AskOxford Logo Space
  VIEW BASKET  
Space Home
Space
Top Search Space Space
Bottom Space
Curve low Blue
Space
Space
HOME ·  SHOP ·  EDUCATION ·  PRESS ROOM ·  CONTACT US · 
SELECT VIEW
Space UK and the Rest of the World Space USA Space
You are currently in the US view
Space Space



Frequently Asked Questions


Grammar


How do I know when to put an apostrophe in it's?

The word it's is always short for it is (as in it's raining), or in informal speech, for it has (as in it's got six legs).

The word its means 'belonging to it' (as in hold its head still while I jump on its back). It is a possessive pronoun like his.


Other questions in this section:

How do I know when to put an apostrophe in it's?
If someone is doing a master's degree in the arts is it an MA or a MA?
In the sentence 'It is raining' what is 'it'?
Is 'agenda' singular or plural?
Is 'data' singular or plural?
Is it acceptable to use 'they' instead of 'he' or 'she'?
Should I use a singular or a plural verb with collective nouns such as 'government', 'committee', and 'family'?
Should I write 'a number of people is' or 'a number of people are'?
What are the plurals of 'octopus', 'hippopotamus', 'syllabus'?
What is a split infinitive, and why should I avoid using one?
What is the word for 'the whole is greater than the sum of the parts'?
When should I use 'less', and when should I use 'fewer'?
Which is correct: 'a hotel' or 'an hotel'?
Which is correct: 'a person was laid on the table' or 'a person was lain on the table'?
Which is correct: 'my friend and me' or 'my friend and I'?
Which is the correct spelling: 'oriented' or 'orientated'?

If, after browsing the FAQs, you still can't find the answer to your question then submit your query to the AskOxford Language Query team.



Collective Terms for Animals


Frequently Asked Questions

Dictionaries

Grammar

Spelling

Symbols

The English Language

Usage

Word Origins

Words

Choosing a Dictionary

Other Things

Oxford Word and Language Service


Jargon Buster

links
Space
Space Redarrow Space
Space
Space Redarrow Space
Space
Space Redarrow Space
Space
Space Redarrow Space
Space
Space Redarrow Space
Space
Space Redarrow Space
Space
Space dotted
CurveUp
Blue RightDown
Shorter Oxford English Dictionary Space
Dotted
Space
PRIVACY POLICY AND LEGAL NOTICE  Content and Graphics © Copyright  Oxford University Press, 2008.  All rights reserved.    
Space Oxford University Press
dotted
Space
Space