What is the difference between its and it’s?

Its (no apostrophe) shows possession — belonging to it. It’s (with apostrophe) is the short form of it is or it has .

How do I know when to use it’s?

Say the sentence with it is . If it still makes sense, use it’s : “It’s raining” = “It is raining.” If it does not make sense, use its : “The dog wagged its tail” — you cannot say “wagged it is tail.”

Why doesn’t the possessive its have an apostrophe?

Possessive pronouns never take apostrophes — just like his , hers , ours , and theirs . The apostrophe in it’s only ever marks missing letters.

Level: A2

Its vs It’s

Its (belonging to it) and it’s (it is / it has) trip up even native speakers. One quick test solves it every time — then practice with the sentences below.

🔍 Confused words · pair 24 of 54 ⏱ about 5 minutes 🔊 every sentence has audio

How to use this page

🔊 Listen: click the speaker icon to hear the whole line read aloud.
Word audio: click any word to hear it spoken on its own.
🌐 Translate: choose a language then click the globe icon to open Google Translate.
☑️ Select & practice: tick the checkboxes to choose items, then print them, make a worksheet or flashcards, or start a quiz.
For Matching Game quizzes, choose sentences that include more than one of the words below. If you pick sentences with only one word, the quiz will automatically add a sentence using another word.

Its – possessive: belonging to it (no apostrophe).
The dog wagged ______ tail. – its
The company changed ______ logo last year. – its
The cat licked ______ paws. – its
Every country has ______ own flag. – its
The tree lost ______ leaves in October. – its
The phone turns off ______ screen to save power. – its
The team celebrated ______ first victory. – its
The museum opened ______ doors at nine. – its
The bird built ______ nest in our yard. – its
The car lost ______ shine after ten years. – its
The city is famous for ______ old bridges. – its
The baby dropped ______ bottle on the floor. – its
The store changed ______ opening hours. – its
The movie is known for ______ surprise ending. – its
The snake shed ______ skin. – its
The hotel renovated ______ lobby. – its
The washing machine finished ______ cycle. – its
Each product has ______ own barcode. – its
The school updated ______ website. – its
The plant turns ______ leaves toward the sun. – its
The committee announced ______ decision. – its
The river changed ______ course after the flood. – its
It’s – short for “it is” or “it has” (with apostrophe).
______ raining outside again. – it’s
______ too late to call now. – it’s
I think ______ going to snow tonight. – it’s
______ my favorite song on the radio. – it’s
Hurry up, ______ almost eight o’clock. – it’s
______ been a long day at work. – it’s
Be careful, ______ very hot in the kitchen. – it’s
______ not easy to learn a new language. – it’s
Everyone says ______ a great movie. – it’s
______ only a ten-minute walk from here. – it’s
Bring an umbrella because ______ cloudy. – it’s
______ been years since we last met. – it’s
I know ______ hard, but keep trying. – it’s
______ your turn to wash the dishes. – it’s
Look outside — ______ already dark. – it’s
______ cheaper to cook at home. – it’s
She said ______ fine to start without her. – it’s
______ important to drink enough water. – it’s
Try the soup — ______ delicious. – it’s
I like the library because ______ quiet. – it’s
I can’t believe ______ Friday again. – it’s
______ the best pizza in town. – it’s

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between its and it’s?: Its (no apostrophe) shows possession — belonging to it. It’s (with apostrophe) is the short form of it is or it has.
How do I know when to use it’s?: Say the sentence with it is. If it still makes sense, use it’s: “It’s raining” = “It is raining.” If it does not make sense, use its: “The dog wagged its tail” — you cannot say “wagged it is tail.”
Why doesn’t the possessive its have an apostrophe?: Possessive pronouns never take apostrophes — just like his, hers, ours, and theirs. The apostrophe in it’s only ever marks missing letters.