The word (
its
), is the
71
most frequently used in English word vocabulary
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But the promulgation of abolition doctrines tends rather to increase than abate,
its
,evils. » He closely followed Henry Clay in supporting the American Colonization -
Lincoln that the North was the aggrieved party, as the Slave Power tightened,
its
,grasp on the national government with the Died Scott decision and the -
Compass remains in Birmingham. In November 2006,Regions Financial completed,
its
,merger with Am South Ban corporation, which was also headquartered in Birmingham. -
18 °C). Temperatures tend to be warmer in the southern part of the state with,
its
,proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, while the northern parts of the state -
American anarchism. European anarchism of the late 20th century drew much of,
its
,strength from the labor movement, and both have incorporated animal rights -
Where Bakunin and James Guillaume were expelled from the International and,
its
,headquarters were transferred to New York. In response, the federalist sections -
Karl Marx became a leading figure in the International and a member of,
its
,General Council. Proudhon’s followers, the mutualists, opposed Marx’s state -
S (Salmon P. Chase) loyalists, while not mentioning either by name during,
its
,delivery. » In response to an inquiry about his presidential intentions -
Served with the Royal New Zealand Navy in World War II. It became famous for,
its
,part in the Battle of the River Plate, alongside and. In addition to earning -
Pearl Andrews … William B. Greene presented this Proudhon Mutualism in,
its
,purest and most systematic form. «. Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862) was an -
In the mind, and he held that society does not exist but» the individuals are,
its
,reality «. Sterner advocated self-assertion and foresaw unions of egoists -
a million. Local and county government Alabama has 67 counties. Each county has,
its
,own elected legislative branch, usually called the County Commission, which -
Computer graphics and computer vision. The average overall albedo of Earth,
its
,planetary albedo, is 30 to 35 %, because of the covering by clouds, but varies -
In the United States at least as early as 1848 and that it was not conscious of,
its
,affinity to the Individualist Anarchism of Josiah Warren and Stephen Pearl -
Seceding states. This call forced the states to choose sides. Virginia declared,
its
,secession and was rewarded with the Confederate capital, despite the exposed -
To buy shares in the railroad on the grounds that the company had changed,
its
,original train route. Lincoln successfully argued that the railroad company was -
American State Litter Scorecard, for overall poor effectiveness and quality of,
its
,statewide public space cleanliness—primarily roadway and adjacent litter -
While some anarchist communists favor direct democracy, others feel that,
its
,majoritarianism can impede individual liberty and favor consensus democracy -
Admitted to the Union in 1819. Part of the frontier in the 1820s and 1830s,
its
, constitution provided for universal suffrage for white men. Settlers rapidly -
Authority over the region, effectively ending Spanish governance (though not,
its
,claim),while gaining an unencumbered passage to the gulf. The area making up -
Influence of the Italian Anarchist Union (20,000 members plus Humanity Nova,
its
,daily paper) grew accordingly … Anarchists were the first to suggest -
Society. Etymology and terminology The term,» Ideas on Liberty,» May 1955.,
its
,use as a synonym is still common outside the United States. Accordingly,» -
Hard to diagnose autism among the visually impaired, partly because some of,
its
,diagnostic criteria depend on vision, and partly because autistic symptoms -
From outside becomes an intolerable disturbance «. The word autism first took,
its
,modern sense in 1938 when Hans Asperger of the Vienna University Hospital -
Election that the eventual extinction of slavery would result from preventing,
its
,expansion into new U. S. territory. At the beginning of the war, he also sought -
The under connectivity theory of autism. Neither category is satisfactory on,
its
,own; social cognition theories poorly address autism’s rigid and repetitive -
Have admitted Kansas as a slave state. In March 1857,the Supreme Court issued,
its
,decision in Died Scott v. Sandford; Chief Justice Roger B. Taney opined that -
But argue that citizens do not have a moral obligation to obey the state when,
its
,laws conflict with individual autonomy. One reaction against sectarianism -
Plantations expanded. The economy of the central» Black Belt» ( named for,
its
,dark, productive soil) was built around large cotton plantations whose owners -
Philadelphus, English trade unionists, socialists and social democrats. Due to,
its
,links to active workers’ movements, the International became a significant -
By state referendum. One criticism of the current constitution claims that,
its
,complexity and length were intentional to codify segregation and racism. -
Republicans severe losses due to sharp disfavor with the administration over,
its
,failure to deliver a speedy end to the war, as well as rising inflation, new -
With the most evidence for the role of serotonin and of genetic differences in,
its
,transport. Others have pointed to a role for group I metabolomic glutamate -
Wealth grew largely from slave labor. On January 11, 1861,Alabama declared,
its
,secession from the Union and joined the Confederate States of America. While -
Of the Illinois legislature which would, in turn, select Lincoln or Douglas as,
its
,U. S. senator. Lincoln–Douglas debates and Cooper Union speech The 1858 senate -
Of slavery
its
elf. I hate it because it deprives our republican example of,
its
,just influence in the world …» In late 1854,Lincoln ran as a Whig for the -
In 1851,he represented Alton & Salmon Railroad in a dispute with one of,
its
,shareholders, James A. Barrel, who had refused to pay the balance on his pledge -
Sources. Although the origin of Alabama could be discerned, sources disagree on,
its
,meaning. An 1842 article in the Jacksonville Republican originated the idea -
The impact was greater on the African-American community, as almost all of,
its
,citizens were disfranchised. From 1901 through the 1960s,the state did not -
Which advocates informal organization and active resistance to the state;,
its
,proponents include Wolf Landsteiner and Alfredo M. Bonanza. Theories -
Supporters led to a right wing election victory. But in 1936,the CNT changed,
its
,policy and anarchist votes helped bring the popular front back to power. Months -
Railroads, and bridges—hoping to destroy the South’s morale and weaken,
its
,economic ability to continue fighting. Grant’s move to Petersburg resulted in -
Of Bavaria also known as Sissy built in 1890 a summer palace with Achilles as,
its
,central theme, and it is a monument to Platonic romanticism. The palace -
Culture covered most of the state from AD 1000 to 1600,with one of,
its
,major centers being at the Montville Archaeological Site in Montville -
In 2004 for $14.3 billion. The city still has major operations for Wachovia and,
its
,now post-operating bank Wells Fargo, which includes a regional headquarters, a -
Route. Lincoln successfully argued that the railroad company was not bound by,
its
,original charter in existence at the time of Barret’s pledge; the charter was -
For the first time, as well as establishing some welfare institutions to help,
its
,people. Alabama was officially restored to the Union in 1868. After the Civil -
S ideas as centralist and predicted that, if a Marxist party came to power,
its
,leaders would simply take the place of the ruling class they had fought against -
The principles of anarchism without adjectives. In the 1920s this form found as,
its
,main proponents Violin and Sebastien Fare. The veteran Italian anarchist, Luigi -
The west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of,
its
,inland waterways. The state ranks 23rd in population with 4.7 million residents
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Examples of how to use the word “its” in a sentence. How to connect “its” with other words to make correct English sentences.
its (det): belonging to or relating to something that has already been mentioned
Use “its” in a sentence
| Each region has its own customs. |
| Please put it back in its place. |
| Every bird builds its own nest.
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One of the most common mistakes in written English is the mixing up of its and it’s. Of course, the words look very similar, so it’s an easy error to make. However, it’s and its have different meanings, and confusing them can make writing look clumsy. The good news is that there is a clear distinction, so there shouldn’t be much confusion about when to use them correctly once you learn how to use its and it’s.
- Its is the possessive form of the word it.
- It’s is a contraction of the phrase it is or it has.
Some examples:
- It’s going to be a sunny day.
- It’s been a year since I broke my leg.
- The table broke because its leg was wobbly.
- Princeton has chivalry among its core values.
- It’s wrong to say that its fur is grey.
How do we easily tell the difference between it’s and its? The simple trick is to expand the contraction it’s to either it is or it has and see if the sentence still makes sense.
- It is going to be a sunny day. Correct.
- It has been a year since I broke my leg. Correct.
- The table broke it is/has leg was wobbly. Incorrect.
- Princeton has chivalry among it is/has core values. Incorrect.
When to use Its
Its relates to the word it, most notably as a possessor or object of an action. In the simplest terms, its tells us the ownership or qualities of something. It is used as a possessive pronoun in a similar way to words like my, his, her, our and their.
When do we use its in a sentence?
To show possession of an attribute or quality of an object or thing:
- The flower showed its (the flower’s) full color in the morning sun.
- He drank warm milk for its (the milk’s) calming effect.
To show possession by an animal or child*
- The baby held its arms aloft.
- The dog rolled over on its belly.
*if the gender of the child is known, it’s perfectly okay to replace its with his or her. Using its is usually always correct for an animal, but you can use his/her for reasons of style or to put emphasis on the gender of the animal:
- The baby, a beautiful boy, held his arms aloft.
- A mother bear watched over her cubs protectively.
- The black stallion tilted his head towards mine.
To show possession for a group or country:
- When in Cuba on vacation, you will soon learn that its people are very friendly.
- The prosperity of the human race and, indeed, its survival depends on combatting climate change.
Its vs Their
While there is often confusion between its and it’s, people can also confuse its and their when it is unclear if the object is singular or plural.
Its is used to show possession of singular objects and entities:
- The dog raised its paw slowly.
- The child shook its rattle
Their is used to show possession of plural objects and entities:
- The dogs raised their paws slowly.
- The children shook their rattle
However, it is sometimes not clear whether we are referring to singular or plural, such as with sports teams. Although we might be referring to a group of people, the singular its is mostly preferred when speaking or writing in British English, but might be plural when speaking or writing using American English:
- Reports say Utah Jazz wants to trade its best players. (British)
- Reports say Utah Jazz want to trade their best players. (American)
More original examples of its in a sentence:
- Anna adored the painting, enchanted by its luminosity, its grace.
- New England won its 6th Super Bowl, delighting its many fans.
- Visit California and experience all its natural wonders.
- Is it the red book with all its edges frayed?
- With the signing of the Treaty, backers of the European Union knew its time had come.
When to use it’s
It’s is a contraction of the phrase it is or it has. We use contractions for brevity and when speaking or writing informally. The use of contractions is rarely incorrect grammatically, but it is best to use the full phrase in formal writing and in some special circumstances discussed later.
Other contractions, such as there’s, who’s and where’s, follow the same formula as it’s, and you can always check the correct usage by expanding them to the full phrase: there is/has, who is/has, where is/has.
When meaning it is, it’s indicates that something is happening in the present or a statement of a concept’s existence. In each of the examples, using it is would also be correct:
- It’s raining outside.
- It’s unkind of you to say that.
- It’s not going to change my mind.
- You can tell it’s difficult.
When meaning it has, it’s means something happened or a concept existed (in the past). In each of the examples, using it has would also be correct.
- It’s stopped raining already.
- It’s been all over the news this week.
- The performance suggested that it’s been months since they practiced.
- It’s not changed my mind.
Using it is or it has at the end of a sentence
There is a rule that the contraction it’s cannot be used at the very end of a sentence, so it is necessary to use the uncontracted form, it is. Look at these examples:
- Can you tell me what it’s? Incorrect.
- Can you tell me what it is? Correct.
- I don’t know what it is. Correct.
- I don’t know what it’s. Incorrect.
More original examples of it’s in a sentence
- It’s about time you started studying for your French exam. It’s tomorrow.
- She told me it’s going to be fine, but it’s doubtful I’ll do well.
- It’s been a terrible summer.
- Can you tell me if it’s correct?
- It’s less than three weeks to my birthday.
Its vs Its’
The use of its’ can sometimes mistakenly creep into writing. Let’s be clear: there is no such word as its’ in English. The confusion comes because other words take an apostrophe to show possession. Look at the examples below:
- The books’ covers were mainly red.
- The brothers’ apartment was set up for the party.
- The cats’ howling kept me awake all night.
The reason we don’t use the apostrophe after its is because its is already a possessive, like my, your or his, and therefore ownership is already implied.
Published on
July 12, 2022
by
Eoghan Ryan.
Revised on
March 11, 2023.
Though they’re pronounced the same, there’s a big difference in meaning between its and it’s.
- Its (without an apostrophe) is the possessive form of it, so it means “belonging to it.”
- It’s (with an apostrophe) is a contraction (shortened form) of it is or it has.
- Its’ (apostrophe after the “s”) is not actually a word, even though people sometimes mistakenly use it in place of its.
| Examples: Its in a sentence | Examples: It’s in a sentence |
|---|---|
| The dog chased its tail. | It’s almost two o’clock. |
| The article contradicted its own argument. | It’s best to do some research before deciding on a topic. |
Its: Possessive pronoun
Its is a possessive determiner like “his” or “her.” It is formed from the neuter singular pronoun “it.” While possession is usually indicated by adding ’s to the end of the word, possessive determiners formed from personal pronouns don’t use an apostrophe in the possessive form: I/my, he/his, she/her, it/its.
Be extra careful when typing “its.” Spell checkers will sometimes mistake your meaning and insert an apostrophe where none is needed, so make sure to check yourself.
It’s: Contraction
It’s can be used as a contraction of it is or it has. It’s never used in place of it was, though.
It’s (it has) been two months since I applied for the research grant.
Although contractions are fine in informal writing, you should avoid contractions in formal or academic writing. So you’ll never write it’s in an academic text.
- If the sentence makes sense with one of these substitutions, then it’s is the correct word to use.
- If not, you probably mean its.
Worksheet: It’s vs. its
Want to test your knowledge of the difference between “its” and “it’s”? Download our practice worksheet with the buttons below. Fill in either “its” or “it’s” in the gaps in the sentences.
- The guitar is useless without ______ strings.
- ______ important to cite your sources.
- ______ been more than two hundred years since the Boston Tea Party.
- She started to feel better as the medicine did ______ work.
- ______ not a stray dog. I can see ______ collar.
- The guitar is useless without its strings.
- Its is the possessive form of it. When you use its, you refer to something belonging to the third-person singular neuter it (here meaning the guitar).
- It’s important to cite your sources.
- It’s can be used as a contraction of it is or it has. In this instance, it’s is a contraction of it is.
- It’s been more than 200 years since the Boston Tea Party.
- In this instance, it’s is a contraction of it has.
- She started to feel better as the medicine did its work.
- Here, the possessive pronoun its refers back to the medicine.
- It’s not a stray dog. I can see its collar.
- Here, both it’s and its are used. It’s here means it is. The possessive pronoun its refers to the earlier noun (dog).
Other interesting language articles
If you want to know more about commonly confused words, definitions, and differences between US and UK spellings, make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.
Frequently asked questions
-
When do you use its vs. it’s?
-
Though they’re pronounced the same, there’s a big difference in meaning between its and it’s.
- Its (without an apostrophe) is the possessive form of it, so it means “belonging to it.”
- “The cat ate its food.”
- It’s (with an apostrophe) is a contraction (shortened form) of it is or it has.
- “It’s almost Christmas.”
- Its (without an apostrophe) is the possessive form of it, so it means “belonging to it.”
-
Is its or it’s possessive?
-
Its and it’s are often confused, but its (without apostrophe) is the possessive form of “it” (e.g., its tail, its argument, its wing). You use “its” instead of “his” and “her” for neuter, inanimate nouns.
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(2023, March 11). When to Use Its vs. It’s | Examples, Meaning & Quiz. Scribbr.
Retrieved April 12, 2023,
from https://www.scribbr.com/commonly-confused-words/its-vs-its/
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Definition of Its
related to something that was mentioned previously
Examples of Its in a sentence
After three days, the sick dog was allowed to leave its crate.
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The store closed its doors when business came to a halt.
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The charity will have to stop its community programs if it does not have a successful fundraiser.
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The dog took its bone to its favorite burial spot.
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During Spring Break, the normally quiet town will see millions of people flock to its beaches.
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