Hello, you guys. Welcome back to my channel, Sparkle English, where I teach you how to
improve your level of English. In today's lesson, we're going to talk about a very common
English error, which is the difference between it's with an apostrophe and its without an
apostrophe. I'm going to give you examples of when we use each word. And at the end of
this lesson, we will have a 10 question quiz. So let's begin. So the words it's and its
are often confused because they are pronounced the same way. There is no difference in how
we pronounce these words. However, they have very different meanings and uses. So it's,
without an apostrophe, is a possessive adjective that is used to show ownership or possession
by a thing or animal. So for example, you probably know these other possessive adjectives.
For example, my toy, your toy, his, her, its our, their toy. We use these possessive adjectives
to talk about who the toy belongs to. So for example, the dog played with its toy. This
means that the toy belongs to the dog. Another example, the cat licked its fur. So the fur
of the cat: the cat's fur. Another example, the company increased its profits by 20%.
So the profits of the company. So it's with an apostrophe, I T apostrophe S is a contraction
of it is or it has, and it always has an apostrophe. So let's look at different examples with it's
as it is and it has. For example, it's raining outside. That means it is raining outside.
I think it's a lovely painting. That means I think it is a lovely painting. Now let's
talk about it has. It's been a challenging day. That means it has been a challenging
day. My phone is old, but it's got a decent battery life, which is the same as saying
my phone is old, but it has got a decent battery life. So in order to determine if it's with
an apostrophe is it is or it has, you should read the context of the sentence. And that
way, you'll know. So now let's do a quiz. For each of these, you have to fill in the
blanks with it's with an apostrophe, or its without. I'll give you a few seconds for each
answer. Number one, _____ been a wonderful trip. So the correct answer is: It's been
a wonderful trip. And this it's is it has. It has been a wonderful trip. Number two,
the dog is wagging _____ tail. Is it it's with an apostrophe or its without? The correct
answer is its without an apostrophe. So the tail belongs to the dog. So its tail without
an apostrophe. Number three, we can't go to the beach because _____ raining right now.
It's with an apostrophe or without. The correct answer is it's with an apostrophe. And this
it's is a contraction of it is. We can't go to the beach because it is raining right now.
Number four, _____ unlikely that my team will win the championship. It's with an apostrophe
or without. The correct answer is it's with an apostrophe. It is unlikely that my team
will win the championship. Number five, the tree had grown so tall that _____ branches
reach the sky. The correct answer is its without an apostrophe because we're talking about
the branches that belong to the tree. So we use the possessive adjective. Number six,
the ocean was calm and _____ surface reflected the bright sun overhead. The correct answer
is its without an apostrophe. The ocean was calm and its surface reflected the bright
sun overhead: the surface of the ocean, the surface that belongs to the ocean. So again,
we're using a possessive adjective. Number seven, I know the answer, but _____ a difficult
question. It's or its without the apostrophe. The correct answer is it's with an apostrophe.
I know the answer, but it is a difficult question. Number eight, the monster is terrifying. _____
got five eyes and six legs. So the answer is it's with an apostrophe. Because this stands
for it has got five eyes and six legs. Number nine. _____ amazing how quickly time flies
when you're having fun. The correct answer is it's with an apostrophe. It is amazing
how quickly time flies when you're having fun. And finally, number 10. The statue towered
above the crowd. _____ intricate details mesmerized onlookers. Now this one's a little more difficult.
The correct answer is its without an apostrophe. The statue towered above the crowd. Its intricate
details, the details of the tower, that belong to the tower. So I want you to let us know
in the comments section how many you got correct out of 10. And I also want you to pay attention
to why is this is such a common error. Let's look at this first sentence. The cat's tail
is white. If you look at this sentence, we have cat apostrophe s. We use apostrophe s
in English, often to talk about possession. And that's why it's so confusing. Because
the possessive adjective, its, does not have an apostrophe. And we use it to talk about
possession. So if I said the cat's tail is white, that means the tail that belongs to
the cat. However, if I replaced cat's with a possessive adjective, and wrote its tail
is white, that's the same as saying the cat's. But we do not use an apostrophe s, because
an apostrophe s would be for the contraction it is or it has. And this is why it's such
a common error in English because we do use apostrophe s after a noun or name to make
a possessive noun. Let's look at this example. It's got a tail. This means it has got a tail.
Or it's a white cat. It is a white cat. Okay. So if you are confused about whether or not
to use an apostrophe, I want you to try to read the sentence using it is or it has. So
if you wrote its tail is white with an apostrophe. Try to think "it is tail is white". No, that
doesn't make sense. It has tail is white. No, that doesn't make sense. So we have to
remove the apostrophe. Okay, so again, let me know in the comment section how many you
got correct out of 10. You can also let me know what are other common errors that you
have difficulty with, and I will do more videos in this series. Make sure to like this video
and subscribe to Sparkle English for more English lessons. And I'll see you in my next
lesson.