Its vs Itself: Grammar Rules, Differences & Examples

Introduction to Its vs Itself

Whether you are scanning global news updates, drafting a policy report, or writing a business email, choosing the right words ensures your message is clear and authoritative. A common point of confusion in English writing is knowing when to use “its” versus “itself”. Because both words stem from the neutral pronoun “it,” writers often mix them up in professional and academic settings.

Understanding its vs itself grammar examples will help you master the distinction between possession and reflection, ensuring your writing remains polished, precise, and error-free.

Grammar Rule, Definition, and Meaning

To choose the correct word, you must identify what role the pronoun plays in your sentence.

What is “Its”?

“Its” is a possessive determiner (or possessive adjective). It shows that an object, animal, organization, or abstract concept owns or possesses something.

• Rule: Use its when you want to show belonging or association.
• Test: Can you replace the word with “his” or “her”? If yes, its is correct.

What is “Itself”?

“Itself” is a reflexive pronoun or an intensive pronoun.

1. Reflexive Pronoun: Used when the subject performing the action is also the object receiving the action.
2. Intensive Pronoun: Used to add emphasis to a non-human noun or concept.

• Rule: Use itself when an item or concept acts upon itself, or when you want to highlight the singular identity of that item.
• Test: Can you replace the word with “himself” or “herself”? If yes, itself is correct.

Quick Comparison Table

Step-by-Step Decision Guide

When writing, follow these three simple steps to select the correct word:

Step 1: Identify the subject (e.g., the company, the engine, the government).
                     │
                     ▼
Step 2: Ask: Is the subject owning something or acting on itself?
       ┌─────────────┴─────────────┐
       ▼                           ▼
  [ OWNERSHIP ]              [ SELF-ACTION / EMPHASIS ]
       │                           │
       ▼                           ▼
  Use "ITS"                   Use "ITSELF"
  Example:                    Example:
  The company updated         The system resets
  its privacy policy.         itself every night.
                     │
                     ▼
Step 3: Double-check with the Human Substitution Test:
       • Replace "its" with "his" or "her".
       • Replace "itself" with "himself" or "herself".

Bonus Clarity Note: What About “It’s”?

Before reviewing examples, remember that it’s (with an apostrophe) is a contraction for “it is” or “it has”. It is never possessive.

• Its = Possessive (The dog wagged its tail.)
• Itself = Reflexive/Intensive (The problem solved itself.)
• It’s = Short for “it is” (It’s a great day.)

Comprehensive Example Library (85 Unique Examples)

To build complete confidence, explore these practical examples across different writing styles and skill levels.

1. Basic Examples (1–10)

Using “Its”

1. The cat drank its milk quietly.
2. The tree dropped its leaves during autumn.
3. The car lost its side mirror in the accident.
4. Every nation must protect its citizens.
5. The flower opened its petals under the sun.

Using “Itself”

6. The door closed by itself when the wind blew.
7. The cat cleaned itself after dinner.
8. The robot turned itself off after completing the task.
9. History has a way of repeating itself.
10. The light switch turns itself on automatically at dusk.

2. Intermediate Examples (11–20)

Using “Its”

11. The software company updated its user agreement this week.
12. A committee is only as effective as its members.
13. The smartphone brand revealed its newest prototype.
14. The river overflowed its banks following heavy rains.
15. The team celebrated its championship victory.

Using “Itself”

16. The wound healed itself within two weeks.
17. The city itself is beautiful, though the suburbs are noisy.
18. The computer program restarted itself after the update.
19. The issue presented itself during our weekly audit.
20. The machinery operates itself through internal automation.

3. Advanced Examples (21–30)

Using “Its”

21. The central bank raised its primary interest rates to curb inflation.
22. The coalition government struggled to maintain its parliamentary majority.
23. The treaty extended its jurisdiction across international waters.
24. The research institute published its findings on renewable energy transition.
25. The corporation restructured its global supply network to limit delays.

Using “Itself”

26. The economic system managed to stabilize itself despite global pressures.
27. The policy document itself does not violate international trade laws.
28. The crisis manifested itself through fluctuating stock valuations.
29. Democracy itself relies on transparent institutions and free media.
30. The artificial intelligence model refined itself using continuous feedback loops.

4. Daily Conversation Examples (31–40)

Using “Its”

31. Look at that dog chasing its shadow!
32. The coffee shop expanded its seating area upstairs.
33. My phone battery lost its charge within hours.
34. The restaurant changed its daily lunch menu again.
35. The bus missed its morning schedule due to heavy traffic.

Using “Itself”

36. Don’t worry, the furnace will turn itself off when it reaches 70 degrees.
37. The apartment building itself is old, but the interior was renovated.
38. The software updates itself overnight.
39. Sometimes the problem resolves itself if you just wait.
40. The cat locked itself inside the laundry room by mistake.

5. Academic Writing Examples (41–50)

Using “Its”

41. The university modified its admissions standards for incoming undergraduates.
42. Each cell regulates its internal temperature through complex mechanisms.
43. The study derived its primary conclusion from statistical field surveys.
44. The ecosystem maintained its biodiversity despite environmental stressors.
45. The narrative retains its emotional relevance across generations.

Using “Itself”

46. The scientific paradigm itself underwent a fundamental shift in the late 20th century.
47. The hypothesis validated itself through controlled experimental trials.
48. The organism adapts itself dynamically to extreme climate variations.
49. The literature review structures itself chronologically around three eras.
50. The theory itself requires further empirical verification before adoption.

6. Business & Professional Writing Examples (51–60)

Using “Its”

51. The firm announced its quarterly earnings report during the press call.
52. The board reviewed its annual governance guidelines yesterday afternoon.
53. The enterprise expanded its market footprint across Southeast Asia.
54. The agency renewed its contractual commitment with the key vendor.
55. The organization streamlined its operational procedures to save costs.

Using “Itself”

56. The startup positioned itself as a leader in green logistics solutions.
57. The market corrected itself following weeks of speculative trading.
58. The company itself remains solvent despite recent regional losses.
59. The platform guards itself against cybersecurity breaches through encryption.
60. The brand aligned itself with international sustainability standards.

7. Email Writing Examples (61–70)

Using “Its”

61. Dear Team, Please review the attached policy along with its summary notes.
62. Hi Sarah, The design department submitted its revised project timelines.
63. To All Staff, Our accounting department is auditing its internal logs today.
64. Hello Mark, Has the marketing group completed its presentation deck?
65. Dear Client, The platform will undergo maintenance on its primary database tonight.

Using “Itself”

66. Hi John, The software patch applies its updates automatically upon restart.
67. Dear Team, The issue resolved its background conflict after server deployment.
68. Hello All, The application itself is working, but the payment gateway is slow.
69. Hi Alex, The document will save its backup version every five minutes.
70. Dear Board Members, The committee organized itself into three sub-units.

8. Student & ESL Learner Examples (71–80)

Using “Its”

71. Every city has its own history.
72. The bird built its nest high up in the oak tree.
73. The school changed its uniform policy this year.
74. The watch lost its minute hand.
75. The game lost its appeal after three rounds.

Using “Itself”

76. The baby panda managed to climb the tree by itself.
77. The computer turned itself off during the storm.
78. The water boiled itself dry when left on the stove.
79. The door locked itself behind me.
80. The dog scratched itself behind the ear.

9. Incorrect vs. Correct Usage Examples (81–95)

Below is a diagnostic chart highlighting standard errors made by writers.

Easy Tips to Remember

Keep these simple rules in mind whenever you write:

1. The Handbag Rule (Possession = ITS): If a non-human subject holds or owns a noun, use its.
   • The handbag lost its strap.
2. The Mirror Rule (Reflection = ITSELF): If the action reflects back onto the subject like a mirror, use itself.
   • The camera focused itself.
3. The Male/Female Swap Test:
   • Replace the word with his / her. If it makes sense, use its.
   • Replace the word with himself / herself. If it makes sense, use itself.

Practice Exercises

Fill in the blanks using either its or itself.

1. The agency released ________ new economic guidelines this morning.
2. The security software updates ________ every night at midnight.
3. The country defended ________ boundaries against neighboring incursions.
4. The museum ________ was designed by a world-famous architect.
5. The dog hid ________ under the sofa during the thunderstorm.
6. The startup doubled ________ valuation in less than six months.
7. Inflation has a way of compounding ________ over time.
8. The project reached ________ final phase ahead of schedule.
9. The automated car parked ________ in the tight space.
10. The committee presented ________ findings to the executive board.

5-Question Quiz

Test your mastery with these multiple-choice questions!

1. Choose the correct sentence:

• A) The government published itself annual budget today.
• B) The government published its annual budget today.
• C) The government published it’s annual budget today.
• D) The government published its’ annual budget today.

2. Complete the sentence: “The narrative engine within the story moves _______ forward smoothly.”

• A) its
• B) its’
• C) itself
• D) it’s

3. Complete the sentence: “The institution restored _______ main entrance after years of restoration.”

• A) itself
• B) its
• C) it’s
• D) theirself

4. Which sentence uses “itself” as an intensive pronoun for emphasis?

• A) The cat groomed itself.
• B) The algorithm updated itself overnight.
• C) The document itself was never leaked to the press.
• D) The wound healed itself completely.

5. Identify the INCORRECT sentence:

• A) The engine shut itself off to prevent overheating.
• B) The publication lost its core readership last year.
• C) The platform repaired its after the network failure.
• D) The council restructured its administrative offices.

Answer Key & Explanations

Practice Exercises Answers

1. its (Possessive: belonging to the agency)
2. itself (Reflexive: action performed on the software)
3. its (Possessive: boundaries belonging to the country)
4. itself (Intensive: emphasizing the museum)
5. itself (Reflexive: action done by the dog to the dog)
6. its (Possessive: valuation belonging to the startup)
7. itself (Reflexive: compounding action done by inflation)
8. its (Possessive: final phase belonging to the project)
9. itself (Reflexive: self-parking action)
10. its (Possessive: findings belonging to the committee)

Quiz Answers

1. B — its shows possession over the annual budget.
2. C — itself acts reflexively as the object of the verb “moves.”
3. B — its shows possession over the entrance.
4. C — itself is used directly after “The document” to add emphasis.
5. C — Incorrect. It should read: “The platform repaired itself after the network failure.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Its vs Itself

1. Is “itself” a pronoun?

Yes. “Itself” is a pronoun—specifically a reflexive or intensive pronoun used for non-human subjects (objects, animals, concepts, or collective nouns).

2. Can a sentence start with “itself”?

Rarely. “Itself” usually needs an antecedent (a noun mentioned earlier) to refer back to. While poetically possible, standard formal English does not start sentences with “itself.”

3. When should I use “its” instead of “itself”?

Use its when showing that a non-human subject owns or possesses something (e.g., The corporation lost its license). Use itself when the subject acts upon itself or when adding emphasis (e.g., The corporation reorganized itself).

4. What is the difference between “its”, “it’s”, and “itself”?

• Its = possessive (its cover)
• It’s = contraction for “it is” or “it has” (it’s cold)
• Itself = reflexive/intensive pronoun (it reset itself)

5. Should I use “its” or “their” when referring to a company or nation?

In American English, collective nouns like companies, nations, and teams take singular pronouns (its / itself). In British English, collective nouns can take either singular (its) or plural (their), depending on whether the group is viewed as a single unit or as individual members.

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Disclaimer

This article is provided for educational and informational purposes to assist readers with English language usage and grammar standardizations across international contexts. Grammar preferences may vary slightly depending on regional style guides (e.g., AP Style, Chicago Manual of Style, Oxford Guide).

ALSO READ: Their vs Theirs Difference with Examples: The Ultimate Guide

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