Hi! Robert,

On 13 May 18 12:12, you wrote to me:

 PQ>> If you ever want to use the shortened form of "it is"
 PQ>> then you may use "it's".

 RB> Apparently the language has changed since I lived in the States. It
 RB> used to be that an apostrophe "s" was used as a posessive. And when a
 RB> word ended in "s", a simple apostrophe at the end denoted the
 RB> posessive.

Yes, you are correct for the majority of its usage.  Look, I am not an expert
but its misuse is one of those things that grates on the nerves like dragging a
fistful of fingernails across a chalkboard.  In the case of 'it', which may be
a unique case or may represent a class of exceptions - I don't know, through
its specialness makes it easy to remember.

 PQ>> The other form "its" is the possessive form of the word "it".
 PQ>> It's really quite simple.
 RB> I agree. Or is this a difference between Australian and American
 RB> English?

I doubt it.  You are welcome to test the notion with any English Dictionary
that answers your call, beit to hand or online.

Cheers,
Paul.

... It's Monday!?!  I want a recount.
--- GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5-b20130515