Confusing its and it’s is one of the most common mistakes English learners make. But don’t worry! Once you learn one simple trick, you’ll be able to choose the correct word every time. The difference between its and it’s is easy to master, and we’re going to show you how.

Table of Contents

The Basic Rule: Its or It’s?

Let’s start with the main rule. Let’s practice this rule together.

Its and it’s sound exactly the same when you say them out loud, so you can’t rely on your ears to know which one to write. The spelling depends only on the meaning of the sentence, which is why the substitution test below is so useful.

• Use it’s (with an apostrophe) when it is a contraction, or short form, of it is or it has.
• Use its (with no apostrophe) to show possession or that something belongs to something else. It usually comes before a noun, like in its name, its color, or its policy.

Think about other possessive words you know, like his, hers, ours, yours, and theirs. None of them use an apostrophe, and its follows the same pattern.

Here’s the only rule you need to remember:

If you can replace the word with “it is” or “it has” in your sentence, the correct choice is it’s. If not, use its.

Your Cheat Sheet:it’s = it is / it has its = belonging to or connected with it

The 3-Second Substitution Test

This simple test is the best way to decide which word to use. You can use it anytime you’re writing, even during an exam. Here’s how it works.

• Step 1: When you see its or it’s, try replacing it with “it is” or “it has”.
• Step 2: If the sentence still makes sense, you should use it’s.
• Step 3: If the sentence does not make sense and it shows that something belongs to something else, you should use its.

Let’s look at some examples.

• Sentence: “It’s raining.”
  • Test: “It is raining.”
  • Result: The sentence makes sense. The correct form is it’s.
• Sentence: “It’s been a long day.”
  • Test: “It has been a long day.”
  • Result: The sentence makes sense. The correct form is it’s. The way English uses “have” and “has” can be tricky. For more practice, you might find this guide on the difference between HAVE, HAVE GOT, and GOT very helpful.
• Sentence: “The company changed its policy.”
  • Test: “The company changed it is policy.”
  • Result: This does not make sense. The policy belongs to the company, so this is possessive. The correct form is its.

That’s all there is to it! This simple substitution helps you choose the right word every single time.

See the Difference in Real Sentences

Seeing how these two words work in real sentences helps you recognize the pattern naturally. Here are a few examples to help you practice the substitution test.

• “It’s cold, so the dog is sleeping in its bed.”
  • It’s cold → It is cold. (Correct)
  • its bed → it is bed. (Incorrect, the bed belongs to the dog)
• “It’s been a busy week, and the company has changed its schedule.”
  • It’s been a busy week → It has been a busy week. (Correct)
  • its schedule → it is schedule. (Incorrect, the schedule belongs to the company)
• “The phone is new, but its screen is already cracked.”
  • its screen → it is screen. (Incorrect, the screen belongs to the phone)
• “It’s easy to use once you understand its main feature.”
  • It’s easy → It is easy. (Correct)
  • its main feature → it is main feature. (Incorrect, the feature belongs to the device)

Fix the Mistake: 10 Common Its/It’s Errors

Ready to practice? Read the ten sentences below and choose the correct word, its or it’s. The answers and explanations are right below so you can check your work.

1. The weather is strange today; (its/it’s) changing every hour.
2. My cat is sleeping. Look at (its/it’s) cute little paws.
3. (Its/It’s) been a pleasure working with you.
4. The restaurant is famous for (its/it’s) delicious pizza.
5. I can’t find my book. I think (its/it’s) on the table.
6. The new software is great, but (its/it’s) features are a bit confusing.
7. (Its/It’s) never too late to start learning something new.
8. The country is proud of (its/it’s) long history.
9. Look at the time! (Its/It’s) almost midnight.
10. My phone isn’t working. I think (its/it’s) run out of battery.

Answers and Explanations

1. it’s: “it is changing every hour.”
2. its: The cute little paws belong to the cat. “it is cute little paws” is incorrect.
3. It’s: “It has been a pleasure working with you.”
4. its: Its refers to the restaurant and describes the restaurant’s pizza. “It is delicious pizza” is incorrect.
5. it’s: “I think it is on the table.”
6. its: Its refers to the software and describes its features. “It is features” is incorrect.
7. It’s: “It is never too late to start learning something new.”
8. its: The long history belongs to the country. “it is long history” is incorrect.
9. It’s: “It is almost midnight.”
10. it’s: “I think it has run out of battery.”

Quick Self-Test: Can You Get 8 out of 10?

Now it’s time to test yourself. Can you choose correctly at least eight times? Let’s find out! Choose the correct word for each sentence. The answers are at the end of this section.

1. The team celebrated (its/it’s) victory after the game.
2. (Its/It’s) a beautiful day for a walk in the park.
3. The city is known for (its/it’s) impressive buildings.
4. I think (its/it’s) going to rain later.
5. This coffee is good, but (its/it’s) flavor is very strong.
6. (Its/It’s) been a long time since we last saw each other.
7. My laptop is slow; (its/it’s) battery is old.
8. Can you check the package? I want to know (its/it’s) weight.
9. (Its/It’s) important to read the instructions carefully.
10. The bird has built (its/it’s) nest in the old tree.

Answers: 1. its, 2. It’s, 3. its, 4. it’s, 5. its, 6. It’s, 7. its, 8. its, 9. It’s, 10. its

How did you do?

• 8–10 correct: Excellent! You are ready to use its and it’s confidently.
• 6–7 correct: Good job! Review the substitution test and the examples one more time, then try this test again.
• 0–5 correct: No problem. Go back to the first section and read through the explanations carefully before retaking the test. You’ll get it!

Remember the rule: If “it is” or “it has” works, use it’s. For possession or connection, use its.

Optional Note: Why Its Has No Apostrophe

Have you ever wondered why the possessive its doesn’t have an apostrophe, even though we use an apostrophe for possessives like Maria’s book? The simple answer is that its follows the same pattern as other possessive pronouns like his, hers, yours, ours, and theirs. None of these words use an apostrophe to show possession, and its is just the same.

Now that you can confidently tell the difference between it’s and its, you’re ready for the next step. Since the contraction it’s can mean “it has,” you can improve your grammar even more by learning How to Correctly Use the Present Perfect Tense. Keep practicing, and you’ll be an expert in no time!