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Spring Flowers <box2141@technocom.com> wrote:
>Peter G. Strangman of Weinkeller wrote:

>> When considering "yours", "theirs" "its" etc. remember that
>> "our's" is the exception requiring an aposrophe.

> But, according to my own rules, it's can be either IT IS or the
> possessive of IT.

The apostrophe is only used where there has been a contraction. Hence
"it is" becomes "it's", but the the posessive form of it is "its"
because there is no contraction.

But why "hers" with no apostrophe, but "Sally's" with one? Because in
older English usage, the form is "Sally hers". Since "Sally hers
ball" is a bit long, it has shrunk to "Sally's ball" through lazy
usage. It's often worth mentally saying the long form to oneself if
unsure.

If you're not sure whether an apostrophe is required or not, consider
whether what you're trying to say is a contracted form of two words.
If so, put it in, if not, leave it out.

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