What is the difference between its and it's?

Answer 1

if we mean chair, its means the chair's. it's means it is. cuz pronouns don't has " ' " apostrophes

Answer 2

Most of the answers so far are correct "its" is the possessive of "it" and "it's" is a contraction for "it is."

However, there is another instance where you would use "it's." It has to do with counting the number of occurrences of the word "it." For example: "How many it's do you count in the above paragraph?"

Confusing? Yeah, English is like that!

Answer 3

The simple way to look at this is to ask yourself, "Would the sentence make sense if I change the word to 'it is'?"
- If so, use 'it's' with the apostrophe (which is just a short form of 'it is').
- If not, use 'its' without the apostrophe.

For instance, compare these two sentences, where the apostrophe belongs in the first but not the second.
-- It's cold outside. (You COULD say, "It is cold outside.")
-- The dog hurt its paw. (You could NOT say, "The dog hurt it is paw.")

Good question.

Answer 4

"Its" is the possessive form of the pronoun "it."

"The committee reached its decision yesterday."

***

"It's" is a contraction for "it is."

"It's going to be a close vote."

***

When choosing between the two, if your sentence makes sense by saying "it is" then the contraction is correct. If not, use "its."

Answer 5

Its is possessive.
e.g. My dog bites its tail. The heart has its reasons.

It's is short for "it is" or "it has".
e.g. It's a nice day today. I think it's going to rain.
It's been a long time since I saw her. It's only just happened.

Answer 6

there isn't any its.

1. It is my shirt.
2. It's red in color. (my shirt is, it is a pronoun, it replaces a noun).

Even if the noun is in a plural form, we say it not its!

It's means belonging to it. It's does NOT mean it is. Pls check with any English grad.

Answer 7

its is for possession... Like for example... Its tail... While it's , on the other hand, is like the shortcut for it is. For example... It's a sunny day today. (It is a sunny day today)

Answer 8

Its is possessive: Its black coat

It's (It is)is descriptive: It's going to be a cold day.

Answer 9

"Its" is called the possessive form of "it":
The dog injured its paw.

"It's" is the contraction of the two words "it" and "is":
It is raining.
It's raining.

Answer 10

"its" means belonging to something or someone...i.e "a leoard never changes its spots".....where as "it's" is a shorterning of it is. i.e "it's really cold today".