STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

e_doli · Dooney & Bourke

grammar question

Andrea Julia · Coach

quote:
Originally posted by: e_doli
"anyone remember the rule for it's and its? is the apostrophe for possession or the contraction?"

The apostrophe is only used when you are trying to say "it is".

halleybird · Hermes

ditto AJ.

A good way to remember it is that its is used the same way as his or her -- so no apostrophe.

i.e.

The dog has its ball. ...same as... The girl has her ball.

I grammar. One of my new year's resolutions is to actually use good grammar when I'm typing. I've been getting lazy

e_doli · Dooney & Bourke

thanks.

there are some rule i just cannot remember. my friend has the coolest book that is about this type of common mistake (its and it's, affect and effect) and i secretly plot to rob it from her as i cannot find my own copy anywhere.

DC Shopper · Dooney & Bourke

Another way to remember this is that the apostrophe is replacing a letter in "it's" - just like don't, won't, haven't, you're (you are), etc. When you get stumped, think about what you are trying to write. If you are saying in effect, "it is" then put in the apostrophe. In any other case (i.e. possession), you'd just write "its". HTH.

-- Edited by DC Shopper at 11:46, 2004-12-15

halleybird · Hermes

quote:
Originally posted by: e_doli
"thanks. there are some rule i just cannot remember. my friend has the coolest book that is about this type of common mistake (its and it's, affect and effect) and i secretly plot to rob it from her as i cannot find my own copy anywhere."

Is it Woe Is I? Or Lapsing Into a Comma? I love those books

*nerd alert*

e_doli · Dooney & Bourke

i can't remember the title, but i don't think it was anything that clever. i'll have to check those two out though.