It's versus Its - save my teeth

ROFLOL I share your anguish.

Ok, its easy..Oh, sorry. It’s easy. Thanks!—Steve

LOL – hope you feel better for the rant, jan, but that’s all the good it’ll do! I even tried that he’s and his thing with my students one year and some of them actually started using hi’s. Not sure if it was deliberate just to annoy me but who knows. They’re (not their, not there) probably still doing it. I think this is a lost battle, since texting came in. Who can be bothered to find apostrophes at all? Theyre [sic] doomed! But here’s to them, one last time!

It urks me as well.

As a retired high school English teacher, I can sympathize with your point of view, Jan. Its, it’s gave me fits for years, and I still cringe when I see the misuse.

Although I’m not an editor, I suffering from the same teeth grinding when I see this misuse you pointing at. Another one with similar effect on my teeth is your used instead of you’re... LOL… is there any medication against teeth grinding, ‘cause I don’t think there’s an easy cure for misuse of its or your.

Got it – don’t be surprised if I forget it again though : ) I’ll try really hard to be aware of this – I don’t even know if I do it or not, but I don’t want there to be gnashing of teeth! I hope someday you will be set free from this editor’s curse : )

Another argument that comes up is the use of the apostrophe for denoting possessive noun.
The boy’s books or the boys’ books?
See here

Have you caught me out and ground your (not you’re) teeth at me yet Jan? The signs outside so many cafes and shops literally put me off going in there… and I admit to allowing myself a commonly known expletive or 2 on seeing drivers talking on phones or texting… Grrrrr…..

I’m not sure what I do as a therapist – I guess people’s fear is that I am analyzing them – and as much as I try to stay “off the clock” when I am not in the office, I suppose it is an occupational hazard to look more deeply into people’s words, art, etc. than the average person would. We all have our blessings, curses, pet peeves and weaknesses like you said : ) You know how they say our biggest strength can also be our biggest weakness, I think it’s true. Hey, I did it right – it does pay to set people straight sometimes!! I never use these abbreviations but LOL to you!

Well said, Jan. English is not neccessarily an easy language but some rules are logical. Let’s not get into spelling though LOL

Ok I have had my hand severly slapped, and will try and remember to to this, See im scared of using that word now. LOL See you have had a great education I was at school when they decided to use the ITA method, to read and write and spell or translated spell the word as it is pronnounced, so boy was spelt bouy, and I was taught that in my primary school, only at age 11 or so did they decide this goverment idea was not working they triedto re teach us to read and write in the normal fashion. So hence my spelling and grammar is poor but i love to read and write as you know in the comments i leave, but spelling may be off.LOL

I favoured this so i can look at it any time im concerend im not got it right. : )))))))))))

I have the same reaction with “your” versus “you’re”. Holy hannah. It’s as if people get further and further beyond schooling and forget how to write complete sentences!! But the end is never quite yolked to its means. I keep entertaining the hope that one day the English language might again shine like the crazy diamond that it is.

I wait.

Love it!! It’s something…. “up with which you will not put”!! That apostrophe simply must learn to know its place.
You made me chuckle.

You know, I used to be so particular about grammar when younger, but started forgetting the rules as I got older. I never get the (it’s) part wrong, because that’s easy to remember -it’s the possessive pronoun ( as pointed out by Jack McCabe) where I come undone. Used to have this fantastic grammar book by Mem Fox that has disappeared off my library shelf – I sure miss it! Anyway, I do thank you for this revision today – it’s actually quite hard to find a good web reference for these rules.

Oops – possessive noun, not pronoun!

Ah – I remember now. The problem I have yet to solve is – its vs. its’
So, dearly beloved great doyen of grammar Queen – can you -PLEASE_ advise someone who has forgotten their Primary School grammar on the answer to this dilemma? When you use plural for its – you put the apostrophe on the end for many its, right? (its’) And if it’s just one ‘it’ that becomes plural – you have to leave off the apostrophe and say its – yeah? You can’t go with the other rule about putting the apostrophe before the s without creating conflict with the ‘it is’ rule.

This one troubles me Jan, it’s one place I’m often tempted to put a superfluous apostrophe. Possibly not quite so malignant as the trend of adding an apostrophe to “plural’s” though!

Ha! I completely understand, though I don’t undergo the anguish that you professional readers and teachers do. And speaking of colour vs. color, I would say that neither is correct, only conventional. “Culer” would be the correct version! In fact…oh man…what have you done to me, Jan…it will be sleepless nights now until I finish this. Stand by…

Good vent Jan, its good your helping to put the apostrophe it’s place. Ive my own pet peeves with people verbising there nouns such as in the word ‘leverage’.

Hi Jan I am not a linguist and one who perhaps makes these errors all to often, all please forgive me! But as arm armchair psychologist I would say that a venture into E Prime can open new doors, it was and still is for me food for thought!

I agree. I once saw a billboard printed, “Beach front condo living at it’s best”. That was years ago, and I still wonder how that one ever got past the editing! I also hate there and their being used incorrectly. It is a curse, I guess!!!!