A common error in written English is the confusion between “it’s” and “its”. It’s really quite simple, if you think about it.

The word “its” (without the apostrophe before the s), simply means “belonging to it”: for example, “the company wrote to its customers” or “the shop opened its doors”.

“It’s” is a shortened (abbreviated) version of “it is”; just think of the apostrophe as replacing the missing letter: for example, “I need an umbrella if it’s raining” or “it’s a mystery to me”.

The same rule applies for “can’t” (cannot) and “don’t” (do not), and “won’t” means “will not”. However, these abbreviations should be avoided when writing an essay or dissertation. It’s worth knowing for its use elsewhere. Get it?