What is the difference between its and it's?

'Its' is a possessive pronoun meaning 'belonging to it' (The dog wagged its tail). 'It's' is a contraction of 'it is' or 'it has' (It's raining. It's been a long day.). The apostrophe in 'it's' always signals a contraction, never possession.

How do I know when to use its or it's?

Replace the word with 'it is' or 'it has'. If the sentence still makes sense, use 'it's'. If not, use 'its'. Example: 'It's [it is] raining' ✔. 'The cat licked it is paw' ✘ — so use 'its paw'.

Its vs. It's: What's the Difference?

Quick Answer

its = possessive pronoun (belonging to it) — no apostrophe

it's = contraction of "it is" or "it has"

Explanation

ITS (no apostrophe)

Possessive pronoun — shows ownership

Like: his, her, our, their

"The dog wagged its tail."

"The company lost its CEO."

IT'S (with apostrophe)

Contraction of "it is" or "it has"

it's = it is / it has

"It's raining outside." (it is)

"It's been a great year." (it has)

Quick test: Replace the word with "it is" or "it has". If the sentence still makes sense → use it's. If not → use its.

Why no apostrophe for possession?

Possessive pronouns (his, hers, ours, theirs, its) never use apostrophes. The apostrophe in "it's" always marks a missing letter — the "i" in "is" or the "ha" in "has".

Examples

✔The cat licked its paw. (possessive)

✔It's a beautiful day. (it is)

✔The phone lost its charge. (possessive)

✔It's been three years. (it has)

✘The dog wagged it's tail.

✘Its a great idea.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect: The team celebrated it's victory.

Correct: The team celebrated its victory. (possessive — replace test: "the team celebrated it is victory" ✘)

Incorrect: Its getting late.

Correct: It's getting late. (it is getting late ✔)

Practice

Choose the correct word:

"The bird returned to _____ nest after the storm."