to apostrophe or not to apostrophe?

[gingerninja]

I just can't decide the appropriate use of an apostrophe in its for this sentance. It's one of the great unexplained gramatically questions for me and I'd be grateful if you could help.

[the company] as part of its business transformation

many thanks

[edam]

It's (a contraction of it is).

[JackieNo]

No apostrophe for your sentence. 'It's' is short for 'it is'.

[JackieNo]

edam - it's a possessive in the op's sentence.

[Mij]

yep, it's possessive in that sentence - the transformation of the business, therefore it's its

[gingerninja]

great, thanks. I knew it was a contraction but didn't know if it was also possessive. Glad you've cleared that up for me.

Thanks again

[UnquietDad]

Pedants' Corner. The one-stop shop for all your punctuation and grammar problems. Does what it says on the tin.

[gingerninja]

x posted, right so even though it's possessive the use of the apostrophe is still not required?

[JackieNo]

That's right, gingerninja. That's why it confuses people.

[gingerninja]

UQD, have you time to be here? shouldn't you be raising temperatures on those kooky dooky threads?

[gingerninja]

Thanks Jackie

[slayerette]

it's = it is
its = possessive

The only time you ever use 'it's' is if the sentence would still make sense if the 'it's' were replaced with 'it is'

So: {the company] as part of it is business transformation

does not make sense!

[Mij]

Yes, it's the exception to the possessive rule - no apostrophe. Presumably just so you can tell the difference between it's and its!

[StealthPolarBear]

his hers and its are all possessives and don't need apostrophes
(I know I've probably spelt possessives wrong)

[Mij]

I accept the hers and its, but his is a different word entirely.

I should have said 'an exception'. This being pedants' corner an' all.

[StealthPolarBear]

Why is his different? It's the m version of hers!

[Mij]

I mean that hers is the possessive of her. His is the possessive of him/he, there's no such word as hi (well, HI obviously, but you know what I mean)

[StealthPolarBear]

Oh right, yes I do see what you mean

[Bucharest]

Mij- Hers is the possessive pronoun relating to her/she...His is both the possessive pronoun for he/him and the possessive adjective.

[Mij]

Yep Bucharest, you're right, I didn't say it wasn't it just didn't come into my exchange with SPB

[wigparty]

God I love pedants' corner, although I usually watch respectfully from a distance!

[Quattrocento]

The way to think of it is as follows:

Does the following sentence make sense?

as part of it is business transformation

Clearly it does not make any sense at all therefore there is no apostrophe

[Quattrocento]

Sorry I see I have repeated other posts

[Clary]

Actually in old editions of Jane Austen or such you often do see "her's" so it has now contracted throuhg lots of use as is often the way in English.

(I suppose his was once he's?)