Certain sets of words in the English language tend to confuse people. I have found the following to be among them:
ITS / IT’S
It’s is a contraction of it is while its is a possessive pronoun referring to something belonging to it:
It’s August now, and our air-conditioner seems to have lost its vitality.
Or, as stated on this popular wine-aficionado refrigerator magnet:
No wine before its time. It’s time!
The confusion here most likely lies in the fact that we think of possessives as having an apostrophe, which they do when formed from nouns. However, it is a pronoun, and pronouns do not use an apostrophe when forming their possessives.
Hence, the possessive pronoun its contains no apostrophe while the contraction it’s, like all other contractions (e.g., we’ll, he’d, who’s, I’ve), does.
INCORRECT: That dog is still chasing it’s tail.
CORRECT: That dog is still chasing its tail.
INCORRECT: Its hot out!
CORRECT: It’s hot out!
2023 Ann Henry. All Rights Reserved.