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During my formative years, I had access to many older publications and learned, or thought I did, that its' is the proper way to indicate possession. Thus:

"Speaking of this boat, its' hull needs patching up."

I am reading, mostly in current grammar blogs, that this form is absolutely incorrect. I am perplexed. For many years I have thought it was the opposite. I do not mind being wrong, so I thought I would ask.

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It's is a contraction. The full form is it is.

Its is ONE WORD, a possessive form of it.

Its hull needs patching up.

No apostrophe.

You can't say "It is hull needs patching up," can you.

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    Hi, Ricky, just a heads-up. The OP seems to be asking about its' (apostrophe after s) , not its or it's.
    – user140086
    Commented Jan 3, 2016 at 6:31
  • @Rathony: What can I tell you. Let him or her slap me with a downvote.
    – Ricky
    Commented Jan 3, 2016 at 6:35
  • If i had the ability to down-vote, i would, but until that time, i'd gently suggest to Ricky that you misread my post.
    – drew..
    Commented Jan 3, 2016 at 15:04

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