Grammar Rule #1 Review Assignment: It's vs. Its

The form of "its" without the apostrophe is called...

• contraction

• conjunction

• possessive

• owners

Answer explanation

To possess something is to own it. The possessive form of "its" should be used the same way "her" and "his" should be used. They all show ownership of a noun: “His leg”, “Her leg”, “Its leg”

The form of "it's" with the apostrophe is called...

• owners

• possessive

• conjunction

• contraction

Answer explanation

To contract something means make it smaller. To make two words smaller--into one word--remove one or more letters and join the two words with an apostrophe to make a contraction (e.g. is not = isn't).

_____ always going to be difficult with that kind of attitude!

• It's=contraction of "it is"

• Its=possessive

• It's=contraction of "it has"

Everyone stared in awe at 1)_____ beauty and 2)_____ magnificence.

• 1) its=possessive

  owning beauty

  2) its=possessive owning magnificence

• 1) it's=contraction

  owning beauty

  2) it's=contraction owning magnificence

• 1) it's=possessive

  owning beauty

  2) it's=possessive owning magnificence

• 1) it's=contraction

  of "it has"

  2) it's=contraction

  of "it has"

If _____ going to bother you that much, then forget it!

• its=contraction

  of "it is"

• it's=contraction

  of "it is"

• it's=contraction

  of "it has"

• its=possessive

  of "it is"

1)____ hair was long, and 2)____ evil, green eyes were watching me.

• 1) Its=contraction owning hair

  2) its=contraction owning eyes

• 1) Its=possessive owning hair

  2) its=possessive owning evil, green

• 1) Its=possessive owning hair

  2) its=possessive owning eyes

• 1) Its=possession owning hair

  2) it's=contraction of "it has"

Answer explanation

You can only possess/own a noun.

____ been a tough couple of years, but we're still going strong.

• Its=contraction of "it has"

• It's=possession of "it has"

• It's=contraction of "it is"

• It's=contraction of "it has"

Answer explanation

Anytime the next word is "been", it will ALWAYS be "it has/it's" before it!

____ not been long enough to start worrying yet.

• It's=contraction of "it has"

• Its=contraction of "it has"

• It's=possessive of "it has"

• Its=contraction of "it is"

____ raining all weekend!

• Its=contraction of "it is"

• It's=contraction of "it has"

• It's=contraction of "it is"

• Its=possessive

_____ been raining all weekend!

• Its=possessive of "it is"

• Its=possessive of "it has"

• It's=contraction of "it is"

• It's=contraction of "it has"

Answer explanation

Anytime the next word is "been", ALWAYS put it has/it's before it!