Welcome to another Edit This® grammar lesson. In today's blog post, we will be talking about the difference between It's and Its. Do you know when to use each one?
The idea for this post came up recently while my wife and I were on a date. We stopped into a new restaurant, and though the food, service, and ambiance were great, there above the archway leading down a hallway was an inspirational quote with a massive grammar flub in big lettering. They had written it's instead of its in the last sentence.
I wanted so badly to say something, but I couldn't bring myself to do it at the time.
Maybe they'll see this blog post instead. Let's dive in, shall we?
It's (with the apostrophe) is a contraction and is short for it is or it has.
* Can you believe it's been six years since we got married?
* It's so hot in this office.
* I don't think it's a good idea to go to that party.
Its (without the apostrophe) is the possessive form of It.
* Edit This will celebrate its fifth anniversary in April.
* The baseball team won its first state title last year.
* The dog broke its leg.
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It's fun to tease friends on Facebook or point out errors in written copy, but any spelling or grammar error in business writing – brochures, advertisements, your website copy, blogs, press releases, newsletters, a postcard, etc. – wreak havoc on your company's image. In fact, studies consistently show that when choosing between two companies, most customers prefer the one with clear and error-free written communication.
If you're interested in having Edit This handle your company's content writing and editing needs, give us a call today! We can write copy from scratch or spruce up what you already have. Bottom line, when it comes to grammar, everyone could use an extra set of eyes.
*STEVE GAMEL is the President & Owner of Edit This, a writing and editing services company located in Denton, TX. Steve handles anything involving the written word. Give him a call today to help give your business a clear voice.