Frequently Confused Words: its & it's

'It's' is a contraction for 'it is' or 'it has'. For example, 'It's raining outside.'

'Its' is a possessive pronoun used to indicate ownership. For example, 'The dog wagged its tail.'

Use 'it's' when you can replace it with 'it is' or 'it has'. For example, 'It's time to go' can be changed to 'It is time to go.'

Use 'its' to show that something belongs to or is a part of something else. For example, 'The cat licked its paw.'

It's a beautiful day outside.

The tree lost its leaves in the storm.

I think it's going to rain today.

The dog chased its tail around in circles.

A common mistake is using 'it's' when you mean to show possession, instead of using 'its'.

I can't believe it's already time to go home!