Vocabulary
A2–B1
5 min read
Updated 9 June 2026
Quick answer: Its (no apostrophe) is possessive: the dog wagged its tail. It's (with apostrophe) is a contraction of it is or it has: It's raining. It's been a long day. Test: expand to it is or it has — if it fits, use it's.
Comparison Table
| Word | Meaning | Example | Common Use |
|---|
| its | possessive — belonging to it (no apostrophe) | The cat licked its paw. | describing companies, animals, countries: "its logo", "its capital" |
| it's | contraction — it is / it has (apostrophe = missing letter) | It's cold today. It's been wonderful. | informal and spoken English; avoided in formal academic writing |
Using Its (Possessive)
Its without an apostrophe is a possessive determiner. Like his, her, and their, it shows that something belongs to or is associated with a thing or animal referred to as it. It always comes before a noun.
The company updated its website.
The bird spread its wings.
The phone lost its battery charge quickly.
The city is famous for its museums.
Notice that its is similar to his and her — none of these possessive determiners take an apostrophe. The rule: possessive pronouns never have apostrophes.
Using It's (Contraction)
It's with an apostrophe is a contraction. It can mean it is or it has.
It's = It is
It's getting dark. (= It is getting dark)
It's a beautiful day. (= It is a beautiful day)
I think it's too late now. (= it is too late)
It's = It has
It's been a long week. (= It has been)
It's never happened before. (= It has never happened)
The Substitution Test
Replace the word with it is or it has.
If the sentence makes sense → use it's.
If it sounds wrong → use its.
"___ raining." → "It is raining." → Makes sense → It's raining.
"The dog wagged ___ tail." → "The dog wagged it is tail." → Wrong → its tail.
"___ been three years." → "It has been three years." → Makes sense → It's been three years.
"The car needs ___ tyres changed." → "The car needs it is tyres changed." → Wrong → its tyres.
Why This Is Confusing
English normally uses an apostrophe to show possession: John's book, the cat's bowl. So it seems logical to write it's to show possession. But here English has an exception: it's is always a contraction, never a possessive. The possessive form is its without apostrophe — just like his and her never use apostrophes.
This exception trips up even advanced writers. The key is to remember: the apostrophe in it's always means a letter is missing, not that something belongs to it.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1 — Using it's for possession
✗ The school revised it's policy.
✓ The school revised its policy.
Mistake 2 — Using its for it is
✗ Its going to rain tomorrow.
✓ It's going to rain tomorrow. (= It is going to rain)
Mistake 3 — Using its for it has
✗ Its never been easier to learn English.
✓ It's never been easier to learn English. (= It has)
Mistake 4 — Writing it's in formal academic writing
In academic writing, expand contractions: avoid it's and write it is or it has in full.
Mini-Quiz
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between its and it's?
Its (no apostrophe) is a possessive determiner meaning "belonging to it": "The bird spread its wings." It's (with apostrophe) is a contraction of "it is" or "it has": "It's raining" (= it is raining). "It's been a long day" (= it has been). The apostrophe in it's always marks a missing letter — it never shows possession.
How do I remember whether to use its or it's?
Use the substitution test: expand the word to "it is" or "it has." If the sentence still makes sense, use it's. If it sounds wrong, use its (possessive). Example: "It's going to rain" → "It is going to rain" — correct → it's. "The company changed its logo" → "The company changed it is logo" — wrong → its.
Why doesn't the possessive "its" have an apostrophe?
English possessive pronouns and determiners — his, her, its, our, their, your — never take apostrophes. This is a fundamental rule. The apostrophe in contractions marks missing letters; it does not show possession in pronouns. With nouns, the apostrophe does show possession (John's book), but pronouns have separate possessive forms instead. Its follows the same pattern as his and her, neither of which use apostrophes.
Can it's mean "it has" as well as "it is"?
Yes. It's can contract either "it is" or "it has" depending on context. "It's raining" = it is raining. "It's been wonderful" = it has been wonderful. "It's never happened" = it has never happened. The "it has" meaning usually appears before a past participle (been, happened, taken). In formal writing, always expand contractions to "it is" or "it has" in full.
Is it's correct in formal writing?
No — contractions including it's are generally avoided in formal academic writing, professional reports, and business documents. Write "it is" or "it has" in full. Contractions are fine in emails, blog posts, social media, fiction, and informal correspondence. In IELTS writing, avoiding contractions is part of maintaining a formal register, particularly in Task 2 essays.
What other words follow the same pattern as its/it's?
The same apostrophe pattern applies to: your (possessive) vs you're (you are); their (possessive) vs they're (they are); whose (possessive) vs who's (who is / who has). In each pair, the version without an apostrophe is the possessive, and the version with an apostrophe is a contraction. None of the possessive pronouns use apostrophes.
Do native speakers confuse its and it's?
Frequently. Its/it's confusion is among the most common punctuation errors in English — found in newspapers, company websites, academic papers, and social media. The confusion arises because in almost every other case in English, an apostrophe before 's' shows possession (the cat's tail, the city's streets). The its/it's pair is one of the few exceptions to that pattern.
What is "its own" used for?
"Its own" is a common phrase meaning belonging to itself, or independently: "The idea has merits of its own." "The project developed a life of its own." "Each language has its own beauty." This is always the possessive its without apostrophe. You can confirm by testing: "The project developed a life of it is own" — does not make sense → its (possessive) is correct.
Can "its" be used for animals and companies, not just objects?
Yes. Its is used for any noun referred to with the pronoun "it." This includes animals (especially when the sex is not specified), companies, organisations, countries, and inanimate objects: "The company restructured its management." "France is known for its cuisine." "The whale raised its head." When an animal's sex is known, some writers use his or her, but its is always acceptable.
What is the fastest way to check its vs it's before pressing send?
Read the sentence aloud and substitute "it is" or "it has." If it sounds right, use it's with apostrophe. If not, use its without apostrophe. Takes two seconds and eliminates the error every time. If you write quickly, you can also search your document for "it's" and check each occurrence — this is a worthwhile proofreading step for any formal text.