its

¹

[ its ]

pronoun

1. the possessive form of it ¹ (used as an attributive adjective):

   The book has lost its jacket. I'm sorry about its being so late.

it's

²

[ its ]

1. contraction of it is:

   It's starting to rain.

2. contraction of it has: It's been a long time.

its

¹

/ ɪts /

determiner

1. 1. of, belonging to, or associated in some way with it

      its left rear wheel

   2. ( as pronoun )

      each town claims its is the best

it's

²

/ ɪts /

contraction of

1. it is or it has

Usage Note

While it is possible to use its as a predicate adjective ( The cat is angry because the bowl you're eating out of is its! ) or as a pronoun meaning “that or those belonging to it” ( Your notebook pages are torn. Borrow my notebook—its aren't ), such use is rare and in most circumstances strained. me.

Usage

One of the commonest mistakes made in written English is the confusion of its and it's . You can see examples of this every day in books, magazines, and newspapers: its good for us; a smart case with it's own mirror , and even Cheng, and its' subsidiaries . Its refers to something belonging to or relating to a thing that has already been mentioned: the baby threw its rattle out of the pram . It's is a shortened way of saying it is or it has (the apostrophe indicates that a letter has been omitted: it's a lovely day; it's been a great weekend .

Confusables Note

A very common mistake is to write its (the possessive form of it ) when it's (the short form of it is or it has ) is required: It's [it is] unclear what he meant. It's [it has] been wonderful seeing you again. But do not use it's for it has when has is the main verb: It has a strong flavor; use it sparingly cannot be written as It's a strong flavor… An equally common mistake is to use it's for the possessive, probably because ordinary possessives of nouns are formed with an apostrophe: the dog's coat; Mary's cell phone. But the possessive its is a pronoun, not a noun, and, like other possessive pronouns ( his, hers, yours, and theirs ), is written without that particular bit of punctuation: I have to fix my bike. Its front wheel came off.

Word History and Origins

Origin of its¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; earlier it's, equivalent to it ¹ + 's ²

Example Sentences

Prominent experts such as historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat say that under classic authoritarianism, the military is viewed as a tool for pursuing the leader’s own aims, rather than upholding the state’s interests and safeguarding its people.

From Los Angeles Times

It wasn't enough for the measure reach its 60 percent majority threshold, therefore abortion access will remain limited in the south.

From Salon

Representatives from The Onion told the New York Times that its bid was sanctioned by the families of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting, who successfully sued Jones for $1.4 billion in a defamation lawsuit.

From Salon

The debate highlights the peril for the government, even when it grants all its MPs, including ministers, a free vote on an issue.

From BBC

Mr Bailey's speech will go on to address the wider UK economy and its lack of growth.

From BBC