“its" and “it's"

2016/08/16 08:41:26 網誌分類: 生活

16 Aug

         A reader suggested I explain the difference between the words “its" and “it's". They are pronounced exactly the same but spelt differently. Many people confuse these two words. Even fluent English-speakers sometimes do not use the words correctly. Read the following sentence to see if you can tell the difference between the two words. It's not easy to use a word in a sentence if you don't understand its meaning. Can you tell the difference? It's actually quite simple. The word “it's” with an apostrophe simply means “it is” or “it has”. The following sentence is an example of how the word can be used for both meanings. It’s (it has) been very hot for a week but now it's (it is) starting to get even hotter.

        　　The word “its” without an apostrophe is used to refer to something that has already been mentioned. It's (it is) similar to the words “his” for male and “her” for female. My friend Tony is very tall but?his?(referring to Tony) younger brother is even taller. My friend Amanda is very rich but?her?(referring to Amanda) elder sister is even richer. The word “its” is used in a similar way. I pay a high rent for my small apartment but its?(referring to the apartment) location is very convenient.?It’s?(it is) very convenient for my friend Joe to get to work each morning because?he?(referring to Joe) teaches at a school and its (referring to the school) location is very close to his home.

        　　I hope I have given you enough examples to tell the difference between the words “it's” and “its”. I used to inadvertently?(unintentionally, accidently) make a mistake too when using the two words. I became more mindful?of the difference between the two words some years ago when a?colleague pointed out my mistake. If you are more mindful of something, it means you are more aware or more conscious of it. A colleague is a person who works at the same place as you. The words “co-worker” and “fellow worker” have a similar meaning.



        一位讀者建議我解釋一下“its" 和“it's"的分別。這兩個字發音完全一樣，但串法卻不同，許多人也會把它們混淆了。即使是操流利英語的人，有時也會用錯。閱讀以下句子，看你能否說出兩者的分別？It's not easy to use a word in a sentence if you don't understand its meaning.你能分辨得到嗎？這（It's）其實再簡單不過。有撇號的it's，就解“it is” 或“it has”。下面一句就示範了它如何分別用作兩個意思：It's (it has) been very hot for a week but now it's (it is) starting to get even hotter.

        　　沒有撇號的its則是指事前已經談及過的事物，它跟用於男性的his和女性的her是相近的。我的朋友東尼非常高大，但他的（his）弟弟比他更高。我的朋友阿曼達很富有，但她的（her）姊姊更有錢。Its 也有類似的用法。我要為我那細小的單位付高昂的租金，但它的（its）位置是非常便利的。我的朋友阿祖每早返工都很方便，因為他（he）在學校教書，而它的（its）位置很就近他的家。

        　　我相信我已舉了足夠的例子，讓你能分辨“it's” 和“its”這兩個字的分別。我以往用這兩個字時，總是不經意地（inadvertently）搞錯了。好些年前有一位同事（colleague）指出我的錯處後，我開始更留心（mindful）這兩個字之別。若你是 mindful of something，即是說你會更為注意或警惕。Colleague 就是同事，co-worker 和fellow worker 都有類近的意思。

        中譯:七刻

        Michael Chugani 褚簡寧

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