Question 1

Is "its" or "it's" the possessive?

Accepted Answer

Its (no apostrophe) is the possessive. It's (with apostrophe) is short for "it is." English usually marks possession with an apostrophe — Priya's book, the company's logo. It breaks the rule: the possessive is its, and the apostrophe is reserved for the contraction of "it is." Read the sentence with "it is" out loud — if it works, you want it's; if it does not, you want its. This is the single most frequent apostrophe error in published English — even major newspapers slip up a few times a year. The rule looks backward because its is the odd one out among possessives; almost every other noun adds 's to show ownership. Exception: There is no exception. Its is always possessive; it's is always a contraction. Any other use is a typo.

Question 2

When do I use "it's" with an apostrophe?

Accepted Answer

Only when you mean "it is" or "it has." Everywhere else, the possessive its has no apostrophe.

Question 3

Is it "its a dog" or "it's a dog"?

Accepted Answer

"It's a dog." The phrase is a contraction of "it is" — the apostrophe belongs.