Tuesday, December 15, 2009

ITS/IT'S

OK, here's another grammar clunker ... when do you use it's and when is it just its?

Simple rule - NEVER put an apostrophe in ITS when it's used to indicate a possession. For example, this blog likes its short stories. But you ALWAYS put the apostrophe in when it's being used as a short form of IT IS. It's clear this blog likes its short stories.

And a nice segue (oh beautiful beautiful word) to my new find, The "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks. "Loving" this example in particular...



Read More:

* THAT/WHICH

* AFFECT/EFFECT

1 comment:

Catherine said...

The it's/its rule would be simple - an apostrophe is always for omitted letters - if it wasn't for cases like "the moon's radiance". Actually it adheres to the rule, we have just dropped the usage "moones" for the possessive over the centuries, but you will find it in Shakespeare.
I love the photo - putting those words in quptes to me suggests that the writer is being sarcastic, although I'm sure that's not what was intended :)