Have you ever wondered whether to say “it worth it” or “it is worth it”? You are not alone. These phrases look almost identical, but there is an important grammar difference between them.
One is a complete grammatical expression, while the other is usually missing a necessary verb.
The confusion often happens because native speakers commonly shorten “it is” to “it’s” in everyday conversation.
As a result, learners may hear phrases such as “It’s worth it” and accidentally leave out “is” when writing or speaking, producing the incorrect form “it worth it.”
The good news is that the rule is simple once you understand how worth works in this expression. In this guide, you will learn whether “it worth it” or “it is worth it” is correct, why the difference matters, how “it’s worth it” fits into the picture, and how to use the expression naturally in conversations, emails, school assignments, business writing, and everyday English.
Quick Answer
“It is worth it” is grammatically correct.
“It’s worth it” is the natural contraction and is also correct.
“It worth it” is normally incorrect because the sentence needs the verb is.
Correct: It is worth it.
Correct: It’s worth it.
Incorrect: It worth it.
The key is simple: “worth” does not replace the verb “is.”
It Worth It or It Is Worth It: Comparison Table
| Feature | It worth it | It is worth it |
|---|---|---|
| Grammar | Usually incorrect | Correct |
| Complete sentence | No | Yes |
| Verb | Missing | is |
| Part of speech: “worth” | Adjective in this construction | Adjective |
| Meaning | Intended to mean something is valuable | Something deserves the time, money, effort, or trouble |
| Formal writing | Avoid | Appropriate |
| Everyday conversation | Avoid | Natural |
| Contraction | Not applicable | It’s worth it |
| Pronunciation | — | /ɪt ɪz wɜːrθ ɪt/ |
| Common mistake | Omitting is | No grammatical problem |
| Example | ❌ It worth it. | ✅ It is worth it. |
| Negative | ❌ It not worth it. | ✅ It is not worth it. |
| Question | ❌ It worth it? | ✅ Is it worth it? |
| Best use | None in standard English | General and professional English |
Why “It Is Worth It” Is Correct
The phrase “it is worth it” contains three important parts:
- It — pronoun
- is — form of the verb be
- worth it — complement describing the value of something
The word is is essential because English normally requires a verb to form a complete sentence.
Consider:
It is worth it.
Here, it is the subject and is connects the subject to the description worth it.
If you remove is, you get:
It worth it.
That leaves the sentence without its required verb.
This is why “it worth it” does not work in standard English.
What Does “It Is Worth It” Mean?
“It is worth it” means that something provides enough value or benefit to justify its cost, effort, time, difficulty, risk, or inconvenience.
For example:
The course costs $300, but it is worth it.
The speaker means that the benefits of the course justify spending $300.
Similarly:
The journey takes six hours, but it is worth it.
The meaning is that the experience or result makes the long journey worthwhile.
The Basic Pattern
A common structure is:
Subject + be + worth + noun/pronoun/gerund
Examples:
- It is worth it.
- The trip is worth the money.
- The book is worth reading.
- The experience is worth the effort.
- The movie is worth watching.
- The course is worth taking.
The verb be changes depending on the subject and tense:
- It is worth it.
- They are worth it.
- It was worth it.
- It will be worth it.
What Does “It Worth It” Mean?
In standard modern English, “it worth it” is generally a grammatical error.
A learner might say:
❌ It worth it.
because they understand the intended meaning but forget the verb is.
The correct versions are:
✅ It is worth it.
or, in informal writing and speech:
✅ It’s worth it.
The same principle applies to negative sentences.
❌ It not worth it.
✅ It is not worth it.
✅ It’s not worth it.
And questions:
❌ It worth it?
✅ Is it worth it?
Why Does This Mistake Happen?
There are several reasons.
1. “Worth” looks like a verb
Some learners assume that worth can function as the main verb in:
It worth it.
But in “it is worth it,” worth is not replacing is. The verb is is.
2. Speech can make “it is” sound very short
Native speakers frequently say:
It’s worth it.
The contraction it’s can sound like one quick syllable. Learners may focus on the stronger words worth it and accidentally omit the verb in writing.
3. Other languages may use a different sentence structure
English grammar does not always follow the structure of other languages. A learner may translate the idea directly from their first language and leave out is.
4. “Worth” has an unusual grammatical pattern
English learners often find worth confusing because it does not behave exactly like many common adjectives.
For example:
The phone is expensive.
But:
The phone is worth $500.
And:
The phone is worth buying.
Understanding these patterns makes the phrase much easier to use.
The Correct Phrase: “It Is Worth It”
“It is worth it” is the safest complete form.
Use it when you want to say that an action, purchase, experience, or sacrifice has enough value to justify what it requires.
Examples
The ticket is expensive, but it is worth it.
Learning another language takes time, but it is worth it.
The restaurant is far away, but it is worth it.
The laptop costs more than I expected, but it is worth it.
Studying every night was difficult, but it was worth it.
Notice that the phrase can refer to different kinds of value:
- money
- time
- effort
- inconvenience
- risk
- emotional energy
- patience
- sacrifice
“It’s Worth It” Is Also Correct
One of the most important points is that “it’s worth it” is not a different grammatical construction from “it is worth it.”
It is simply the contracted form.
It is → It’s
So:
It is worth it.
and
It’s worth it.
have the same basic meaning.
The choice depends mainly on tone and context.
When to Use “It’s Worth It”
Use “it’s worth it” freely in:
- casual conversation
- text messages
- social media
- friendly emails
- informal blogs
- everyday speech
- casual reviews
For example:
“Should I buy the premium version?”
“Yes. It’s worth it.”
When to Prefer “It Is Worth It”
Use the full form when you want a more deliberate or formal tone.
Examples include:
- academic writing
- formal reports
- professional documents
- formal correspondence
- carefully edited prose
However, contractions are not automatically wrong in professional writing. The appropriate choice depends on the publication, organization, style guide, and desired tone.
Tip: If you are unsure, “it is worth it” is always a safe grammatical choice.
The Grammar Behind “Worth”
To understand the phrase properly, it helps to look more closely at worth.
“Worth” as an Adjective
In expressions such as:
It is worth it.
worth functions as an adjective.
It describes the value of something relative to what must be given, spent, or experienced.
Examples:
The effort is worth it.
The price is worth it.
The wait is worth it.
The experience is worth it.
“Worth” With a Noun
You can use worth before a noun to express value.
Examples:
The painting is worth $5,000.
The company is worth millions of dollars.
The necklace is worth a fortune.
Here, worth indicates monetary or estimated value.
“Worth” With a Gerund
A very common structure is:
be + worth + -ing form
Examples:
It is worth trying.
It is worth watching.
It is worth considering.
It is worth learning.
It is worth visiting.
A common learner mistake is to use an infinitive after worth:
❌ It is worth to try.
The natural standard construction is:
✅ It is worth trying.
“Worth It” vs “Worthwhile”
The expressions worth it and worthwhile are closely related, but they are not always interchangeable.
Worth It
Worth it is an informal and highly common expression meaning that something justifies the cost, effort, or inconvenience.
The long wait was worth it.
Worthwhile
Worthwhile means valuable enough to justify the time, effort, or expense.
The project was worthwhile.
Both can communicate a similar idea, but worth it is especially natural in everyday conversation.
Compare:
“Was the trip worth it?”
“Yes, absolutely.”
This sounds very natural.
A more formal alternative might be:
“Was the trip worthwhile?”
Both are correct, but they have slightly different tones.
Key Differences Between “It Worth It” and “It Is Worth It”
The difference can be reduced to one simple grammatical fact:
- It worth it → missing the verb.
- It is worth it → complete grammatical structure.
- It’s worth it → correct contraction of the complete structure.
Remember These Three Forms
| Form | Correct? | Example |
|---|---|---|
| It worth it | ❌ | It worth it. |
| It is worth it | ✅ | It is worth it. |
| It’s worth it | ✅ | It’s worth it. |
Quick rule: Never use “it worth it” by itself in standard English. Add is or use it’s.
Is “It Worth It” Ever Correct?
As a normal standalone English sentence, “it worth it” is not standard grammatical English.
However, you may occasionally see unusual wording online because of:
- typos
- non-native English
- informal internet language
- missing punctuation
- machine-generated text
- captions written quickly
- language-learning errors
Seeing something online does not automatically make it standard English.
There are also special contexts such as titles, fragments, stylized advertising, or deliberately nonstandard dialogue where grammar may be intentionally altered. But these exceptions do not change the basic rule for ordinary writing.
For standard English, choose:
It is worth it.
or
It’s worth it.
Grammar: How to Build Sentences With “Worth It”
The expression works in several useful sentence patterns.
Positive Statement
It + is + worth + it
It is worth it.
Contraction
It + ’s + worth + it
It’s worth it.
Negative Statement
It + is not + worth + it
It is not worth it.
Or:
It’s not worth it.
Past Tense
It + was + worth + it
It was worth it.
Future
It + will be + worth + it
It will be worth it.
Question
Is + it + worth + it?
Is it worth it?
Past Question
Was + it + worth + it?
Was it worth it?
Future Question
Will + it + be + worth + it?
Will it be worth it?
“Is It Worth It?” vs “It Is Worth It”
These two expressions are related but serve different purposes.
“It Is Worth It”
This is a statement.
The trip is expensive, but it is worth it.
The speaker is making a judgment.
“Is It Worth It?”
This is a question.
The trip is expensive. Is it worth it?
The speaker wants another person’s opinion.
The word order changes because English forms a question by moving the auxiliary verb is before the subject.
Compare
It is worth it.
Statement
Is it worth it?
Question
This is an excellent example of why the verb is matters.
20+ Real-Life Examples
Here are original examples showing how the phrase works in different situations.
Everyday Conversation
- “The line is really long, but it is worth it for this bakery.”
- “Should I wait for the sale?”
“Yes, it’s worth it.” - “The hike is difficult, but the view is worth it.”
- “The hotel costs more, but it’s worth it because breakfast is included.”
Text Messages
- “The concert tickets are pricey, but honestly, it’s worth it.”
- “Do you think the upgrade is worth it?”
- “It was exhausting, but it was worth it!”
School and Education
- “Studying for the final exam is stressful, but it is worth it.”
- “Taking an extra writing course may require more work, but it can be worth it.”
- “The research took several weeks, but the final results made it worth it.”
Business
- “The software costs more than the basic plan, but the additional features make it worth it.”
- “Hiring an editor was expensive, but the improvement in the report made it worth it.”
- “The investment requires patience, but the long-term benefits may make it worthwhile.”
Professional Email
- “The additional training will take two afternoons, but I believe it is worth it for the team.”
- “The conference registration fee is high, but it is worth it if we can build useful industry connections.”
Academic Writing
- “Although the method requires additional preparation, the improved accuracy makes the effort worthwhile.”
- “The additional analysis was time-consuming, but it was worth completing because it strengthened the findings.”
Social Media
- “Three hours on the road for this view? Totally worth it. 🌄”
- “The wait was ridiculous, but the food was worth it! 🍜”
- “A little extra effort today can make tomorrow’s result worth it.”
Travel
- “The village is difficult to reach, but it is worth it for the scenery.”
- “The early flight was painful, but it was worth it when we arrived before the crowds.”
Shopping
- “I usually buy the cheaper model, but this one is worth it because it lasts longer.”
- “Is the extended warranty worth it?”
Work and Career
- “The certification takes months to complete, but it may be worth it for your career.”
These examples show that worth it can describe a wide range of situations.
Common Mistakes With “Worth It”
Mistake 1: Removing “Is”
❌ It worth it.
Why is it wrong?
The sentence has no finite verb.
Correct:
✅ It is worth it.
Natural alternative:
✅ It’s worth it.
Mistake 2: Saying “It Is Worth To Do”
❌ It is worth to visit the museum.
After worth, English normally uses an -ing form when describing an action.
Correct:
✅ It is worth visiting the museum.
Mistake 3: Using “Worth It” as the Main Verb
❌ The trip worth it.
Correct:
✅ The trip is worth it.
The verb is is required.
Mistake 4: Incorrect Negative Form
❌ It worth not it.
Correct:
✅ It is not worth it.
Or:
✅ It’s not worth it.
Mistake 5: Incorrect Question Order
❌ It is worth it?
In standard English, this is not the normal question structure.
Correct:
✅ Is it worth it?
Mistake 6: Confusing “Worth It” With “Worthwhile”
❌ The trip was worth it worthwhile.
Choose one structure:
✅ The trip was worth it.
or:
✅ The trip was worthwhile.
Do not combine the two unnecessarily.
“Worth It” in Formal and Informal English
Both “it is worth it” and “it’s worth it” are grammatically correct.
The difference is mainly one of style.
Informal English
It’s worth it is extremely natural.
It’s worth it if you can afford it.
Formal English
It is worth it may sound slightly more deliberate.
The additional investment is substantial, but it is worth it given the expected benefits.
Academic Writing
In academic writing, writers may choose a more precise alternative such as:
The additional effort is justified.
The method provides sufficient benefits to justify the additional cost.
The approach is worthwhile.
However, “it is worth it” is not grammatically wrong in academic English. Whether it is stylistically appropriate depends on the sentence and the level of formality required.
US vs UK English
There is no major American-versus-British grammar difference here.
American English:
It’s worth it.
British English:
It’s worth it.
American English:
Is it worth it?
British English:
Is it worth it?
Both varieties use the same basic grammar.
You may encounter differences in vocabulary, spelling, pronunciation, and style between US and UK English, but “it is worth it” is standard in both.
Pronunciation
The full expression:
It is worth it.
is commonly pronounced approximately as:
/ɪt ɪz wɝːθ ɪt/ in many American pronunciations.
In British pronunciation, the vowel in worth differs somewhat:
/ɪt ɪz wɜːθ ɪt/
The contracted version:
It’s worth it.
is usually pronounced more quickly:
/ɪts wɝːθ ɪt/ in many American accents.
The important pronunciation point is that “it’s” contains the sound of the verb “is.”
“It’s” vs “Its”
Another common issue is the difference between it’s and its.
It’s
It’s can mean:
- it is
- it has
For example:
It’s worth it.
means:
It is worth it.
Its
Its is a possessive determiner.
The company changed its policy.
Here, its does not mean “it is.”
Easy Comparison
It’s worth it. = It is worth it.
The company changed its policy. = The policy belongs to the company.
This distinction is especially important in professional and academic writing.
When Should You Use “It Is Worth It”?
Use “it is worth it” when you want a complete, clear sentence and especially when you want to avoid contractions.
It works well when discussing:
- prices
- purchases
- investments
- time
- effort
- education
- travel
- experiences
- difficult decisions
- risks
- opportunities
Examples:
The additional cost is high, but it is worth it.
Learning the skill takes patience, but it is worth it.
The extra hour of preparation is worth it.
When Should You Use “It’s Worth It”?
Use “it’s worth it” when the situation is conversational or relaxed.
Examples:
It’s worth it!
Trust me, it’s worth it.
I know it’s expensive, but it’s worth it.
The wait is long, but it’s worth it.
This is one of the most common natural expressions in everyday English.
When Not to Use “It Worth It”
Avoid “it worth it” in standard:
- essays
- emails
- reports
- articles
- school assignments
- applications
- business documents
- professional communication
- formal presentations
Instead, use:
It is worth it.
or:
It’s worth it.
depending on the desired tone.
Memory Tricks
Remembering this rule does not need to be difficult.
Trick 1: Find the Verb
Ask yourself:
“Where is the verb?”
In:
It worth it.
there is no proper verb.
In:
It is worth it.
the verb is is.
Trick 2: Expand “It’s”
Whenever you see:
It’s worth it
expand it’s:
It is worth it.
That immediately shows why “it worth it” is missing something.
Trick 3: Think “It IS”
Remember:
It IS worth it.
The word IS is the little bridge connecting it and worth it.
Trick 4: Questions Reveal the Verb
If you ask:
Is it worth it?
you can clearly see is.
The statement follows the same basic structure:
It is worth it.
A Simple Decision Rule
When deciding which form to use, follow these steps:
- Are you making a statement?
- Use It is worth it.
- Or It’s worth it.
- Are you asking a question?
- Use Is it worth it?
- Are you writing formally?
- It is worth it is a safe choice.
- Are you speaking casually?
- It’s worth it sounds natural.
- Are you tempted to write “it worth it”?
- Stop and add is.
This rule solves almost every ordinary usage problem.
Related Expressions You Should Know
Learning related structures will make your English more natural.
It Isn’t Worth It
The repair is too expensive. It isn’t worth it.
It Was Worth It
We waited two hours, but it was worth it.
It Will Be Worth It
Keep practicing. It will be worth it.
Is It Worth It?
The course costs $1,000. Is it worth it?
Worth Doing
The book is worth reading.
Worth Seeing
The museum is worth seeing.
Worth Trying
The new restaurant is worth trying.
Worth the Money
The headphones are worth the money.
Worth the Effort
Improving your writing is worth the effort.
Worth the Risk
The opportunity may be worth the risk.
These expressions all revolve around the same basic idea: something has enough value to justify what it requires.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “it worth it” grammatically correct?
No. “It worth it” is normally incorrect in standard English because the sentence is missing the verb is. Use “it is worth it” or “it’s worth it.”
Is “it is worth it” correct English?
Yes. “It is worth it” is completely grammatical and natural English. It means that something provides enough benefit or value to justify its cost, time, effort, or inconvenience.
Is “it’s worth it” correct?
Yes. “It’s worth it” is the contraction of “it is worth it.” It is especially common in conversation and informal writing.
Should I say “it worth it” or “it is worth it”?
Say “it is worth it.” If you want a shorter conversational form, say “it’s worth it.” Do not normally use “it worth it.”
Is “is it worth it?” grammatically correct?
Yes. “Is it worth it?” is the correct question form. It asks whether something provides enough value to justify its cost, effort, time, or difficulty.
What is the difference between “worth it” and “worthwhile”?
Both express the idea that something has enough value to justify the effort, time, or expense. “Worth it” is very common in everyday conversation, while “worthwhile” can sound more formal or descriptive.
Can I say “it is worth to try”?
Usually, no. The natural construction is:
It is worth trying.
After worth, an action is commonly expressed with the -ing form.
Is “it’s worth it” formal or informal?
“It’s worth it” is grammatically correct but somewhat conversational. In formal writing, you may prefer “it is worth it” or a more precise expression such as “the benefits justify the cost.”
Is “it is worth it” the same in American and British English?
Yes. The basic grammar is the same in both American and British English. Both use “it is worth it,” “it’s worth it,” and “is it worth it?”
Final Verdict: It Worth It or It Is Worth It?
The answer is clear: “it is worth it” is correct, while “it worth it” is normally incorrect.
The missing piece in “it worth it” is the verb is.
Use these forms:
✅ It is worth it. — Correct and complete.
✅ It’s worth it. — Correct contraction; very natural in everyday English.
❌ It worth it. — Incorrect in standard English.
For questions, use:
✅ Is it worth it?
For negative statements:
✅ It is not worth it.
or:
✅ It’s not worth it.
And when talking about an action, remember:
✅ It is worth trying.
not:
❌ It is worth to try.
Best practice: If you remember only one thing, remember “It IS worth it.” The word is supplies the verb that makes the sentence grammatically complete.
Final Quick Summary
| What you want to say | Best form |
|---|---|
| Standard statement | It is worth it. |
| Casual statement | It’s worth it. |
| Question | Is it worth it? |
| Negative | It is not worth it. |
| Past | It was worth it. |
| Future | It will be worth it. |
| Action | It is worth trying. |
| Incorrect form | It worth it. ❌ |
Bottom line: When choosing between “it worth it or it is worth it,” choose “it is worth it.” In casual English, “it’s worth it” is equally correct and often sounds more natural.
Elon Parker is a dedicated writer at Wordscrowd, creating clear, informative, and engaging content for readers.
With a focus on useful information, Elon aims to make every article simple, reliable, and easy to understand.
