Showing results for "its"

• possessive of it.

Jump To:

• its
  its

  pronoun

  the possessive form of it (used as an attributive adjective).
• it's
  it's

  contraction of it is:

its

¹ American  

[its] / ɪts /

pronoun

1. the possessive form of it (used as an attributive adjective).

   The book has lost its jacket. I'm sorry about its being so late.

---

it's ² American  

[its] / ɪts /

1. contraction of it is:

   It's starting to rain.

2. contraction of it has: It's been a long time.

---

its ¹ British  

/ ɪts /

determiner

1. 1. of, belonging to, or associated in some way with it

      its left rear wheel

   2. ( as pronoun )

      each town claims its is the best

---

it's ² British  

/ ɪts /

contraction

1. it is or it has

---

Usage

While it is possible to use its as a predicate adjective ( The cat is angry because the bowl you're eating out of is its! ) or as a pronoun meaning “that or those belonging to it” ( Your notebook pages are torn. Borrow my notebook—its aren't ), such use is rare and in most circumstances strained. See also me.

See contraction.

One of the commonest mistakes made in written English is the confusion of its and it's . You can see examples of this every day in books, magazines, and newspapers: its good for us; a smart case with it's own mirror , and even Cheng, and its' subsidiaries . Its refers to something belonging to or relating to a thing that has already been mentioned: the baby threw its rattle out of the pram . It's is a shortened way of saying it is or it has (the apostrophe indicates that a letter has been omitted: it's a lovely day; it's been a great weekend .

Commonly Confused

A very common mistake is to write its (the possessive form of it ) when it's (the short form of it is or it has ) is required: It's [it is] unclear what he meant. It's [it has] been wonderful seeing you again. But do not use it's for it has when has is the main verb: It has a strong flavor; use it sparingly cannot be written as It's a strong flavor… An equally common mistake is to use it's for the possessive, probably because ordinary possessives of nouns are formed with an apostrophe: the dog's coat; Mary's cell phone. But the possessive its is a pronoun, not a noun, and, like other possessive pronouns ( his, hers, yours, and theirs ), is written without that particular bit of punctuation: I have to fix my bike. Its front wheel came off.

See its.

Etymology

Origin of its

First recorded in 1590–1600; earlier it's, equivalent to it ¹ + 's ²

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

its it's

The Olympic organizing group has reported that its fundraising has kept pace with expenditures of $7.2 billion.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 15, 2026

It comes as the government announced it will further widen eligibly for its scheme that offers jobless under-25s subsidised six-month job roles on the minimum wage.

From BBC ● Nov. 15, 2026

It gives the Fed a reason to raise rates again at its December meeting, and the potential to signal even more rate hikes in 2027.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 15, 2026

The S&P 500 had just logged one of its best two-month stretches in history.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 15, 2026

Carville has its own post office, school, bank, store, library, and golf course.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

Kim said a comparison to the earthquake authority is not valid, since it’s a voluntary program with a smaller risk pool, while wildfire coverage would be mandatory for California’s millions of homeowners.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 15, 2026

When the going has got tough, he has stood up, whether it's being stared down at a Siva Tau or Haka or having to manhandle a big opponent by the line.

From BBC ● Nov. 15, 2026

Perhaps they were being polite, or maybe it’s becoming more of a norm, especially here in San Francisco.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 15, 2026

Though it’s been done in the Gulf of Mexico, it has never been tried in the Pacific waters off California, where all previously decommissioned platforms have been removed.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 15, 2026

Ruby leans over and says, “Shh, don’t cry, it’s okay. You don’t have to tell me anything until you’re ready. There’s a math assignment that I’m trying to avoid, so take your time,” she teases.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---