MineralMan's Visual Guide to Commonly Misspelled Words: Issue 10 (Dialup Warning)

[MineralMan]

I've saved what is probably the most common homophone spelling error ever for the 10th issue. Confusing it's and its is something we all do. Sometimes, it's just a typing error. We type it's more often than its, so muscle memory sometimes leads us to make the mistake. Sometimes, though, it's an error in understanding.

It's

The only correct usage of it's is as a contraction of it is. If you don't mean it is, don't type it's.





Its

When you want to use the possessive form of the pronoun "it," type its. No apostrophe is needed, since it has a separate spelling for the possessive form, as do several other pronouns. It's a confusing spelling, because its is formed by adding an s to the pronoun. Since that's similar to how we form other possessives, but with an apostrophe before the "s," it's not surprising that people sometimes add an apostrophe. English is sometimes confusing, and, like an errant child, does not follow its own vague rules. Pity the poor person who must learn English as a second language.

People even make word plays on this homophone pair, since the confusion is so common. If you had multiple It's-It ice cream treats, you would refer to them as It's-Its Fortunately, few of us have the need to do this:



Baby Kitty is bored now with this ubiquitous error, so it yawns and shows its tongue



Itts - Bonus Tip

The plural of it is they, so there can be no confusion about its being a plural form. However, the plural of Itt would be Itts were there more than one Cousin Itt.



Here are the previous issues in reverse order:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=439&topic_id=1508505
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=439&topic_id=1502644
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1495084
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1487899
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1481954
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1481631
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1481332
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1480103
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1479832

[no limit]

1. Thanks for this, its very nice of you. Their are many people that should follow this

:)

[MineralMan]

3. Its a pleasure. Your welcome.

[Mnemosyne]

5. You're or your? n/t

[MineralMan]

6. It's a joke. I'm responding in kind to the previous message.

We're both deliberately using incorrect spelling.

[Mnemosyne]

9. I missed it somehow,thanks! :) n/t

[coffeenap]

2. You make me happy !

:)

[MineralMan]

4. That is forever my goal.

Truly!

[Karenina]

7. Please REC for well done helpful hints!

:kick:

[MineralMan]

8. Well, most of these have gotten past the initial flurry of

unrecs, so this one may, too. Isn't it funny that people are unrecommending these? Oh, well...never mind.