Its

The possessive form of the pronoun 'it'. It indicates ownership or a relationship belonging to something previously mentioned or understood. 'Its' describes something owned by a non-human entity, a concept, or a group considered as a whole. It differs from 'it's' which is a contraction of 'it is' or 'it has'. Using 'its' correctly ensures clarity and accuracy in expressing possession in written and spoken language. It is vital for conveying the relationship between nouns and their associated characteristics or belongings. its proper usage relies on recognizing the need to show that something is owned by something else.

Its meaning with examples

• The cat stretched, revealing its claws. The cat, being the subject of our sentence, needs an explanation of what body part the sentence is about, which is the claws. This signifies the claws belong to the cat. It uses 'its' as the possessive form. This use maintains correct grammar and clarity. Furthermore, it demonstrates that something is owned by a previously mentioned entity.
• The company announced its new strategy. As a company is not a human, we can show possession using 'its' for the company. The company is a single entity, and the 'its' clearly illustrates the new strategy belongs to the company, not a person. Understanding the ownership clarifies the sentence.
• The tree lost its leaves in the autumn. Because the tree is a non-human noun, we use 'its'. The leaves undeniably belong to the tree in this case. This usage, along with the possessive, is correct in the situation. This indicates an action/characteristic belonging to a tree.
• The building had its own unique style. In describing the building, which is not human, 'its' indicates that the unique style belongs to it. The possessive usage, without any extra words, shows ownership by a previously discussed item. The use ensures grammatical correctness.
• The team celebrated its victory after a hard-fought game. The victory, without any context, can not belong to a person. Therefore, 'its' clarifies the victory belongs to the team. This emphasizes how 'its' can clarify the relationship, indicating that something belongs to a group or entity.