Sound-alike words
Who's vs. Whose
Who's is short for who is or who has, as in who's calling? Whose shows ownership or asks who owns something, as in whose jacket is this? If you can say who is or who has, write who's.
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| who's | contraction | the short form of who is or who has |
| whose | determiner | belonging to which person, or belonging to the person or thing just mentioned |
Who's
contraction: the short form of who is or who has
- Who's bringing the salad tonight?
- I met the new nurse who's been working nights.
Whose
determiner: belonging to which person, or belonging to the person or thing just mentioned
- Whose phone keeps ringing in the hallway?
- We found a puppy whose owner lives down the street.
How to remember the difference
Expand it. If who is or who has fits, write who's. If not, write whose, which works like his, her and their: no apostrophe for ownership.
Good to know
Whose can refer to things as well as people, as in a car whose engine failed. Some writers avoid this, but it is standard and often smoother than of which.
Spot the mistake
Who'sWhose backpack is on the kitchen table?Correct: Whose backpack is on the kitchen table?
WhoseWho's ready to order dessert?Correct: Who's ready to order dessert?
Check yourself
Pick the word that fits each sentence.
1. Do you know car is blocking the driveway?
Answer: whose. It asks who owns the car, so use whose.
2. The man fixing our roof starts at seven.
Answer: who's. You can say who is fixing, so the contraction who's fits.