It’s Or Its?
We’re taught that an apostrophe should be used to indicate ownership e.g. ‘Sarah’s handbag’ tells us that the handbag belongs to Sarah. So surely the same applies the ‘it’s’? The answer is no (I know, our crazy English language!). So, the rule is, when using ‘its’, no apostrophe is necessary for ownership. Here are some examples:
- The cat stuck out its tongue
- The door creaked open on its hinges
- The car flashed its lights
However, an apostrophe is required when ‘it’s’ is a contraction. In this case, ‘it’s’ is short for ‘it is’ and the apostrophe replaces the missing ‘i’ of ‘is’. Some examples for you:
- It’s is a good idea to write something every day.
- It’s raining outside.
- When sending work out to an editor, it’s best to type in double spacing.
Someone’s pleased it’s Friday! Have a good weekend everyone 🙂
Esther Chilton 
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