A GreyZelda Grammar Lesson: Its vs. It's

I am definitely not an expert on grammar, but the rules that I have managed to learn stick with me and whenever I see the following error appear in a bloggy blog or email, it takes me out of the writer's intent and reminds me of an unresolved gestalt.

Taken from http://www.elearnenglishlanguage.com/difficulties/its.html

"It's

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

It's time to go.

Do you think it's ready?

I read your article - it's very good.

Do you know where my purse is? It's on the table.

It's been a long time.

Its

Its is the possessive form of "it."

That's an interesting device - what is its purpose?

I saw Les Misérables during its initial run.

This stove has its own timer.

The bird lost some of its feathers.

Where is its head office?

The Bottom Line

The confusion between it's and its occurs because on virtually every other word 's indicates possession, so English speakers naturally want to use it's to mean "something belonging to it." But it's is only used when it's a contraction of it is or it has.

The ironclad rule - no exceptions - is that if you can replace the word with "it is" or "it has," use it's. Otherwise, it's always its."

Today's lesson was brought to you by the sugar rush given to its author by eating too much Easter candy.

RZ