Its vs It's
One Apostrophe, Two Different Meanings!
Learn the rule, compare examples, avoid mistakes, and practice with a quiz.
Its
Its shows possession. It means something belongs to an animal, thing, place, or idea.
- The dog wagged its tail.
- The cat cleaned its paws.
- The company changed its logo.
Think: Its = belongs to it
It's
It's is the short form of it is or it has.
- It's cold today. = It is cold today.
- It's raining. = It is raining.
- It's been a long day. = It has been a long day.
Think: It's = it is / it has
Quick Comparison
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Its | Possession | The bird opened its wings. |
| It's | It is | It's a sunny day. |
| It's | It has | It's been a great lesson. |
Memory Trick: If you can replace it with it is or it has, use it's. If something belongs to it, use its.
Common Mistakes
| Wrong | Correct | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| The dog hurt it's leg. | The dog hurt its leg. | The leg belongs to the dog. |
| Its raining outside. | It's raining outside. | It means “It is raining”. |
| The company changed it's name. | The company changed its name. | The name belongs to the company. |
Test the Rule
Try replacing the word with it is or it has.
If the sentence still makes sense, use it's.
If not, use its.