[blockquote]It's great when the sun shines like it is here in London at the moment. But the sun can be dangerous - its rays can be harmful to the skin. Doctors recommend that people apply sun lotion and avoid too much direct sunlight. Sun lotion comes in different strengths. Its special formula helps protect the skin from harmful U.V. rays. Some people do not like applying it because it can feel sticky, but it's important and should never be neglected.[/blockquote]

Its and It's can be really confusing. Can you see the differences between the two in the above story?

It's

It's is a contraction of "it is" or "it has."

• It's going to be sunny.
• Do you know if it's hot?
• I love sunny weather, it's my favourite!
• We have been at the beach every day. It's been very hot for last 10 days.
• I think it's been 10 years since I left my home town.

Its

Its is the possessive form of "it."

• The dog has eaten its dinner.
• Where is its ball?
• I don't know anything about sun lotion - what is its purpose?
• I bought a computer that has its own webcam.
• The tomato sauce has its own special taste.

The Rule

It's and its are often confused because we usually add 's to words to indicate possession. For example, "Sarah's baby is cute" or "My dog's ball is missing." But in the case of it, we only use it's as a contraction of "it is" or "it has". In all other cases we use its.

So, the rule is quite easy to remember. You can remember it in two ways:

• Always use its unless the word can be replaced by "it is" or "it has".
• Always use its when you wish to indicate possession - strange but true.