Language Test: Answer Key
From this test.
17. Choose the correct explanation of how the homophones "its" and "it's" should be used.
- A. "Its" is the possessive of "it" (something belonging to "it"). "It's" is the contraction for "it is" or "it has."
- B. "Its" is used when there is more than one "it"--it is used for plural. "It's" is used for the possessive of "it" (something belonging to "it"), and it is also the contraction for "it is" or "it has."
- C. "It's" is the possessive of "it" (something belonging to "it"). "Its" cannot be used correctly unless it has an apostrophe after it, indicating plural possessive. It is grammatically incorrect to use "it's" as a contraction for "it is" or "it has."
- D. "It's" is a possessive of "it" (something belonging to "it") unless it is used to refer to temperature or weather ("it's cold outside" or "it's raining"). In every other instance, "its" should be used ("its not what you think" or "thank goodness its Friday").
A is the only right answer, and no grammar nerd should be missing this, EVER. "Its" describes an object belonging to "it." "It's" is a contraction. End of story.
The others:
- B tries to trick you by saying "its" can be plural, which in a way is actually true if you really did somehow have more than one "it" that you were referring to that way. However, the second half of the choice spoils it completely, because it suggests "it's" is a possessive. Just because you usually use apostrophe-s to indicate possessive does NOT mean you do it with pronouns. "Its" is just like "hers" and "his." You don't say "her's" or "hi's." (Well, some people say "her's," also erroneously. I never see "hi's" unless people are referring to multiple instances of "hi.")
- C again tries to trick you with this "'it's' is possessive" b.s., and makes reference to the bizarre "its'." I have seen "its'" before and I don't know what to make of it. And of course it's not grammatically incorrect to use "it's" as a contraction. That's what it's for.
- D is another creative confusion machine. It again identifies "it's" as a possessive (NOOO!) and adds insult to injury by trying to apply some arbitrary screwed-up logic to using "its." Don't be fooled. It's out to get you!
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