Help me out grammar fiends.
What is the correct usage of:
It’s
Its
Where is it which? I have been under the impression for a long time that It’s follows the usual path of keeping the apostrophe when there’s some belonging occurring, but now someone has informed me otherwise.
Examples in your explanations would be greatly appreciated.
I must know.
Rodney Olsen
/ June 20, 2007Logically I’m with you completely. I reckon that its should have an apostrophe of ownership where required but the English language is a strange beast. Apparently it doesn’t deserve its own apostrophe. The only time it’s appropriate to include an apostrophe is when it’s used as a shortened form of it is.
anne jackson
/ June 20, 2007Agreed with previous statement. It is=it’s
Its = possessive.
Jaclyn
/ June 20, 2007Agreed.
it’s= it is
its = ownership
Anna
/ June 20, 2007Agreed again.
Its is possessive. “The dog chewed its bone.”
It’s is a contraction for it is. “It’s a long way till we get there.”
Gillian
/ June 20, 2007Check out: http://grammar.qdnow.com/2006/12/21/apostrophe-1.aspx
Geoff
/ June 20, 2007So basically it’s exactly like I told you a few weeks ago
Beth
/ June 20, 2007pwnd!
burks
/ June 20, 2007Whoops….that was me
Bec
/ June 20, 2007darn. now I’ve been caught
okay, you were right G.
Thanks all for your input!
Jezika_Rae
/ June 20, 2007While I realise that your question has been well and truely answered, I find the easiest way to explain the difference to a group of 8 year olds is by putting it down to its simplest form.
]
When using the word in a sentence, if ‘it is’ can be said in its place, then it needs an apostrophe. Example;
[I'm gonna flog the example someone else used
The dog chewed *** bone
The dog chewed it is bone. NO!
The dog chewed its bone. YES! Therefore, no apostrophe needed. [yes thats due to posession, but try talking all that gramma stuff with kids, get them using the word correctly and thats half the battle, the rest of the long winded understanding comes eventually]
another example, before I hit the road.
I have a hat, *** red.
I have a hat it is red. YES! ‘it is’ can be sustituted therefore the sentence can read;
I have a hat. It’s red. apostrophe on this one.
to be honest I still use that little test to remember which is which, when. So hopefully that can help you out too
Much love
Jess xoxo
emily
/ June 20, 2007haha…i knew the right way and you didn’t…i laugh