'Its' is a possessive determiner and possessive pronoun. In this part, we will go through its uses and grammatical rules in English grammar.

The Pronoun "Its" in the English Grammar

Its is a word most commonly used as a possessive determiner. It is third-person singular. In this lesson, we will discuss when and how to use it.

'Its' as a Possessive Determiner

Use

Its shows possession related to a thing previously mentioned or a baby or an animal. Have a look:

  • Its shows association or belongings to a thing previously mentioned. For example:

I'm not buying this curtain because its fabric lacks quality.

She joined Zurich's newspaper publication, and soon became its first investigative journalist.

The concert was interesting. Its audience were very pleased.

  • Its shows possession or belongings to a baby or an animal. For example:

I'm getting the baby two sets of clothes since I don't know its gender yet.

The cat attacked me because I stepped on its tail.

Position in a Sentence

Its as a possessive determiner always comes before a noun or a noun phrase. For example:

I'm not buying this curtain. Its fabric lacks quality.

I'm not buying this curtain. Its green fabric lacks quality.

'Green fabric' is a noun phrase.

Tip

Articles like 'a', 'an' and, 'the' or other determiners cannot be used before 'its.' Take a look at the following example:

I love my cat because its eyes are so attractive. ✔ I love my cat because the its eyes are so attractive.

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