Its vs it's

This one test stops a mistake that costs easy accuracy marks.

The rule in one minute

It’s (with an apostrophe) is short for it is or it has. The apostrophe replaces the missing letters, just as in don’t and can’t.

• It’s cold outside. = It is cold outside.
• It’s been a long day. = It has been a long day.

Its (no apostrophe) shows that something belongs to it. It is in the same family as his, hers, ours and theirs. In The cat licked its paw, the paw belongs to the cat.

Many students add an apostrophe to its because apostrophes often show ownership. But possessive pronouns never take one. We write hers, not her’s, and we write its, not it’s, for ownership.

Why this mistake costs marks

Its and it’s appear in almost every piece of writing. A student who mixes them up will make the same visible error again and again.

Markers can point to it easily, because it is plainly wrong, not a matter of style. In ESL writing, accuracy is marked directly. In First Language writing, it weakens the overall impression of control.

The good news is that one quick test fixes it for good.

Wrong and right

• Wrong: Its going to be a difficult exam. Right: It’s going to be a difficult exam. Test: It is going to be. The apostrophe is needed.
• Wrong: The company changed it’s logo last year. Right: The company changed its logo last year. The logo belongs to the company, so there is no apostrophe.
• Wrong: Its been raining since morning. Right: It’s been raining since morning. Test: It has been raining.
• Wrong: The plant lost most of it’s leaves. Right: The plant lost most of its leaves. The leaves belong to the plant.
• Wrong: I think its too late now. Right: I think it’s too late now. Test: It is too late.

Try it yourself

Choose the correct word, then check the answers below.

1. The team celebrated (its / it’s) first win of the season.
2. (Its / It’s) not fair that the trip was cancelled.
3. The old house had lost (its / it’s) charm.
4. I hope (its / it’s) sunny for the picnic.
5. Every argument has (its / it’s) weak point.

Answers: (1) its, because the win belongs to the team. (2) It’s, because it means it is not fair. (3) its, because the charm belongs to the house.

(4) it’s, because it means it is sunny. (5) its, because the weak point belongs to the argument.

Make the test automatic

Whenever you write either word, say it is or it has in your head. If the sentence still makes sense, use it’s. If it sounds strange, use its. The bird built it is nest is clearly wrong, so you write its nest.

It also helps to say his, hers, its, ours, theirs together. None of them has an apostrophe.

When you proofread, do one separate pass looking only for these two words. They are easy to miss in a normal read.

Where students get stuck, and how we help

Most students know the rule but still slip when writing fast under time pressure. In our online 1-to-1 English as a Second Language lessons, a teacher finds the slip in your own writing and drills the test until the choice is automatic. Lessons start from RM70/hr, and you can book a paid one-hour trial to see how it works.

Next step

Try the practice tasks and use our proofreading guide on your last essay. Then read about there, their and they’re and plurals and possessives. Add the last-ten-minutes checking routine for exam day.

Next, visit our original practice tasks to use the rule in your own writing. Our IGCSE English tuition page explains how lessons run. When you are ready, the paid one-hour trial is the first step.