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Question

Directions : In the following questions a particular word is provided. Four sentences have been framed, one of which makes use of the word correctly. You are required to select the correct option and mark your response on the Answer Sheet accordingly.

‘It’s’ 

This question was previously asked in
CDS I 2022 English Previous Year Paper (10-April-2022)
The correct answer is

It’s imperative that you study hard for success.  

Understanding the Correct Usage of 'It's'

The question asks us to identify the sentence where the word 'It's' is used correctly. To answer this, we need to understand the difference between 'It's' and 'Its'.

Difference Between 'It's' and 'Its'

  • It's: This is a contraction. It stands for "it is" or "it has". For example, "It's raining" means "It is raining". "It's been a long day" means "It has been a long day".
  • Its: This is a possessive pronoun. It shows ownership or belonging, just like 'his', 'her', 'your', or 'their'. For example, "The dog wagged its tail" means the tail belonging to the dog.

A common way to check if 'It's' is used correctly is to substitute "it is" or "it has" into the sentence. If the sentence still makes sense, then 'It's' is likely correct. If it doesn't make sense, you probably need 'Its'.

Analyzing the Given Sentences

Let's examine each sentence provided:

  • Option 1: "It's nature is susceptible to rapid change."
    Let's substitute "it is" or "it has": "It is nature is susceptible..." or "It has nature is susceptible...". Neither makes sense. The sentence is talking about the nature belonging to something, which requires the possessive pronoun 'Its'. The correct form would be "Its nature is susceptible...". Therefore, 'It's' is used incorrectly here.
  • Option 2: "What is it about it’s performance that has impressed you ?"
    Let's substitute "it is" or "it has" for "it's": "What is it about it is performance..." or "What is it about it has performance...". Neither makes sense. The sentence is asking about the performance belonging to something, which requires the possessive pronoun 'Its'. The correct form would be "What is it about its performance...". Therefore, 'It's' is used incorrectly here.
  • Option 3: "It’s imperative that you study hard for success. "
    Let's substitute "it is" or "it has" for "It's": "It is imperative that you study hard for success." This sentence makes perfect sense. 'Imperative' means crucial or essential. So, "It is essential that you study hard for success" is grammatically correct. Therefore, 'It's' is used correctly here as a contraction of "it is".
  • Option 4: "What about it’s value in the international market ?"
    Let's substitute "it is" or "it has" for "it's": "What about it is value..." or "What about it has value...". Neither makes sense. The sentence is asking about the value belonging to something, which requires the possessive pronoun 'Its'. The correct form would be "What about its value...". Therefore, 'It's' is used incorrectly here.

Based on the analysis, only Option 3 uses 'It's' correctly as a contraction for "it is".

Correct Sentence

The sentence that correctly uses the word 'It's' is:

It’s imperative that you study hard for success.

Here, 'It's' is correctly used as a contraction for "it is".

Sentence Usage of 'It's'/'it's' Correct/Incorrect Explanation
It's nature is susceptible... It's Incorrect Should be possessive 'Its'
...about it’s performance... it’s Incorrect Should be possessive 'Its'
It’s imperative that you study... It’s Correct Contraction of "It is"
What about it’s value... it’s Incorrect Should be possessive 'Its'

Revision Table: Grammar Concepts

Term Definition Example
Contraction A shortened form of a word or group of words, with the omitted letters replaced by an apostrophe. It's (It is/It has), You're (You are), They're (They are)
Possessive Pronoun A pronoun that shows possession or ownership. Its, His, Her, Your, Their, Our, My
Imperative Of vital importance; crucial. It is imperative that you follow the instructions.

Additional Information: Common Confusions

The confusion between 'It's' and 'Its' is very common because possessive pronouns (like 'yours', 'hers', 'theirs') don't use an apostrophe, while contractions do. However, the rule for 'It's' is different: the form with the apostrophe ('It's') is the contraction, and the form without the apostrophe ('Its') is the possessive.

Think of it this way:

  • If you can replace 'It's' with "it is" or "it has", use 'It's'.
  • If you are showing that something belongs to "it", use 'Its'.

This simple test can help you avoid this common grammatical error.

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Important Questions from Correct Usage of Word

  1. Directions: Given below is a word, followed by three sentences that consist of that word. Identify the sentence(s) that express(es) the meaning of the word.

    INTEREST

    A. She must be allowed to grieve and interest in her own way.

    B. He urged further interest rate cuts in a bid to kick-start the economy.

    C. It might interest you to learn that I've changed my opinion on that matter.

  2. Directions: Given below is a word, followed by three sentences that consist of that word. Identify the sentence(s) that express(es) the meaning of the word.

    REVISED

    A. The college has revised its plans because of local objections.

    B. The revised proposal will be presented to the board for discussion at Tuesday's meeting.

    C. The judge was revised in the newspapers for his opinions on rape.

  3. Directions: Given below is a word, followed by three sentences that consist of that word. Identify the sentence(s) that express(es) the meaning of the word.

    DEFY

    A. The brave young woman decided to defy the rules and pursue her dreams.

    B. His actions openly defied the authority of the government.

    C. The officer was convicted for refusing to defy orders

  4. Directions: Given below is a word, followed by three sentences that consist of that word. Identify the sentence(s) that express(es) the meaning of the word.

    HANDLE

    A. She carefully held the handle of the door.

    B. The detective found a crucial piece of evidence with his keen handle on the case.

    C. He couldn't handle the pressure and decided to quit.

  5. Select the option in which the usage of the given word is INCORRECT or INAPPROPRIATE.

    EXPECT

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