It's / Its

[SeaJayPea]

May I, dare I, presume to correct some of my fellow contributors? I was brought up at a time when bad spelling or misuse of words brought about a sharp rap on the knuckles. This one was my primary school teacher's particular bete noire.

It's with an apostrophe means 'IT IS'. It does not indicate a possessive. It's the one exception (see what I did there?).

Its without the apostrophe does indicate the possessive 'the car finished up on its roof' is right.

Probably shouldn't identify worst offenders, so I won't. You know who you are....

Just sayin'

[Obiter]

The rules are not confusing, it's just that they are often very badly taught and frequently incomplete. For example, 'I before E, except after C'. It should continue to say, "when it sounds as 'ee'. To that rule there is only one exception, 'seize', and that only because it is a corrupt spelling of a French word.

[Tilly2]

What about weird?

[Obiter]

If you say weird slowly it is actually two syllables, so does not sound as pure "ee" and thus falls outside the remit of the rule. The same applies to weir. It is not pronounced "weer".

[Mamyalynne]

When I say 'weird' I say it really quickly, like I did just now.

[Obiter]

...but it is pronounced 'we-erd'.

[kvalidir]

'Weird' isn't two syllables, that's really dodgy elocution, you end up saying 'Weee /urd'-when properly ( or at least with RP- I like dialects so not critisising them) it's more 'weard'.

[Mamyalynne]

I'm from Lancashire, we speak a little differently here.

[Obiter]

Quite agree with Kval. My point is that it is not one syllable but two, 'we-ird'.

[Tilly2]

I before E, except after C', when it sounds as 'ee'. Where does it mention syllables in that rule?

[stuey]

Quite often, people put the emPHAsis on the wrong SylLAble.

[bibblebub]

the most famous "it's"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJpJbL6Pzjo

[puzzlemaniac]

I before E except after C is no longer taught. There are apparently more exceptions than actual occurrences, so said Stephen Fry on QI.

[stuey]

Professor: " It is not possible within the English language to construct a
negative by combining two positives."
Student: "Yea, right!"