Quite so, Roger. As a publisher you will probably find as I did that an
extraordinary number of otherwise literate people can't do itses.
I used to say to people:
if it could be his, or her, it's its.
his, her, its.
no apostrophes.
If it could be it was or it will be, it's it's.
I think in the end its possible to progress to - its - in all cases. The
apostrophe is an affront when it shouldnt be there, but with email writing I
often find a temptation to drop apostrophes altogether and it can seem right
and natural. So perhaps we will move down the road to all itses.
its cold - or, its possible, as above -
doesnt annoy me half as much as
it's foot.
bw
SallyE
on 15/2/03 5:47 pm, Roger Collett at [log in to unmask] wrote:
> If it's of it then it's its.
> So make sure that it sits
> correctly so its its
> are its and are not it's.
>
> Although if it's it is,
> or even it's it has,
> then please write it as
> it's and not as its.
>
> Roger
>
> Confused? I'm getting that way!
|