How to Easily Determine When to use Its or It's in Your Writing

Some words may sound similar yet have entirely different meanings. For example "its" and "it's" come high on the list of  popular confusing word-pairs.

Moreover, if we include or omit the apostrophe between the "t" and "s" can completely change the meaning of our sentence. Whether you're writing nonfiction or novels, make sure you understand the differences between "its" and "it's".

Let's define and explore these differences now:

• "Its" refers to something that belongs to "it". For example: "The software comes with its own printed manual."
• However, "it's" is a contraction of the two words "it "and "is." Remember in writing, a contraction is a way of joining and shortening two related words. For example: "It's been some time ...", is short for saying: " It has been some time ..."

Key tip: especially when working within nonfiction or technical publications and guidance manuals, although you need to be aware of the differences between "its" and "it's", remember, the word "it" and any of the related variations, can introduce additional vagueness or confusion to the meaning of any sentence.

Key tip: consider carefully whether you need to use "it", "its" or "it's" at all. If possible, use a different word entirely or re-write your sentence to omit "it". As a result, you may find, that through applying a little editing, your sentence meaning is subsequently made clearer, tighter, to help deliver a more precise and concise finish.