It's versus its

It’s not so tough

I’m not perfect, even when it comes to grammar.  I know that probably comes as a great shock to you, but it’s true. 

When I’m using instant messaging or writing a Facebook status, I am especially prone to grammatical gaffes.  Several weeks ago, I wrote the following Facebook status update: “Its too hot to think.”  I clicked on update before I reread what I’d just written, and then, there for the whole world to see, was a giant grammatical error by a self-proclaimed grammar guru.

Immediately, I replied to my own status: “It’s, not its, is what I meant.”  I followed that shortly thereafter with, “Wow.  I really am a geek.  Who else corrects the grammar in her own status updates by replying to herself?”  Then I’d becoming Top News, so I got all sorts of replies, from, “As long as you don’t correct the grammar in my status updates, you’re fine,” to, “You write a column about grammar, and you’re just now figuring out that you’re a geek?”

I digress.  I have two points: one is that even people who know better sometimes make stupid mistakes, the other is that its is a possessive pronoun.  Let’s focus on that second point.

Although I have discussed its and it’s before, I continually get emails asking me to revisit the subject.  Confusion of the two is both common and – apparently – easy.  I’m not exactly sure why people are so confused by the two words, but I can obviously understand making the mistake even when you know better.

It’s is a contraction for it is or it has.  Contractions always have apostrophes.  Always.  If you are removing letters from a word or words, the apostrophe is there to acknowledge that you know what you’ve done.

On the other hand, its is a possessive pronoun, as I have already stated.  Possessive pronouns, with only one exception, do not have apostrophes: his, hers, theirs, their, ours, our, my, mine, your, yours, its, whose.  Any apostrophes there?  No.  (The exception is one’s.)  Just as you would never – I hope – write her’s or their’s, you don’t use it’s to show possession. 

And on the flip side, of course, you don’t use its as a contraction.  Even on Facebook.