when do you use its and it's?

Answer 1

The only time you use it's is when you're using a contraction of "it" and "is" or "it" and "has":

It's about six o'clock.
You would think it's raining out, but it isn't.
It's been a great party.

Otherwise, you use its, even in the possessive form:

The dog wanted its bone back in a big way.
The restaurant closed its doors.

Answer 2

Its is a possessive pronoun that means belonging to that thing. It's is a contraction for it is. When writing a sentence and aren't sure- read it with the words it is. If it doesn't make sense ues its.

Answer 3

remember that the ' is replacing a letter, therefore when you see it's, it actually means 'it is', so you would say it's raining because you could also say it is raining.

you would use its, for example, to describe the way something was or is,

its foot was red, its hair was long.
this is not it is, because that would not make sense, it is foot was red- doesn't make sense.

hope this helps.

Answer 4

'It's' is a contraction of 'it is'. Therefore 'it's raining'.

'Its' refers to an object: 'the best thing about the new Ford is its impressive handling'.

Answer 5

Its you use when something belongs to it, i.e. the child had its hat on.

It's you use when it is something. It's raining outside.

Answer 6

its and it's

it is better not to use contradictions on essays or papers, anything professional. better to just spell out it is.

Answer 7

the apostrophe means that an "i" is missing, so its refers to possession and it's refers to "it is"....