “-nya” in Indonesian) doesn't need an apostrophe to signify ownership. Use " its " to describe something that belongs to or is part of an animal, plant, or inanimate object. Some examples of sentences that use the word " its ", among them, are:
- My oak tree loses its leaves in autumn.
- My neighbor's cat never stays in its own yard.
- That bottle of wine is cheap, but it has its charms.
- Google needs to update its privacy policy (Google needs to update its privacy policy).
Step 2. Include an apostrophe when the word " it's " is used as " it is " or " it has"
Use an apostrophe only if the word " it's " serves as an abbreviation for " it is " or " it has ". Some examples of sentences that use this word include:
- It's a nice day.
- It's been a nice day.
- Let's see that movie: I hear it's amazing! (Let's watch that movie! I heard it's cool!).
Step 3. Use placeholders to double-check word usage
If you're reading a sentence and aren't sure whether using " its " or " it's " is appropriate, try replacing the word with the phrase " it is " or " it has ". If you can replace the words " it's " or " its " with " it is " or " it has ", you will need to insert an apostrophe between “it” and “s” (" it's ").
- Try using the following example sentences: " The kitten had lost _ whiskers ".
- Replace the empty fields with " it is " or " it has ": " The kitten had lost it is whiskers ". In this sentence, the use of the phrase makes the meaning of the sentence wrong.
- Therefore, the correct sentence is " The kitten had lost its whiskers ". Since “whiskers” belonged to “kittens”, the use of the word “its” signifies that ownership.
- Keep in mind that if you can't replace " it's " with " it is " or " it has ", using the apostrophe between " it” and " s” is not appropriate for the context of the sentence you are reading.
Part 2 of 2: Practice Using “Its”/” It's” Properly in Sentences
Step 1. Pay attention to the example sentences that will be given
You must fill in the blanks with " its " or " it's ": " The museum needs to update _ online schedule for summer " (The museum needs to update its online schedule for the summer).
Step 2. Think about whether using " it is " or " it has " can replace " it's"
To determine whether an apostrophe should be used, consider whether the word " it's " is an abbreviation of " it is " or " it has ". If you are not sure, read the sentence above aloud.
- Is the phrase " it is " or " it has " suitable for this sentence? “The museum needs to update it is online schedule for summer. The answer is of course no.
- Can you use " its " to refer to something that an inanimate object has? Yes, because the noun “online schedule” is owned by “museum”. Therefore, the correct answer is: “The museum needs to update its online schedule for summer” (The museum needs to update its online schedule for summer).
Step 3. Try the same method for the following sentences:
"_ hard to tell the difference between those shades of green".
- Does the phrase " it is " or " it has " match the sentence? “It is hard to tell the difference between those shades of green.”
- The phrase " it is " fits perfectly into the sentence so you don't have to think about anything else. The correct answer is “It's hard to tell the difference between those shades of green.”
