Word: Its

Pronunciation

/ɪts/

Definitions

• Pronoun: Referring to something belonging to or connected with a thing or animal previously mentioned or easily identified. It indicates possession or a relationship of some kind. For example:
  • “The cat licked its paws.”
  • “The company decided to change its logo.”

Usage Note

It’s important not to confuse “its” (the possessive pronoun) with “it’s,” which is a contraction of “it is” or “it has.” For instance:

• Incorrect: “The dog chased it’s tail.”
• Correct: “The dog chased its tail.”
• Correct (contraction): “It’s raining heavily outside.”

Example Sentences

• Pronoun (possession): “The tree lost all of its leaves in autumn.”
• Pronoun (relationship): “The book had a beautiful cover, but its contents were even more captivating.”

Synonyms

There are no direct synonyms for “its” when used as a possessive pronoun since it specifically denotes possession by a thing or animal. However, in rephrasing to avoid using “its,” one might use constructions like “belonging to it” or “its own”:

• The car polished its chrome bumper -> The car polished the bumper that belonged to it.
• The organization changed its policies -> The organization changed its own policies.