It’s easy to place “its” in its correct place.

by Mary Cullen on October 27, 2008

in Grammar

Its not Its. Breath not Breathe.

The it’s vs its confusion is actually a very easy correction because an apostrophe is only used in the contracted form of it’s:

* It’s is a contraction of it is or it has:

- Darlene has been pushing the Kanter proposal for all it’s worth. (…for all it is worth.)

- It’s too late. (It is too late.)

- It’s been exhausting. (It has been exhausting.)

* Its is a possessive pronoun, so you do not need an apostrophe in this possessive form:

- Let us bring in a consultant to analyze the Acme proposal and assess its worth. (Here, its is a possessive pronoun; no apostrophe should be used.)

- Leave the manuscript with its owner. (Possessive)

There is a second error in this sign:

Breath: respiration (noun) ; Breathe (verb): to inhale and exhale

The sign should read:

This strange looking mammal can hold its breath under water for 10 minutes while resting.

Learn More in This Course: Business Grammar: Error-Free Writing

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