Its vs It’s: Possessive or “It Is”?

Its shows possession. It’s is a contraction of it is or it has.

Its: possession without an apostrophe

Use its when something belongs to or is associated with an animal, object, organisation or idea.

• The company changed its policy.
• The dog moved its tail.
• Every lesson has its own objective.

This feels unusual because English often uses apostrophes for possession, but possessive pronouns and determiners such as his, hers, yours, ours, theirs also have no apostrophe.

It’s: it is or it has

• It’s difficult. = It is difficult.
• It’s been a useful lesson. = It has been a useful lesson.

The expansion test

Replace it’s with it is or it has. If the sentence still makes sense, the apostrophe is correct. If it does not, you probably need its.

The course updated it is schedule fails the test, so write its schedule.

Quick practice

1. The phone lost ___ connection.
2. ___ important to check the deadline.
3. ___ been raining since morning.
4. The school published ___ calendar.

Answers: its; It’s; It’s; its.

Memory rule: the apostrophe marks missing letters, not possession.