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Grammar

It’s vs. Its — How to Use Them Properly + Examples

When should you use ‘it’s’ instead of ‘its’? Find out how to use ‘it’s’ and ‘its’ properly in our grammar guide.

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Introduction

Our text compare tool is a fantastic, lightweight tool that provides plagiarism checks between two documents. Whether you are a student, blogger or publisher, this tool offers a great solution to detect and compare similarities between any two pieces of text. In this article, I will discuss the different ways to use the tool, the primary features of the tool and who this tool is for. There is an FAQ at the bottom if you run into any issues when trying to use the tool.

What makes Originality.ai’s text comparison tool stand out?

Keyword density helper – This tool comes with a built-in keyword density helper in some ways similar to the likes of SurferSEO or MarketMuse the difference being, ours is free! This feature shows the user the frequency of single or two word keywords in a document, meaning you can easily compare an article you have written against a competitor to see the major differences in keyword densities. This is especially useful for SEO’s who are looking to optimize their blog content for search engines and improve the blog’s visibility.

Ways to compare

File compare – Text comparison between files is a breeze with our tool. Simply select the files you would like to compare, hit “Upload” and our tool will automatically insert the content into the text area, then simply hit “Compare” and let our tool show you where the differences in the text are. By uploading a file, you can still check the keyword density in your content.

URL compare

Comparing text between URLs is effortless with our tool. Simply paste the URL you would like to get the content from (in our example we use a fantastic blog post by Sherice Jacob found here) hit “Submit URL” and our tool will automatically retrieve the contents of the page and paste it into the text area, then simply click “Compare” and let our tool highlight the difference between the URLs. This feature is especially useful for checking keyword density between pages!

Simple text compare

You can also easily compare text by copying and pasting it into each field, as demonstrated below.

Features of Originality.ai’s Text Compare Tool

Ease of use

Our text compare tool is created with the user in mind, it is designed to be accessible to everyone. Our tool allows users to upload files or enter a URL to extract text, this along with the lightweight design ensures a seamless experience. The interface is simple and straightforward, making it easy for users to compare text and detect the diff.

Multiple text file format support

Our tool provides support for a variety of different text files and microsoft word formats including pdf file, .docx, .odt, .doc, and .txt, giving users the ability to compare text from different sources with ease. This makes it a great solution for students, bloggers, and publishers who are looking for file comparison in different formats.

Protects intellectual property

Our text comparison tool helps you protect your intellectual property and helps prevent plagiarism. This tool provides an accurate comparison of texts, making it easy to ensure that your work is original and not copied from other sources. Our tool is a valuable resource for anyone looking to maintain the originality of their content.

User Data Privacy

Our text compare tool is secure and protects user data privacy. No data is ever saved to the tool, the users’ text is only scanned and pasted into the tool’s text area. This makes certain that users can use our tool with confidence, knowing their data is safe and secure.

Compatibility

Our text comparison tool is designed to work seamlessly across all size devices, ensuring maximum compatibility no matter your screen size. Whether you are using a large desktop monitor, a small laptop, a tablet or a smartphone, this tool adjusts to your screen size. This means that users can compare texts and detect the diff anywhere without the need for specialized hardware or software. This level of accessibility makes it an ideal solution for students or bloggers who value the originality of their work and need to compare text online anywhere at any time.

It’s common to confuse homophones — words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings. Or should that say “its common to confuse homophones”? 

If you’re not sure when it’s best to use ‘it’s vs. its’ in writing you’re not alone! ‘Its’ and ‘it’s’ are some of the most commonly confused words in grammar.

Learn the difference between ‘it’s’ and ‘its,’ and how to use them properly in this guide. Then, review your writing with the Originality.ai AI Grammar Checker.

The Word ‘It’

According to the Collins Dictionary, the word ‘it’ is in the third person and it’s described as a singular pronoun. That means it can be used instead of a noun in a sentence. 

The pronoun ‘it’ can be used to replace a thing (car), an animal (cow), or an idea (generosity), especially to avoid repetition in a sentence. 

Considering that ‘it’ can be used so widely, the closely related ‘its’ and ‘it’s’ are also very common in English. 

It’s important to know how to employ ‘it’ correctly in writing to avoid confusion.

What Does ‘It’s’ Mean?

As mentioned, homophones are two words that sound the same but have different meanings. This is true for ‘it’s’ versus ‘its’ as well. 

‘It’s’ is a contraction, meaning the apostrophe is standing in for some unspoken and unwritten letters.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary notes that ‘it’s’ can be a contraction of ‘it is’ or ‘it has.’ 

Examples:

  • It’s due on the first of the month. (it is)
  • I’m sorry, it’s the best we can do. (it is)
  • It’s taken nearly a decade for that tree to bear fruit. (it has)

What Is the Definition of ‘Its’?

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, ‘its’ can be a possessive determiner (used before a noun in a sentence to show belonging or a relationship) or a possessive pronoun (replaces a noun).

Typically you use ‘its’ to describe something that belongs to a thing or animal or to describe the relationship between them, as a possessive determiner.

Examples:

  • The dog wagged its tail.
  • The cat pawed at its owner.
  • The little house stood proudly beneath its cedar roof.

However, in certain scenarios, you can also use ‘its’ as a possessive pronoun, typically accompanied by the word ‘own.’

Examples:

  • The TV keeps turning on by itself, it seems to have a mind of its own.
  • The weather is stormy today, it will clear in its own time.

Examples of When to Use It’s vs. Its

When deciding whether to use ‘its’ or ‘it’s’ in a sentence, try reading the sentence as ‘it is’ or ‘it has.’

  • If you can replace ‘its’ with ‘it is,’ use the spelling with an apostrophe ‘it’s’
  • If it doesn’t make sense with this change, use the possessive determiner ‘its.’

Practice Examples:

  • Its payday!
    • Try saying: It is payday!
    • Correct as: It’s payday!
  • After Luke lost his shoe last week, Sandra found its match.
    • Try saying: Sandra found it is match.
    • Correct as: Sandra found its match. 
  • Alfred’s elementary school closed its doors three years ago.
    • Try saying: The school closed it is doors three years ago.
    • Correct as: The school closed its doors three years ago.
  • They said its the biggest park in the city.
    • Try saying: They said it is the biggest park in the city.
    • Correct as: They said it’s the biggest park in the city.

Other Examples:

  • It’s the Fourth of July next week!
  • Its kittens are in the barn.
  • It’s been raining for months now.
  • I love summer, it’s the best season for hiking.
  • The stapler is never in its place.

Final Thoughts

‘Its’ and ‘it’s’ are commonly mistaken for each other. To help you remember which spelling to use, always try filling in the missing letters from the apostrophe (‘it is’ or ‘it has’). This simple test can help you check if you should use ‘its’ or ‘it’s.’ 

Review your copy with the Originality.ai AI Grammar Checker to catch spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes, and make sure you are using ‘it’s’ and ‘its’ correctly.
Then, read more tips on grammar best practices in our top guides:

FAQs

Why are ‘its’ and ‘it’s’ so commonly confused?

‘Its’ and ‘it’s’ are homophones, meaning they sound the same when spoken out loud. This makes it easy to confuse the different spellings when writing ‘its’ or ‘it’s’ in English.

How can you quickly check whether to use ‘its’ or ‘it’s’?

There are a couple of easy ways to check which version of ‘its’ is the grammatically correct spelling for your sentence. One is to try saying ‘it is’ or ‘it has’ instead of ‘its.’ If it makes sense as ‘it is,’ then you need to use the contraction ‘it’s.’ Another way you can improve your grammar quickly is with an online grammar tool such as the Originality.ai Grammar Checker.

Alyssa English

Alyssa English is a writer focused on B2C content for writers and teachers. As a certified ESL instructor, Alyssa is passionate about language and communication. She’s familiar with the grammatical conventions of and distinctions between Canadian, American, and British English.

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Why is the English so poor for some prompts?

When making the tool we had to make each prompt as general as possible to be able to include every kind of input. Not to worry though ChatGPT is smart and will still understand the prompt.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it important to check for plagiarism?

Tools for conducting a plagiarism check between two documents online are important as it helps to ensure the originality and authenticity of written work. Plagiarism undermines the value of professional and educational institutions, as well as the integrity of the authors who write articles. By checking for plagiarism, you can ensure the work that you produce is original or properly attributed to the original author. This helps prevent the distribution of copied and misrepresented information.

What is Text Comparison?

Text comparison is the process of taking two or more pieces of text and comparing them to see if there are any similarities, differences and/or plagiarism. The objective of a text comparison is to see if one of the texts has been copied or paraphrased from another text. This text compare tool for plagiarism check between two documents has been built to help you streamline that process by finding the discrepancies with ease.

How do Text Comparison Tools Work?

Text comparison tools work by analyzing and comparing the contents of two or more text documents to find similarities and differences between them. This is typically done by breaking the texts down into smaller units such as sentences or phrases, and then calculating a similarity score based on the number of identical or nearly identical units. The comparison may be based on the exact wording of the text, or it may take into account synonyms and other variations in language. The results of the comparison are usually presented in the form of a report or visual representation, highlighting the similarities and differences between the texts.

String comparison is a fundamental operation in text comparison tools that involves comparing two sequences of characters to determine if they are identical or not. This comparison can be done at the character level or at a higher level, such as the word or sentence level.

The most basic form of string comparison is the equality test, where the two strings are compared character by character and a Boolean result indicating whether they are equal or not is returned. More sophisticated string comparison algorithms use heuristics and statistical models to determine the similarity between two strings, even if they are not exactly the same. These algorithms often use techniques such as edit distance, which measures the minimum number of operations (such as insertions, deletions, and substitutions) required to transform one string into another.

Another common technique for string comparison is n-gram analysis, where the strings are divided into overlapping sequences of characters (n-grams) and the frequency of each n-gram is compared between the two strings. This allows for a more nuanced comparison that takes into account partial similarities, rather than just exact matches.

String comparison is a crucial component of text comparison tools, as it forms the basis for determining the similarities and differences between texts. The results of the string comparison can then be used to generate a report or visual representation of the similarities and differences between the texts.

What is Syntax Highlighting?

Syntax highlighting is a feature of text editors and integrated development environments (IDEs) that helps to visually distinguish different elements of a code or markup language. It does this by coloring different elements of the code, such as keywords, variables, functions, and operators, based on a predefined set of rules.

The purpose of syntax highlighting is to make the code easier to read and understand, by drawing attention to the different elements and their structure. For example, keywords may be colored in a different hue to emphasize their importance, while comments or strings may be colored differently to distinguish them from the code itself. This helps to make the code more readable, reducing the cognitive load of the reader and making it easier to identify potential syntax errors.

How Can I Conduct a Plagiarism Check between Two Documents Online?

With our tool it’s easy, just enter or upload some text, click on the button “Compare text” and the tool will automatically display the diff between the two texts.

What Are the Benefits of Using a Text Compare Tool?

Using text comparison tools is much easier, more efficient, and more reliable than proofreading a piece of text by hand. Eliminate the risk of human error by using a tool to detect and display the text difference within seconds.

What Files Can You Inspect with This Text Compare Tool?

We have support for the file extensions .pdf, .docx, .odt, .doc and .txt. You can also enter your text or copy and paste text to compare.

Will My Data Be Shared?

There is never any data saved by the tool, when you hit “Upload” we are just scanning the text and pasting it into our text area so with our text compare tool, no data ever enters our servers.

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