Perhaps the most common error criticized on all the sites dedicated to the correct use of English is the writing of it’s for its.
Contrary to what many sarcastic language critics like to imply, the writing of it’s for its is not a sign of stupidity. It is a normal, natural, common error that everyone who writes commits. Catching it before publication is what matters.
Because it’s for its calls forth so much ridicule, anyone who is writing for public consumption must make the effort to avoid it.
The possessive its belongs to the family of possessive adjectives that includes his. We don’t write “hi’s” so the reasoning is that we shouldn’t add an apostrophe to its.
ERROR ALERT: You can save yourself the embarrassment of having your signs and posters corrected, or your blog posts ridiculed if you will NEVER EVER WRITE IT’S at all. If what you mean is it is, then write it is. That way you will never have occasion to write it’s when you mean its.
Remember: Neither his nor its takes an apostrophe.
