Things You'll Need:
- Willingness to proofread -- this slippery little mix-up usually fools spell-check!
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Step 1
Write your sentence the way you want it to read. Then, answer this question: Can you replace "it's" with the words "it is"? If so, then use the apostrophe ("it's"). Example: It's really hot today. Example: I never know when it's correct.
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Step 2
If you cannot substitute "it is," you need to use "its" with no apostrophe. As a rule, "its" signifies possession. Example: The dog scratched its ear. Example: The tree dropped its leaves. Think about it this way: "its" takes the place of "his" or "her" when used with nouns that don't have a clear gender in English. You don't have to tangle with "its" to say, "My sister scratched her ear."
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Step 3
Re-read your sentence. Are you satisfied that you made the right choice? Congratulations -- it's clear your writing has improved!
Comments
evgnspaces said
on 7/7/2009 It's or its is something we all have to think about when we are writing.
busybeeson said
on 6/29/2009 Great tips. I was a high school teacher and this was one of my pet peeves on the students' papers. Glad to see someone else giving it some attention. 5 *s!
vikki9 said
on 6/29/2009 For anyone not sure of its or it's... save this article to your favorites! Thank you.