It's and Its
2021-03-06
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1This week we answer a question from Ali in Iran.
2He wrote to us after reading a previous Ask a Teacher about security and safety.
3Dear VOA,
4Could you explain the grammar related to the word "its" in this sentence?
5Security often has to do with a group's efforts to protect its members from harm.
6Dear Ali,
7Thank you for writing to us.
8In the sentence you read, the word "its" is a possessive adjective meaning "belonging to it."
9And the "it" in this sentence is the group.
10Other possessive adjectives are words like "his, her, my, your, our and their."
11These words appear before a noun, like most adjectives in English, and change the meaning of the noun.
12Here is another example of how to use "its."
13I cannot drive that car. Its tires are flat.
14The Queen wears a beautiful crown. Its jewels shine in the sun.
15We can use words like "its" to take the place of a noun, as in this example:
16I have large eyes and so does my dog. Mine are blue and its are brown.
17Many English learners confuse the possessive form "its" with the short form "it's."
18The short form "it's" is what we call a contraction.
19"It's" can be the short form of the words "it is" or "it has."
20Here are some examples where "it's" is the short form of "it is."
21It's great to see you again!
22I think it's time for dinner.
23Compare these sentences with "it's" as the short form of "it has."
24It's been years since I met with my high school friends.
25With daily practice, it's gotten easier for them to speak English.
26I hope this helps you understand the different ways we use "its," Ali.
27And that's Ask a Teacher.
28What question do you have about American English?
29Send us an email at learningenglish@voanews.com
30I'm Jill Robbins.
1This week we answer a question from Ali in Iran. He wrote to us after reading a previous Ask a Teacher about security and safety. 2Question: 3Dear VOA, 4Could you explain the grammar related to the word "its" in this sentence? 5Security often has to do with a group's efforts to protect its members from harm. 6Ali, Iran. 7Answer: 8Dear Ali, 9Thank you for writing to us. 10In the sentence you read, the word "its" is a possessive adjective meaning "belonging to it." And the "it" in this sentence is the group. 11Other possessive adjectives are words like "his, her, my, your, our and their." These words appear before a noun, like most adjectives in English, and change the meaning of the noun. 12Here is another example of how to use "its." 13I cannot drive that car. Its tires are flat. 14The Queen wears a beautiful crown. Its jewels shine in the sun. 15We can use words like "its" to take the place of a noun, as in this example: 16I have large eyes and so does my dog. Mine are blue and its are brown. 17Its and it's 18Many English learners confuse the possessive form "its" with the short form "it's." 19The short form "it's" is what we call a contraction. "It's" can be the short form of the words "it is" or "it has." 20Here are some examples where "it's" is the short form of "it is." 21It's great to see you again! 22I think it's time for dinner. 23Compare these sentences with "it's" as the short form of "it has." 24It's been years since I met with my high school friends. 25With daily practice, it's gotten easier for them to speak English. 26I hope this helps you understand the different ways we use "its," Ali. 27And that's Ask a Teacher. 28What question do you have about American English? Send us an email at learningenglish@voanews.com 29I'm Jill Robbins. 30Dr. Jill Robbins wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. 31Do you have a question for the teacher? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. 32_______________________________________________________________ 33Words in This Story 34contraction - n. a short form of a word or word group that is made by leaving out a sound or letter 35_______________________________________________________________ 36Write the word its or it's in the blank for each sentence. For "it's" write whether the contraction is from "it is" or "it has."