It’s easy to place “its” in its correct place.
The it’s vs its confusion is actually a very easy correction because an apostrophe is only used in the contracted form of it’s:
* It’s is a contraction of it is or it has:
- Darlene has been pushing the Kanter proposal for all it’s worth. (…for all it is worth.)
- It’s too late. (It is too late.)
- It’s been exhausting. (It has been exhausting.)
* Its is a possessive pronoun, so you do not need an apostrophe in this possessive form:
- Let us bring in a consultant to analyze the Acme proposal and assess its worth. (Here, its is a possessive pronoun; no apostrophe should be used.)
- Leave the manuscript with its owner. (Possessive)
There is a second error in this sign:
Breath: respiration (noun) ; Breathe (verb): to inhale and exhale
The sign should read:
This strange looking mammal can hold its breath under water for 10 minutes while resting.
Learn More in This Course: Business Grammar: Error-Free Writing
