Confused about when to use its and it’s? You are not alone. Many students and professionals make mistakes with these two small words. In this article, we explain the difference between its and it’s usage with simple rules, 100 examples, meanings, and helpful tips for competitive exams.

Introduction to Difference Between Its and It’s Usage

The difference between its and it’s usage often confuses learners. Although the words look similar, their meanings and applications are different. Its is a possessive pronoun showing ownership, while it’s is a contraction of “it is” or “it has.” Understanding these rules is essential for writing error-free English, especially for students and exam aspirants.

100 Examples of Difference Between Its and It’s Usage with Meanings

Here’s the full list of 100 examples clearly expanded with meanings, split into two sections (its and it’s) for easy use.

Examples of its (possessive form – showing ownership)

1. The dog wagged its tail. → (Tail belongs to the dog.)
2. The cat licked its paws. → (Paws belong to the cat.)
3. The phone lost its signal. → (Signal belongs to the phone.)
4. The company increased its profits. → (Profits belong to the company.)
5. The bird built its nest. → (Nest belongs to the bird.)
6. The car had its headlights repaired. → (Headlights belong to the car.)
7. The school is proud of its students. → (Students belong to the school.)
8. The computer needs its software updated. → (Software belongs to the computer.)
9. The train reached its destination. → (Destination of the train.)
10. The organization changed its policy. → (Policy belongs to the organization.)
11. The tree shed its leaves. → (Leaves belong to the tree.)
12. The city is known for its culture. → (Culture of the city.)
13. The house lost its roof in the storm. → (Roof belongs to the house.)
14. The lion roared in its cage. → (Cage contains the lion.)
15. The team celebrated its victory. → (Victory of the team.)
16. The garden needs its grass trimmed. → (Grass belongs to the garden.)
17. The country revised its laws. → (Laws of the country.)
18. The clock stopped its ticking. → (Ticking of the clock.)
19. The river overflowed its banks. → (Banks belong to the river.)
20. The machine continued its work. → (Work of the machine.)
21. The pen lost its cap. → (Cap of the pen.)
22. The child hugged its toy. → (Toy belongs to the child.)
23. The table broke one of its legs. → (Leg belongs to the table.)
24. The book lost its cover. → (Cover belongs to the book.)
25. The university improved its ranking. → (Ranking of the university.)
26. The mobile app updated its features. → (Features of the app.)
27. The camera dropped its lens. → (Lens belongs to the camera.)
28. The country celebrated its independence. → (Independence of the country.)
29. The ship lowered its anchor. → (Anchor belongs to the ship.)
30. The school announced its holidays. → (Holidays of the school.)
31. The dog protected its owner. → (Owner belongs to the dog.)
32. The laptop overheated due to its battery. → (Battery belongs to the laptop.)
33. The rose spread its fragrance. → (Fragrance of the rose.)
34. The film lost its charm. → (Charm of the film.)
35. The company launched its website. → (Website belongs to the company.)
36. The festival is famous for its lights. → (Lights belong to the festival.)
37. The project reached its final stage. → (Stage of the project.)
38. The snake shed its skin. → (Skin belongs to the snake.)
39. The book revealed its secrets. → (Secrets in the book.)
40. The country improved its economy. → (Economy belongs to the country.)
41. The chair broke its armrest. → (Armrest of the chair.)
42. The tree grew its branches wide. → (Branches of the tree.)
43. The baby cried for its mother. → (Mother of the baby.)
44. The star lost its brightness. → (Brightness of the star.)
45. The mountain showed its beauty. → (Beauty of the mountain.)
46. The newspaper changed its design. → (Design of the newspaper.)
47. The family sold its house. → (House belongs to the family.)
48. The car opened its doors. → (Doors of the car.)
49. The brand expanded its market. → (Market of the brand.)
50. The film achieved its success. → (Success of the film.)

Examples of it’s (contraction of “it is” or “it has”)

51. It’s raining today. → (It is raining.)
52. It’s been a long day. → (It has been a long day.)
53. It’s going to be fine. → (It is going to be fine.)
54. It’s important to study hard. → (It is important to study hard.)
55. It’s my favorite song. → (It is my favorite song.)
56. It’s the best solution. → (It is the best solution.)
57. It’s not safe to travel now. → (It is not safe to travel now.)
58. It’s been years since we met. → (It has been years.)
59. It’s time to go home. → (It is time to go home.)
60. It’s easy to learn this rule. → (It is easy to learn.)
61. It’s wonderful to see you. → (It is wonderful to see you.)
62. It’s going to rain tomorrow. → (It is going to rain.)
63. It’s been amazing so far. → (It has been amazing.)
64. It’s necessary to practice daily. → (It is necessary.)
65. It’s a good opportunity. → (It is a good opportunity.)
66. It’s been difficult to manage. → (It has been difficult.)
67. It’s too late now. → (It is too late.)
68. It’s been successful. → (It has been successful.)
69. It’s exciting to travel. → (It is exciting to travel.)
70. It’s been raining all morning. → (It has been raining.)
71. It’s my birthday today. → (It is my birthday.)
72. It’s time for lunch. → (It is time for lunch.)
73. It’s been tough to decide. → (It has been tough.)
74. It’s always a pleasure to help. → (It is always a pleasure.)
75. It’s the right choice. → (It is the right choice.)
76. It’s been hard to study. → (It has been hard.)
77. It’s wonderful weather outside. → (It is wonderful weather.)
78. It’s been a pleasure meeting you. → (It has been a pleasure.)
79. It’s helpful to take notes. → (It is helpful.)
80. It’s been raining heavily. → (It has been raining.)
81. It’s easy to forget small things. → (It is easy to forget.)
82. It’s been a long journey. → (It has been a journey.)
83. It’s better to be careful. → (It is better.)
84. It’s been useful for exams. → (It has been useful.)
85. It’s really important to listen. → (It is important.)
86. It’s been working well. → (It has been working.)
87. It’s never too late to learn. → (It is never too late.)
88. It’s been my dream to travel. → (It has been my dream.)
89. It’s common to make mistakes. → (It is common.)
90. It’s been an honor. → (It has been an honor.)
91. It’s exciting to start something new. → (It is exciting.)
92. It’s been quite a challenge. → (It has been a challenge.)
93. It’s time for revision. → (It is time for revision.)
94. It’s been a great day. → (It has been a great day.)
95. It’s clear now. → (It is clear.)
96. It’s been an unforgettable experience. → (It has been unforgettable.)
97. It’s always wise to prepare. → (It is always wise.)
98. It’s been fun learning this. → (It has been fun.)
99. It’s possible to improve quickly. → (It is possible.)
100. It’s been worth the effort. → (It has been worth it.)

Important Tips for Students and Exam Candidates

1. Quick Rule: If you can replace the word with “it is” or “it has,” then use it’s. Otherwise, use its.
2. Possessive Confusion: Unlike other nouns, its does not need an apostrophe to show possession.
3. Competitive Exams: Questions often test spotting errors with its vs it’s in sentence correction. Practice regularly.
4. Memory Trick: Think of it’s as short for “it is” or “it has” – the apostrophe replaces missing letters.

FAQs on Difference Between Its and It’s Usage

Q1. What is the main difference between its and it’s usage?
A: Its shows possession (ownership), while it’s is a contraction for “it is” or “it has.”

Q2. Why doesn’t ‘its’ have an apostrophe when showing possession?
A: Because the apostrophe is already reserved for contractions like it’s. Possessive pronouns (its, his, hers, ours) don’t take apostrophes.

Q3. How can I quickly check if I am using the correct form?
A: Try replacing with “it is” or “it has.” If it makes sense, use it’s. If not, use its.

Conclusion on Difference Between Its and It’s Usage

Understanding the difference between its and it’s usage is crucial for clear English writing. While its shows ownership, it’s is simply a contraction. With practice and awareness, you can avoid common mistakes and write confidently in exams and professional communication.

Disclaimer on Difference Between Its and It’s Usage

This article is for educational purposes only. While care has been taken to provide accurate grammar rules and examples, learners are advised to cross-check with official grammar guides or academic sources for competitive exam preparation.

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