Shaky English Logo
BlogBusinessesSchoolsDownload the App

Resources

Blog

Follow us:

Services

TeachersSchoolsBusinesses

Contact & Legal

Contact UsFeedback & IdeasPrivacy PolicyTerms of Use

© 2026 Shaky English. All rights reserved.

  1. Home
  2. Blog
  3. Commonly Confused Words
  4. It's vs. Its
Commonly Confused Words

It's vs. Its

1 min read
Share:

It’s and its are two of the most commonly confused words in English. Even native speakers mix them up! The good news: the difference is simple when you know what each one means.

It's

It’s is a contraction. It means:

  • it is
  • it has

If you can replace the word with “it is” or “it has,” then it’s (with apostrophe) is correct.

  • It’s raining today. (= it is)
  • It’s been a long time. (= it has)
  • I think it’s ready. (= it is)

Its

Its (no apostrophe) is a possessive adjective. It shows that something belongs to “it.”

  • The cat licked its paws.
  • The company updated its website.
  • The tree lost its leaves early this year.

Even though most possessives use apostrophes (like John’s or the dog’s), its never takes one.

💡 Tip

  • If you can replace it with it is or it has → use it’s.
  • If the word shows possession → use its (no apostrophe).
  • Think of his/her/its — none of them take apostrophes.

Test your knowledge 📝

Question 1 sur 8Score: 0/8

___ going to be a long day.

Discover the app: Shaky English

Join 100,000 people who are improving their English skills on the Shaky English app

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

Other similar rules

A bit of theory

Affect vs. Effect

Let’s make the difference between affect and effect easy to understand! Affect Affect is usually a verb. It means to influence or to make a change. Too much screen time can affect your sleep....

Read more→
Conjugation

Verbs with no preposition (discuss, marry, enter, lack)

Some English verbs are often used incorrectly with a preposition (like about, with, or to). In many languages, a preposition is required — but in English, these verbs take a direct object with no prep...

Read more→
Common confusions

Who vs. Whom

Let’s learn the difference between who and whom in a simple way. Who Who is used as the subject of a sentence or question. It does the action. Who called you last night? (Someone did the calling.)...

Read more→
Common confusions

Like vs. Such as

“Like” and “such as” are both used to give more information — but they don’t mean the same thing! Learning the difference helps you sound more clear and natural. 🙂 When to use “like” Like is used to...

Read more→
Conjugation

In / On / At for place

In, on, and at are also used to describe location. The difference depends on how we see the place: as a space, a surface, or a point. In → inside a space (3D) Use in when something is inside a space...

Read more→
Conjugation

Gerund vs. Infinitive (e.g. enjoy doing vs. want to do)

In English, some verbs are followed by the gerund (verb + -ing), and others by the infinitive (to + base verb). The choice depends on the main verb and how the sentence is structured. It’s not always...

Read more→
Conjugation

Comparative vs. Superlative Mistakes

In English, we use comparatives to compare two things, and superlatives to show the highest or lowest degree among three or more. Mixing these up is a common mistake for English learners. 1. Comparat...

Read more→
Vocabulary

Em Dash vs. En Dash vs. Hyphen

These three marks may look similar, but they each have their own job in writing. Let’s break them down so you know exactly when to use a hyphen, an en dash, or an em dash. Hyphen (-) Use a hyphen to...

Read more→