dear blog world...

...I do love you.  I read so many interesting things on an almost-daily basis, and fall in love with photography and beautiful creations that I could never make.

But please, oh please, learn just a few basic things about grammar, spelling, and the use of the apostrophe.

{click image for source}

Here is an introductory course:

(^Please note that the colon above did not follow a verb, which is another thing to remember.  You should never write something like "I have: four dogs, two cats, and a lot of hair on the couch."  You could, however, write this: "I have a problem with hair on the couch for these reasons: four dogs, two cats, and the shedding of their winter coats.")

It's may be used in any instance in which whatever it may be is performing the action of being; that is to say, whenever it is may be used instead.  For example, use it's raining when you could also say it is raining.

Its may be used whenever object X belongs to it; that is to say, whenever it possesses something.  For example, use its hair to refer to the hair that belongs to it.

Does it make sense to say its raining?  Does it possess the rain?  No, I do not think so.

 

I am such a grammar snob sometimes.