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Late Night Grammar Nazism – IT’S not ITS
IT’S
It’s is a contraction for it is or it has.
Examples:
It’s = It is
- “It’s my bedtime.”
- “It’s time to go.”
- “It’s only 11 o’clock.”
- “It’s over there.”
It’s = It has (not possessive)
- “It’s been a long time.”
- “It’s been brewing awhile.”
- “It’s got to happen soon.”
A Mnemonic Device:
It’s an apostrophe.
ITS
Its indicates possessive.
Or, put a more technical way, its is the possessive form of the neuter pronoun “it” — his, her, its.
Examples:
Its possessive
- “Every dog has its day.”
- “The jury has reached its decision.”
- “Stop its momentum!”
- “Guess its color.”
A Good Rule of Thumb:
If you can replace it with his or her, there’s no apostrophe.
A Mnemonic Device:
The possessive dog had its tail removed.
ITS’
Its’ is never correct. Ever.
h/t Huckleberry
Doc
December 25th, 2012
It’s KNOT?
Tim
December 25th, 2012
What the Hell brought this on?
Tim
December 25th, 2012
Well, irregardless of what brought this on, its just gonna have to go its’ way to get to it’s place for they’re is just not much there their.
Xavier
December 25th, 2012
For the record, I know when to use its and it’s.
But my fingers do not.
Actually, I think this would be an excellent weekly post along the lines of Claudia’s Critters. But what to call it?
First column, needs to address, proper use of, commas please. Or maybe; those nasty semicolons.
LadyGun12
December 25th, 2012
I was NOT the one who wrote this, I swear!
@Tim, you’re making me twitch.
Trixie Bluebell
December 25th, 2012
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! That is one of my pet grammar peeves. Did I mention, THANK YOU?!
Thirtymagglock
December 25th, 2012
Their, they’re. there, boys and girls.