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

by Mary Cullen on October 27, 2008

in Business Writing 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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