# It's and Its: a poll
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-and-its-a-poll/763852
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [August 24, 2016, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-and-its-a-poll/763852 "2016-08-24T21:38:30Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2016, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-and-its-a-poll/763852/1 "2016-08-24T21:38:30Z")
You see somebody use it’s when they should have used its. Or the reverse.
What’s your reaction?
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### Author:  [@Leo\_Krupe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Krupe)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2016, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-and-its-a-poll/763852/2 "2016-08-24T21:41:20Z")
I think about the correct usage, then go on with my day. It’s not worth my time and effort to correct people about minor stuff like that, though I’d correct my children every single time, but that’s different reasoning.
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### Author:  [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2016, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-and-its-a-poll/763852/3 "2016-08-24T21:43:18Z")
100% of people participating in this poll agree with me!
Wait…
(My response is: flinch and ignore.)
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### Author:  [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2016, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-and-its-a-poll/763852/4 "2016-08-24T21:52:28Z")
It certainly annoys me. But the worst part is that I fuck it up often enough myself and don’t always catch it before hitting post. Or, OR autocorrect thinks it knows better than me and autoincorrects me. So I give other posters then benefit of the doubt and let it slide.
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### Author:  [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2016, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-and-its-a-poll/763852/5 "2016-08-24T22:24:59Z")
I point it out, but that’s mainly because it’s my job to review and edit text, and, because it’s my job, people are constantly asking me to review their personal written documents for just these kinds of errors. If I saw someone’s writing that had a blatant error and didn’t correct it, they would probably be annoyed with me.
::Carefully checks post to make sure that it’s is used correctly before submitting::
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### Author:  [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2016, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-and-its-a-poll/763852/6 "2016-08-24T22:29:20Z")
At least its/it’s has a good chance of being a typo. Mistaking _they’re_ for _their_ is a crime that requires intent.
But in the end, it isn’t worth correcting grammar of any sort unless you have a relationship with a person that makes you a teacher of sorts. I’d correct my kids on grammar, but not another person’s kids.
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### Author:  [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2016, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-and-its-a-poll/763852/7 "2016-08-24T22:33:32Z")
[I refer them to Strong Bad’s musical explanation of proper usage.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc2udEpyPpU)
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### Author:  [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2016, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-and-its-a-poll/763852/8 "2016-08-24T22:46:15Z")
Sometimes you just want to know whether someone’s from the United States, England, or Australia.
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### Author:  [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2016, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-and-its-a-poll/763852/9 "2016-08-24T22:50:32Z")
It isn’t hard to remember if you know your other pronouns.
His, hers, and its.
He’s, she’s, and it’s.
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### Author:  [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2016, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-and-its-a-poll/763852/10 "2016-08-24T23:34:37Z")
If the worst thing that happens today is a mis-apostrophization on Facebook, this day is truly blessed.
Besides, people post from their phones. Some days I can barely type correctly with both hands and a keyboard, so I’m not the one to judge. Publicly.
However, god help people who misuse “momentarily.”
And, now I want an [It’s-it…](https://www.itsiticecream.com/)
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### Author:  [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2016, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-and-its-a-poll/763852/11 "2016-08-25T02:08:42Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#):
>
> And, now I want an [It’s-it…](https://www.itsiticecream.com/)
They have a brand-new flavor with Green Tea Ice Cream…yum!
Oh, as far as the poll question goes, I notice incorrect usage, but whaddayagonnado?
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### Author:  [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2016, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-and-its-a-poll/763852/12 "2016-08-25T02:32:23Z")
You don’t have an option for “grind my teeth in disgust and frustration.”
I can’t correct every dumb-ass mistake everyone makes. I’ve tried.
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### Author:  [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2016, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-and-its-a-poll/763852/13 "2016-08-25T02:36:00Z")
I try to use them correctly but in the heat of fast typing I do make mistakes. Now the your/you’re thing -------- Old Testament style punishment is too light.
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### Author:  [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2016, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-and-its-a-poll/763852/14 "2016-08-25T02:38:24Z")
I notice. I also assume that sometimes a typo is just a typo and not ignorance.
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### Author:  [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2016, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-and-its-a-poll/763852/15 "2016-08-25T02:43:51Z")
I proof/edit for coworkers and am known as someone to consult when there’s a question about grammar or usage. In that context, I’ll outright correct people because often it’s regarding a social media post that will make us look stupid to those who pay attention to those sorts of things. Otherwise, I try to keep my trap shut unless I’m specifically asked. I’ve done the its/it’s typo myself, due to the same reasons mentioned upthread with autocorrect and such. My phone will often offer both it’s and its as a selection, but if I’m not paying attention Swiftkey will choose for me. On the apostrophe usage scale of ire, this one is pretty close to the bottom. I’ve also found that the “it is” contraction is more common in my writing than the possessive pronoun and so I tend to throw the apostrophe in there without thinking.
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### Author:  [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2016, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-and-its-a-poll/763852/16 "2016-08-25T02:52:03Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#):
>
> You see somebody use it’s when they should have used its. Or the reverse.
>
> What’s your reaction?
I’m at least an honorary grammar nazi, but I have some limited sympathy on the its/it’s front:
• Conventionally, possessives do have apostrophes: Mike’s, the teacher’s, etc. Pronouns typically do NOT: his, hers. But neither ‘his’ nor ‘hers’ are akin in formulation to plurals (shes and hes perhaps but those aren’t the same words), whereas an ‘it’ might be pluralizable and ‘its’ would be the result. I can see a case for why the possessive of it should be spelled it’s. There’s going to be confusion no matter what, and the rule we have is an arbitrary one.
• There is no excuse whatsoever for omitting the apostrophe from the contraction though.
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### Author:  [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2016, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-and-its-a-poll/763852/17 "2016-08-25T02:55:30Z")
I _want_ to reach for a revolver, but I shrug it off. I truly hate it, but I know when I’ve been beaten.
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### Author:  [@appleaday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleaday)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2016, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-and-its-a-poll/763852/18 "2016-08-25T05:33:53Z")
It’s not worth fussing about, especially if it occurs in a casual note or post. If I were asked to proofread someone’s term paper, I’d certainly point it out, of course.
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### Author:  [@Sampsiceramos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampsiceramos)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2016, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-and-its-a-poll/763852/19 "2016-08-25T07:22:44Z")
Conflating “its” with “it’s” annoys me to be sure, but it’s one of the lesser sins people commit to writing today.
On the other hand, I have a number of purportedly well-educated acquaintances who consistently write “would of” when they mean “would have”. Every time this happens, I find myself briefly considering the merits of a grammar-based eugenics program before remembering that being an illiterate moron despite years of excellent education is only _almost_ as bad as eugenics.
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### Author:  [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2016, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-and-its-a-poll/763852/20 "2016-08-25T08:05:43Z")
Making this mistake once in a while is obviously forgivable, but when you’re the kind of person who consistently puts apostrophes where they don’t belong, we’ll, that’s another story.
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