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Writing Tips: Using Its and It's

How and Where to Use the Apostrophe

© Kalyani Candade

Sep 14, 2008
The different uses of the apostrophe make it a tricky customer -- when is it used to denote possession and when is it not?

Sometimes you wonder if the apostrophe has been created for the sole purpose of making sure that even seasoned writers don’t take the English language for granted.

The Ground Rules

There are two ground rules with this punctuation mark.

  1. The apostrophe is used to denote possession when it is attached to a noun and used with an s after it. As in: This is Martha’s house. Or, The girl’s dress is very pretty.

  1. The apostrophe is used in contracted words, when two words are collapsed and joined together. As in: Don’t you know this house belongs to Martha? Or, They’re going for a picnic tomorrow. In this kind of usage, the apostrophe is used in place of the letter that has been omitted, as an indication that there has been a contraction.
Apply these rules and you’ll be fine, nine times out of ten.

The Confusion

The tenth time, the confusion arises because of a word like its, which has two meanings, used in different contexts.

  • Its without an apostrophe is actually describing possession here, as in: The dog wagged its tail, but it would be wrong to use an ‘s here since it is a possessive noun, and the possession is already built into it (as also are words like yours, mine, his, hers and theirs).

  • It’s with an ‘s is used only when it is a contraction of it is, as in: It’s her day off today. Or, Don’t tell Susan it’s easy, she knows it’s not. What you are saying here is: Do not tell Susan it is easy, she knows it is not. All the uses of apostrophe in this sentence are in contracted words.
Possession and Contraction

Put simply, its, when used as a possessive noun, never takes an apostrophe.

It is, when contracted to it’s, always takes an apostrophe, to indicate that the i has been left out in it is.

Possession in Plurals

The handling of the apostrophe is also a bit tricky when used in plurals to denote possession.

  • When the plural of a common noun is formed by taking an s, as in girls, possession is denoted by using the apostrophe after the s. As in : The girl’s books were all stained and untidy, when girl is in the singular, and: The girls’ books were all stained and untidy, when girls is in the plural.

  • However, when the plural is formed differently, possession is denoted with an apostrophe before the s. As in: The child’s clothes were spanking new, in the singular, and: The children’s clothes were spanking new, in the plural.
It’s actually easy once you understand the logic. And if you’re writing with a view to getting published, it's worth spending the time on getting intimate with the ways of the enigmatic apostrophe.


The copyright of the article Writing Tips: Using Its and It's in Language & Style is owned by Kalyani Candade. Permission to republish Writing Tips: Using Its and It's in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.




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Comments
Mar 2, 2009 10:14 AM
Guest :
"It’s actually easy once you understand the logic. And if you’re writing with a view to getting published, its worth spending the time on getting intimate with the ways of the enigmatic apostrophe."

Shouldn't you have used it's when you wrote, "its worth spending" since that is a contraction of it is?

Mar 2, 2009 10:22 AM
Kalyani Candade :
Oops! Thanks for noticing and pointing out.:-)- I've corrected it.
2 Comments
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