{"id":5780,"date":"2025-09-09T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-09T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/?p=5780"},"modified":"2025-09-03T04:00:13","modified_gmt":"2025-09-03T04:00:13","slug":"explaining-its-and-its","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/teaching-grammar\/explaining-its-and-its\/","title":{"rendered":"\"Its\" and \"It's\": Explaining the Difference"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/teaching-grammar\/explaining-its-and-its\/#The_Importance_of_Apostrophes\" >The Importance of Apostrophes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/teaching-grammar\/explaining-its-and-its\/#The_Difference_Between_Its_and_Its\" >The Difference Between Its and It&#8217;s<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/teaching-grammar\/explaining-its-and-its\/#Its\" >Its<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/teaching-grammar\/explaining-its-and-its\/#Its-2\" >It&#8217;s<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/teaching-grammar\/explaining-its-and-its\/#Wrap-up\" >Wrap-up<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>In our post on <a href=\"https:\/\/tutor.engoo.com\/blog\/teaching-grammar\/theyre-their-and-there\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\"they're,\" \"their\" and \"there,\"<\/a> we learned that some similarities between words can be ignored when speaking but not when writing. This time, we'll look at a similar set of confusing words \u2014 but what separates this pair is punctuation, not spelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The confusion caused by <em>it's<\/em> and <em>its<\/em> even affects native English speakers, so it's natural for students learning a second or third language to struggle with it too.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But although this error is simple to make, it's also simple to fix, so let's look at both words and the correct ways to use them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Importance_of_Apostrophes\"><\/span><strong>The Importance of Apostrophes<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/30085614\/its_pexels-craig-adderley-14675741-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"A pair of boots on a welcome mat\" class=\"wp-image-5782\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/30085614\/its_pexels-craig-adderley-14675741-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/30085614\/its_pexels-craig-adderley-14675741-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/30085614\/its_pexels-craig-adderley-14675741-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/30085614\/its_pexels-craig-adderley-14675741-420x280.jpg 420w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/30085614\/its_pexels-craig-adderley-14675741-840x560.jpg 840w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Apostrophes generally serve two functions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>1. To indicate possession<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Those are <strong>Jeff's<\/strong> boots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>[= The boots belong to Jeff.]<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>2. To indicate that a letter or letters have been omitted<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>She's<\/strong> my childhood friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>[= <strong>She is<\/strong> my childhood friend.]<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>We <strong>can't<\/strong> go to today's meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>[= We <strong>can not <\/strong>go to today's meeting.]<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>However, when it comes to <em>it's<\/em> and <em>its<\/em>, things are a bit different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Difference_Between_Its_and_Its\"><\/span><strong>The Difference Between <em>Its<\/em> and <em>It&#8217;s<\/em><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>One reason it's easy to confuse these two words is because they break one of the rules mentioned above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Its\"><\/span><strong>Its<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/03034648\/its_difference_5-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"A smartphone with a broken screen\" class=\"wp-image-7083\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/03034648\/its_difference_5-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/03034648\/its_difference_5-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/03034648\/its_difference_5-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/03034648\/its_difference_5-420x280.jpg 420w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/09\/03034648\/its_difference_5-840x560.jpg 840w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike what we covered earlier, <em>its<\/em> (no apostrophe) indicates <strong>possession or relation<\/strong>. However, it's generally used for non-living things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>When Phil dropped his phone, <strong>its screen<\/strong> broke into many small pieces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>[= the phone's screen]<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>The university held a celebration for <strong>its 100th anniversary<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>[= the university's anniversary ]<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Students should know, however, that a big exception is for children or animals whose sex is unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>The baby cried out for <strong>its mother<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>[= the baby's mother]<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>The bird flew back to <strong>its nest<\/strong> with food for <strong>its babies<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>[= the bird's nest and babies]<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Its-2\"><\/span><strong>It&#8217;s<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"760\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/30085905\/its_pexels-martin-lopez-17389641-1024x760.jpg\" alt=\"A woman looking toward the sky as snow falls\" class=\"wp-image-5785\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/30085905\/its_pexels-martin-lopez-17389641-1024x760.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/30085905\/its_pexels-martin-lopez-17389641-300x223.jpg 300w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/30085905\/its_pexels-martin-lopez-17389641-768x570.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>It's<\/em> is simply a shorter version of <strong>\"it is.\"<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>It's <\/strong>5 o'clock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>[= It is 5 o'clock.]<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>The news said <strong>it's<\/strong> going to snow today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>[= it is going to snow]<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><em>It's<\/em> can also be a contraction of <strong>\"it has.\"<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>It's<\/strong> been five years since we last met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>[= it has been]<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Wrap-up\"><\/span><strong>Wrap-up<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When writing in English, it's important for students to take extra care when they want to use either <em>its<\/em> or <em>it's<\/em>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike the normal usage, an apostrophe in this case doesn't indicate possession; it's simply a shorter form of \"it is.\" Once they can remember that, knowing how to use <em>its<\/em> properly should be easier for them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In our post on \"they're,\" \"their\" and \"there,\" we learned that some similarities between words can be ignored when speaking but not when writing. This time, we'll look at a similar set of confusing words...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":432,"featured_media":7084,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"unified_meta_tagline_field":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[58],"tags":[84],"class_list":["post-5780","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-teaching-grammar","tag-whats-the-difference"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>&quot;Its&quot; and &quot;It&#039;s&quot;: Explaining the Difference | Engoo Tutor&#039;s Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The difference between &quot;its&quot; and &quot;it&#039;s&quot; confuses even fluent English speakers. 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