IT'S vs. ITS

IT'S VS. ITS
Starring

• Princess Bubblegum

Featuring:

• Cinnamon Bun
• Peppermint Butler 
• Chocolate Bar Guy

"So what's the big deal? Why are we posting about the difference of two words with the same configuration of letters?!"
The answer is simple. There is nothing more maddening to readers of Standard English than the misuse of this one simple rule. Seeing "it's" instead of "its" or vice versa is guaranteed to make your reader go

It's a simple rule to remember but we often write so fast that we forget to double check.

We all know the standard. Making a noun possessive requires an apostrophe
For example:
Princess Bubblegum's laboratory is full of dangerous and lethal chemicals.

That chocolate cake is one of Cinnamon Bun's favorites.

Similarly, if you are contracting a word with "is," we will also make use of the apostrophe.

For example:
Cinnamon Bun's going to run the message over from Hotdog Princess.
It is Cinnamon Bun + is


However, when dealing with the word "it," we must forget half of what we know about these rules.

If you are using it+is, you will keep the apostrophe. This will show that your word is a contraction as opposed to a possessive.

For example,
It's highly unlikely that Chocolate Bar guy is going to go to the beach today.

You will use the apostrophe because it is a contraction.

However, if you are using a possessive, it will become "its." No apostrophe, no problem.

For example:
"I'm afraid its favorite snack might be citizens of the Candy Kingdom," said Peppermint Butler, staring at the picture of the lich.