# Solving the it's.....its......problem. No more rages. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 4, 2004, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solving-the-its-its-problem-no-more-rages/222653 "2004-01-04T16:10:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solving-the-its-its-problem-no-more-rages/222653/1 "2004-01-04T16:10:38Z")
Its’. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solving-the-its-its-problem-no-more-rages/222653/2 "2004-01-04T16:16:19Z")
So, who won the bet that I’d be the first to post here. **don’t ask** what on talk are you earthing about? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solving-the-its-its-problem-no-more-rages/222653/3 "2004-01-04T16:17:51Z")
So **don’t ask** is the old guy from Monty Python? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solving-the-its-its-problem-no-more-rages/222653/4 "2004-01-04T16:21:09Z")
Maybe I didn’t explain it properly. Its’ can serve for both it’s and its. If its’ is used for its then it’s its consecutively without an apostrophe. In other words its i,t and s are uninterrupted. If its’ is used for it’s then it’s it’s with the apostrophe misplaced. In other words its got all 4 elements of it’s. How can anyone complain about that? Think of the Pit threads alone we’ll save. Its’ is the word. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solving-the-its-its-problem-no-more-rages/222653/5 "2004-01-04T16:37:28Z")
Ah, I see. “Its” versus “It’s” Quote marks go a long long way in making meanings clear. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solving-the-its-its-problem-no-more-rages/222653/6 "2004-01-04T16:57:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lobsang \* > \*\*Ah, I see. “Its” versus “It’s” > > Quote marks go a long long way in making meanings clear. \*\* 'Tis. ---
**Author:** ![zephyrine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/35a633/32.png) [@zephyrine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zephyrine)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solving-the-its-its-problem-no-more-rages/222653/7 "2004-01-04T16:59:06Z")
I’m not sure its’ going to catch on. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solving-the-its-its-problem-no-more-rages/222653/8 "2004-01-04T20:32:53Z")
['](http://www.angryflower.com/bobsqu.gif). ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solving-the-its-its-problem-no-more-rages/222653/9 "2004-01-04T21:09:27Z")
What’s wrong with it’s for both words? Context should be sufficient to determine which word it is. We do just fine with “presents” as the spelling for both the word for “gifts” and the word for “makes a presentation of”. And aside from the silly exception introduced because of the “we need to be able to tell the difference” argument, they would both logically be spelled that way. “It is” rendered as a contraction and therefore needs an apostrophe. “Belonging to it” is a possessive and therefore also needs an apostrophe. Its should be restricted to references to more than one “it”. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solving-the-its-its-problem-no-more-rages/222653/10 "2004-01-04T21:19:30Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by AHunter3 \* > \*\* “Belonging to it” is a possessive and therefore also needs an apostrophe._\* Taking that idea to its, sorry _it’s_ logical conclusion, “mine” should become “me’s”. That’s just silly. ---
**Author:** ![KellyM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/57b2e6/32.png) [@KellyM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyM)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/solving-the-its-its-problem-no-more-rages/222653/11 "2004-01-04T21:19:51Z")
I’ve reported all of you to Santa. You’re not getting anything but coal lumps for the rest of your lives.