It’s or its, how do I know which one is right?

Do you ever hesitate whether to write “it’s” or “its”? Here are some tips that’ll help you get them right every time.

“It’s” is the contraction of “it is”, whereas “its” is a possessive form.

If you don’t know which one to use, try substituting it with ‘my’ or “the”. Does the new sentence make sense? If so, then use “its”. Let’s see, for instance: “the school is proud of its team”. If we were to say: “the school is proud of my team” or “the school is proud of the team”, the meaning would change but they would both be grammatically correct.

If substituting what you’re saying with “my” or “the” doesn’t make sense, try substituting it with “it is”. Here’s an example: “tell me when it’s ready”. In this case, “tell me when it is ready” is also grammatically correct, so “it’s” is the right form to use.

Now that you know the difference between “it’s” and “its”, can you fill in the gaps in the sentences below? You can find the solutions here.

.......... essential that you put each pair of shoes in .......... box.

.......... a book everyone reads in spite of .......... length.

What a wonderful house. .......... color is beautiful. .......... the place of my dreams.

.......... not the taste. .......... smell is what puts me off.

.......... a superb song in .......... own way.