Commonly Confused Words:  It's / Its

It's is a contraction of it is or it has.

The apostrophe in a contraction such as it's means that two words have been combined, and some letters have been left out.

        For example:            isn't   =  is + not

                                            they're  =  they + are

                                            don't  = does + not

It's combines it is or it has and leaves out letters:

                                            it's  =  it + is

                                            it's  = it + has

Use it's only when you mean it is or it has.

        Example of it's meaning "it is"

        Example of it's meaning "it has"

Its  is the possessive form of the personal pronoun it.

Like the other  personal pronouns, it forms its possessive without adding an apostrophe.

     Examples

Do NOT put an apostrophe in  its to make the word  possessive!

REVIEW:

   it's = it is or it has  

                                BUT

   its = possessive form of it, meaning "belonging to it"

Link to exercises on t's / its.