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• its
  its

  pronoun

  the possessive form of it (used as an attributive adjective).
• it's
  it's

  contraction of it is:

its

¹ American  

[its] / ɪts /

pronoun

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

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

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it's ² American  

[its] / ɪts /

1. contraction of it is:

   It's starting to rain.

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

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its ¹ British  

/ 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

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it's ² British  

/ ɪts /

contraction

1. it is or it has

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Usage

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. See also me.

See contraction.

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 .

Commonly Confused

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.

See its.

Etymology

Origin of its

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

its it's

The report continued that the greatest strength of policing is its workforce, with the vast majority of officers showing professionalism and courage.

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026

Further up the Yulong River, the Fuli Bridge, an old stone arch nicknamed “Moon Bridge” for its round reflection in the water, is another popular spot to pose for pictures or drone videos.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

More than five decades on from opening his first store, Sir Paul's company has become one of the leading British fashion brands, known for its signature stripes and colourful twists on traditional British tailoring.

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026

Belgium is equipping its F-16s with specialized Thales rocket pods, giving the aircraft a cheaper and more effective option for countering large numbers of drones.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

Fortunately, Sandy June’s existed in some zone of its own.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Sitting in a chair on the theater stage, Jerry holds an envelope containing cash, telling Mona that it’s her job to make him hand over the rent.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026

"It's not just about what he might do, it's what he might be encouraging others to do by his words," he said.

From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026

And as a film, it’s a masterpiece that will rattle around your head for days, constantly sparking more affection — and the occasional nightmare.

From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2026

But it’s unclear that such an amendment is necessary.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026

I’m almost certain there’s no air left in my body, so it’s impressive that I have yet to pass out.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold