Whose vs who’s: tips to help you learn the difference

WHOSE vs WHO’S – learn the difference between these two commonly confused spellings.

WHOSE and WHO’S are easy to confuse. Though they sound the same – and both have their root in the word WHO – they have different meanings. These simple tips will help you learn the difference.

When to use whose

WHOSE is a possessive pronoun used to ask or tell whom something belongs to.

For example:

“Whose pencil is this?”
OR
“JK Rowling is an author whose books are loved by millions.”

When to use who’s

WHO’S is a contraction of who + is or who + has.

For example:

“Who’s coming with me?” = “Who is coming with me?”
OR
“Shall I see who’s gone with him?” = “Shall I see who has gone with him?”

In a nutshell, if you can replace the word you’re writing with either who is or who has, always use WHO’S.

I hope this guidance helps you remember the difference between whose and who’s. Let me know how you get on.

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