Its vs it’s

It’s = it is / it has. Its = belonging to it.

it’s

contraction of “it is” or “it has”

Test: Does “it is” or “it has” still make sense?

It’s raining again.
It’s been a long week.

its

possessive: belonging to it

Test: Could you use “his” or “her” instead?

The company changed its logo.
The dog wagged its tail.

Possessive pronouns never take an apostrophe: his, hers, ours, yours, theirs, its.

Test yourself

Five sentences. Apply the test above to each one before you pick.

_____ going to be a long day.
The phone lost _____ signal.
_____ been ages since we met.
Every team has _____ own style.
The bird built _____ nest in the gutter.

Pick an answer for each sentence.

Why it trips people up

Most possessives in English do take an apostrophe (“the dog’s tail”), so “it’s” looks right for possession. But pronouns work differently: none of the possessive pronouns has an apostrophe. Once you see “its” as part of the his/her/its family, the rule sticks.

Its’ does not exist

There is no correct use of “its’” with the apostrophe after the s. If you are tempted to write it, you want “its”.

Catch it automatically

The grammar checker flags common mix-ups like this one by looking at the words around them, and the sentence checker can explain any sentence you’re unsure about.

Questions people ask

Is it “its own” or “it’s own”?

Its own. “It’s own” would mean “it is own”, which makes no sense.

Can I use “it’s” in formal writing?

Contractions are fine in most writing, but some academic or legal styles prefer “it is”. That’s a style choice; “its” for possession is never optional.

Other grammar guides

Affect vs effectVerb or noun? The one-line test Your vs you’reOwnership or “you are”?Their, there, they’reThree spellings, three jobs