One rule
It’s = it is / it has. Its = possessive form.
Proofread trick
Replace "it’s" with "it is." If the sentence breaks, use "its."
Examples
- It’s raining.
- The company changed its policy.
comparison
Its vs It’s: Possession vs Contraction
Master one of the most common apostrophe errors in English writing.
Word Context Matrix
Use this quick matrix to compare core words in this guide and jump directly into deeper lookup pages.
Synonym and Contrast Explorer
Real Usage Examples
Example sentences pulled from our lexical corpus to show natural context.
its
If you don't understand something, it's because you aren't aware of its context.
it's
It's because you don't want to be alone.
whose
Being objective means not telling everybody whose side you are on.
who's
Holy crap, who's the asshole who dares call me in the middle of the night?!
FAQ
Why no apostrophe in possessive its?
English pronoun possessives usually do not use apostrophes.
Is this the same as who’s/whose?
Yes, same contraction-vs-possessive logic.