Grammar Check: Its vs. It’s

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I have received more requests to cover this topic than any other. So today I will discuss how to use the words its and it’s.

Possessive

“Its,” without an apostrophe, is the possessive form of “it.” The possessive form indicates ownership, origin, or belonging.

Examples:  
The airplane is in its hangar.
The book is so old that its pages are musty.

Contractions

“It’s,” with an apostrophe, is a contraction. It is an abbreviated form of other words, and an apostrophe replaces omitted letters. Two words become one.

1. “It’s” is a shortened form of “it is.” The i from “is” is removed, replaced with an apostrophe, and the words are joined.

Example: It’s a great day for swimming. (It is a great day for swimming.)

2. “It’s” is a shortened form of “it has.” The ha from “has” is removed, replaced with an apostrophe, and the words are joined.

Example: It’s been great to see you. (It has been great to see you.)

Note that you do not replace “it has” with “it’s” when “has” is the main verb of the sentence.

Example: It has a window. 
“Has” is the main verb. Do not say or write, “It’s a window.” 

It’s—it is—easy to remember! Contraction is the act of contracting or shortening. When you are thinking about whether or not to use “it’s” ask yourself if you are contracting two words into one. If you are, then it’s correct to use an apostrophe.

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