"Its" and "it's" are two little words that cause a whole lot of confusion. Even experienced writers get them wrong. But the good news is that the rule is simple, and once you learn it, you'll never have to second-guess yourself again.

The One and Only Rule

This is one of the few grammar rules in English with no exceptions.

It's is always a short form of "it is" or "it has."
Its is always about possession or ownership.

That's it. No special cases, no exceptions.

Why It's So Confusing

The confusion comes from the fact that we usually use an apostrophe to show possession.

Sarah's car
The company's logo

But possessive pronouns don't use an apostrophe.

His book
Her idea
Its tail

"Its" follows the rule for possessive pronouns, not for regular nouns.

It's: The Contraction

It's is just a shorter, more casual way of saying "it is" or "it has."

Examples of "It is"

It's a beautiful day. (It is a beautiful day.)
It's important to be on time. (It is important.)

Examples of "It has"

It's been a long week. (It has been a long week.)
It's gotten a lot colder. (It has gotten a lot colder.)

The Ultimate Test

If you're not sure whether to use "it's," try replacing it with "it is" or "it has." If the sentence still makes sense, then you need the apostrophe.

Its: The Possessive

Its shows that something belongs to something else.

Examples of "Its"

The dog wagged its tail.
The company announced its quarterly earnings.
The tree is losing its leaves.
The plan has its pros and cons.

A Simple Memory Trick

Think of "its" as being in the same family as "his" and "hers." None of them have an apostrophe.

Common Mistakes

Don't Trust Autocorrect

Your phone or computer will often try to "correct" you by adding an apostrophe where it doesn't belong. Always double-check.

In Formal Writing

❌ "The committee reached it's decision."
✅ "The committee reached its decision."

In Technical Writing

❌ "The system updates it's database."
✅ "The system updates its database."

A Note on "Itself"

"Itself" is a reflexive pronoun, and it never has an apostrophe.

The problem will solve itself.
History repeats itself.

Test Yourself

Choose the right word:

The robot completed (its/it's) task.
(Its/It's) important that we finish on time.
The storm is losing (its/it's) strength.
I think (its/it's) going to be a great day.
The museum is famous for (its/it's) modern art collection.
(Its/It's) been a pleasure working with you.
The phone lost (its/it's) signal.
(Its/It's) clear that (its/it's) battery is dead.
The university changed (its/it's) admissions policy.
(Its/It's) a shame that the project lost (its/it's) funding.

Quick Cheat Sheet

Can you replace it with "it is" or "it has"?
- Yes → Use it's.
- No → Go to step 2.
Does it show that something belongs to something else?
- Yes → Use its.

The Bottom Line

When in doubt, say the sentence out loud with "it is" or "it has." If it works, use it's. If not, use its. Master this one simple trick, and you'll get it right every time.

Answer Key: 1. its, 2. It's, 3. its, 4. it's, 5. its, 6. It's, 7. its, 8. It's, its, 9. its, 10. It's, its

Remember: It's is a contraction. Its is for possession. That's it!

Its vs. It's