Its-It-Is | Commonly Confused Words
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It is vs. Its

It is

/ɪt ɪz/
A contraction used for 'it is'

Examples:

It is beyond any doubt that she aced the test.Is it usual for cats to behave like that at night?It is never too late to learn something new.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

This word has no antonyms

Its

/ɪts/
Belonging to or associated with a thing previously mentioned or easily identified

Examples:

Soon we were winding in and out of its recesses.A mountain usually doesn't change its position.The sun, declining through its shallow arch, dropped behind the tree-tops.

Synonyms:

This word has no synonyms

Antonyms:

This word has no antonyms

Ways to tell them apart:

etymology
  • "Its" is the possessive form of "it," similar to how "his" or "hers" are possessives, and does not need an apostrophe.
  • "It's" is a contraction, short for "it is" or "it has," and always includes an apostrophe to signify the missing letter.
  • Remember, "It's" can be replaced with "it is" or "it has" in a sentence, while "its" cannot be.
  • Even without an apostrophe, "its" signifies ownership of something specific to "it."
  • If youre unsure which to use, try replacing "its" with "it is" or "it has;" if it fits, then the contraction is correct.
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