What's the difference between 'its' and 'it's'?

The rule:

• "It's raining." = It is raining.
• "It's been a long day." = It has been a long day.

• "The dog lost its bone." (the bone belonging to the dog)
• "The company and its values." (the values belonging to the company)

Why it's confusing: English usually adds 's to show possession (James's car, the dog's bone). But "its" is the exception — no apostrophe for the possessive. The apostrophe in "it's" always means something has been removed (the "i" from "is" or "ha" from "has").

Quick test: Read the sentence replacing "its/it's" with "it is." If it makes sense → use "it's." If it doesn't → use "its."

The truth: This is one of the most common errors in English, even among native speakers.

Tags: grammar, apostrophes, common mistakes, writing