The words its and it's fit into a class of confused words called homonyms, which are words that are spelled the same or that sound the same, but have different meanings.
So how do you tell the difference between these words?
Well, first remember that it's (which uses the apostrophe) is a contraction for “It is,” so if you plug in “It is” and the sentence makes sense, then you have your answer: it's is the correct usage.
Give it a try:
“It’s about time you paid me back.”
So which “Its” is it? First, see if using “It is” makes sense.
“It is about time you paid me back.”
That makes sense, so the correct choice is “It’s” with the apostrophe. How about this one:
“The cat licked its paw.”
If we use the “It is test,” we get:
“The Cat licked it is paw.”
That obviously doesn’t make sense, so the answer is the possessive form, its—the one without the apostrophe.
Just to make sure you have it down, review the usage within the sample sentences provided below.
Examples of "It's" in a Sentence
- It's great to see you.
- If it's on sale, I'll buy it.
- The dress is so pretty, but if it's too expensive, I won't get it.
- It’s not too late for you to change your mind.
- The sky is clear; it’s really beautiful out there.
Examples of "Its" in a Sentence
- The dog is not happy because it has lost its bone.
- The president of the company was just elected, and he will be taking over its CEO position next year.
- My cat is fluffy, but its fur is too long for its body.
- The tree had a deep hole in its trunk.
- Walking through the house, we marvelled at its interior design for nearly an hour.