Words Students Confuse: it's and its

ScottsEnglish

Students often have trouble deciding when to use "it's" and when to use "its".

"It's" means it is, for example, "It's really hot in here today. - It is really hot in here today."

"Its" is the possessive form of it. "The plane lost its engine in the storm". The plane possesses the engine that it lost.

In order to know which one to use, try the sentence with "it is", or "his, her".

For example, "The theater had all of ___________ seats filled for the film's opening. 

All of it is? No, that is not correct. All of its, showing possession? Yes, that is correct.

Try the following sentences:

1. ____________ time to go, so please put your shoes on.
2. _______________ normal that you take the test a second time, don't worry.
3. The television did not come with _______________ instruction manual.
4. ____________________never too late to apologize.
5. The carpet is old and _____________ strings are unraveling.

Click here for the correct answers.

1. It's time to go, so please put your shoes on.
2. It's normal that you take the test a second time, don't worry.
3. The television did not come with its instruction manual.
4. It's never too late to apologize.
5. The carpet is old and its strings are unraveling.