This deep dive covers 🔎 The its/it's Trap — and How to Beat It within Apostrophe Usage for GCSE English Language. Revise Apostrophe Usage in AO6 Technical Accuracy for GCSE English Language with 10 exam-style questions and 5 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 3 of 5 in this topic. Use this deep dive to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
🔎 The its/it's Trap — and How to Beat It
its and it's cause more lost marks than almost any other apostrophe error. The rule is the opposite of what students expect:
| it's (with apostrophe) | its (without apostrophe) |
|---|---|
| Contraction only: it is or it has "It's raining." = It is raining. ✓ "It's been a long day." = It has been a long day. ✓ |
Possession: the thing belonging to it "The cat licked its paw." ✓ "The city kept its secrets." ✓ No apostrophe, even though it shows possession. |
The expand test: try replacing it's / its with it is. If the sentence still makes sense — use it's. If it sounds wrong — use its (no apostrophe).
Quick Check: Which is correct? "The factory finally stopped [its / it's] machines." Use the expand test.
its (no apostrophe). Try expanding: "The factory finally stopped it is machines" — that is nonsense. The word here shows possession (the machines belonging to the factory), so no apostrophe: its machines.
Practice questions for Apostrophe Usage
Which sentence uses an apostrophe correctly?
Which sentence uses 'its' or 'it's' correctly?