its vs it's: What's the Difference?

HomophonesMedium

These words sound alike but mean different things. Here's how to keep them straight.

What each one means

  • its: belonging to it
  • it's: it is or it has (contraction)

Examples

  • its: The dog wagged its tail.
  • it's: It's a beautiful day! It's been raining.

Practice

___ been a long day. The tree lost ___ leaves.

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