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

Contexti

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.

A little moreii

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.

Examplesiii

Watch foriv

The full entryv

More quick answersvi

• → When do I use "it's" with an apostrophe? Only when you mean "it is" or "it has." Everywhere else, the possessive its has no apostrophe.
• → Is it "its a dog" or "it's a dog"? "It's a dog." The phrase is a contraction of "it is" — the apostrophe belongs.