--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The rule is: the word 'it's' (with…" description: "\"The rule is: the word 'it's' (with apostrophe) stands for 'it is' or 'it has'. If the word does not stand for 'it is' or 'it has' then what you require..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/lynne-truss-4153_buried_the-rule-is-the-word-it-s-with-apostroph_3184639.jpg" --- # The rule is: the word 'it's' (with apostrophe) stands for… ![“The rule is: the word 'it's' (with apostrophe) stands for 'it is' or 'it has'. If the word does not stand for 'it is' or 'it has' then what you require is 'its'. This is extremely easy to grasp. Getting your itses mixed up is the greatest solecism in the world of punctuation. No matter that you…” quote by Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/lynne-truss-4153_buried_the-rule-is-the-word-it-s-with-apostroph_3184639.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/lynne-truss-4153_buried_the-rule-is-the-word-it-s-with-apostroph_3184639.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/lynne-truss-4153_buried_the-rule-is-the-word-it-s-with-apostroph_3184639.jpg) > “The rule is: the word 'it's' (with apostrophe) stands for 'it is' or 'it has'. If the word does not stand for 'it is' or 'it has' then what you require is 'its'. This is extremely easy to grasp. Getting your itses mixed up is the greatest solecism in the world of punctuation. No matter that you have a PhD and have read all of Henry James twice. If you still persist in writing, 'Good food at it's best', you deserve to be struck by lightning, hacked up on the spot and buried in an unmarked grave.” [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Correct use of “it's” vs “its” is essential; misuse is a serious error. **In simple terms:** Distinguish contraction from possessive. Key Takeaway Master punctuation basics. Themes language grammar precision Mood educational lighthearted Type instructional humorous When to use this quote - Writing emails - editing documents - teaching English - publishing Key Concepts Contraction vs possessive punctuation rules Questions to Reflect On - Why is punctuation accuracy important? - How can you teach this rule effectively? A Different Perspective Overemphasis may intimidate learners; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-food/) [Lightning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lightning/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“If there is one lesson to be learned from this book, it is that there is never a dull moment in the world of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/if-there-is-one-lesson-to-be-learned-from-this-book-it-is-that-there/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [With educated people, I suppose, punctuation is a matter of rule; with me it is a matter of feeling. But I must say I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/with-educated-people-i-suppose-punctuation-is-a-matter-of-rule-with/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“Those spineless types who talk about abolishing the apostrophe are missing the point.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/those-spineless-types-who-talk-about-abolishing-the-apostrophe-are/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [“the Law of Conservation of Apostrophes. A heresy since the 13th century, this law states that a balance exists in nature: “For every apostrophe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/the-law-of-conservation-of-apostrophes-a-heresy-since-the-13th/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [I mean, full stops are quite important, aren't they? Yet by contrast to the versatile apostrophe, they are stolid little chaps, to say the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/i-mean-full-stops-are-quite-important-aren-t-they-yet-by-contrast-to/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [“In Beachcomber’s hilarious columns about the Apostropher Royal in The Express, a certain perversely comforting law is often reiterated: the Law of Conservation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/in-beachcomber-s-hilarious-columns-about-the-apostropher-royal-in-the/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [“one might dare to say that while the full stop is the lumpen male of the punctuation world (do one job at a time;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/one-might-dare-to-say-that-while-the-full-stop-is-the-lumpen-male-of/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [I recently heard of someone studying the ellipsis (or three dots) for a PhD. And, I have to say, I was horrified. The ellipsis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/i-recently-heard-of-someone-studying-the-ellipsis-or-three-dots-for-a/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [“No matter that you have a PhD and have read all of Henry James twice. If you still persist in writing, "Good food at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/no-matter-that-you-have-a-phd-and-have-read-all-of-henry-james-twice/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [“Late Friday morning I was driving toward Boulder. I was seated in "Doctor Lovebeads Cosmic Wonderbus and Mobile Mercantile." That entire phrase was painted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-reilly/late-friday-morning-i-was-driving-toward-boulder-i-was-seated-in/) [Gary Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-reilly/) > [I might not use capital letters. But I would definitely use an apostrophe…and probably a period. I’m a huge fan of punctuation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/i-might-not-use-capital-letters-but-i-would-definitely-use-an/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [I am lucky to be in a field where I can wear my hair the way I want, and the apostrophe in my name…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-ja-wilson/i-am-lucky-to-be-in-a-field-where-i-can-wear-my-hair-the-way-i-want/) [A'ja Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-ja-wilson/) > [“As if a silver in the egg-and-spoon race was some sort of compensation for not understanding how to use an apostrophe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/as-if-a-silver-in-the-egg-and-spoon-race-was-some-sort-of/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [ “\[Lydia tut-tutted on seeing the grocer's apostrophe\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-mckenna/lydia-tut-tutted-on-seeing-the-grocer-s-apostrophe/) [Christina McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-mckenna/) > [I'd rather fiddle with my phone for precious seconds than neglect an apostrophe; I'd rather insert a word laboriously keyed out than resort to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-self/i-d-rather-fiddle-with-my-phone-for-precious-seconds-than-neglect-an/) [Will Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-self/) ## More by Lynne Truss > [Punctuation marks are the traffic signals of language: they tell us to slow down, notice this, take a detour, and stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/punctuation-marks-are-the-traffic-signals-of-language-they-tell-us-to/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [Evidently an A level in English is a sacred trust, like something out of "The Lord of the Rings". 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Analytically, of course.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/i-think-about-death-sometimes-analytically-of-course/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [“For the first time since she met him, she asked herself whether mr Dodgson was really the sunny personality she had at first imagined.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/for-the-first-time-since-she-met-him-she-asked-herself-whether-mr/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) > [“All the important roles shortly boiled down to one: remember your with other people; show some consideration.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-truss/all-the-important-roles-shortly-boiled-down-to-one-remember-your-with/) [Lynne Truss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) [Explore all 115 Lynne Truss quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-truss/) ## More Buried quotes > [Palindrome as well. My sister's name is Hannah. Father liked word games. 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Getting your itses mixed up is the greatest solecism in the world of punctuation. No matter that you have a PhD and have read all of Henry James twice. 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