In our continuing series focusing on effective writing, we examine common grammar mistakes. Good writing, free of error, allows the reader to concentrate on your message. Typographical errors, improper punctuation, misspelled words, or poor sentence structure detract from that message. It is always a good idea to reread your newsletter one more time before you print it. Even better—get someone else to read it. You will often find that a new eye will spot an error that you might have overlooked. While preparing for your next newsletter, consider this common grammatical error.
“Its” All Here!
Proper use of “it’s” and “its” can be tricky. There are two problems with these words. The first is that they sound the same, making it hard to distinguish between them. Second, the common rule for possessive nouns doesn’t apply here. “Its” is the possessive form and we expect possessive words to have apostrophes.
Remember This Rule
“It’s” is always a contraction for “it is.”
Example: “It’s time for bed!”
“Its” is the possessive form.
Example: “The cat was licking its paws.”