Whose vs. Who's

"Whose" and "who's" are two words that are easy to mix up, but the rule that separates them is simple and has no exceptions. This guide will help you get it right every time.

The One and Only Rule

Here's all you need to remember:

• Whose is about possession or ownership.
• Who's is a short form of "who is" or "who has."

That's it. No special cases, no exceptions.

Whose: For Possession

Use whose when you're asking or talking about who owns something. It never has an apostrophe.

In a Question

• Whose book is this?
• Whose car is parked outside?
• Whose turn is it?

In a Sentence

• The student whose essay won the prize was thrilled.
• I have a friend whose dad is a pilot.
• The dog whose owner is away is staying with us.

A Simple Memory Trick

Think of it this way: Whose is used to ask a question about who something belongs to.

Who's: The Contraction

Who's is just a shorter, more casual way of saying "who is" or "who has."

Examples of "Who is"

• Who's coming to the party? (Who is coming?)
• Who's your favorite actor? (Who is your favorite?)
• I know who's in charge here. (who is in charge)

Examples of "Who has"

• Who's been eating my cookies? (Who has been eating?)
• Who's finished their homework? (Who has finished?)

The Ultimate Test

If you're not sure whether to use "who's," try replacing it with "who is" or "who has." If the sentence still makes sense, then you need the apostrophe.

The Test in Action

1. "(Whose/Who's) ready for dinner?"
   • Does "Who is ready for dinner?" make sense? Yes. → Use who's.
2. "(Whose/Who's) phone is this?"
   • Does "Who is phone is this?" make sense? No. → Use whose.

Common Mistakes

Don't Trust Autocorrect

Your phone or computer will often try to "correct" you by adding an apostrophe where it doesn't belong. Always double-check.

In Formal Writing

• ❌ "The company who's stock price went up..."
• ✅ "The company whose stock price went up..."

In Questions

• ❌ "Whose coming with us?"
• ✅ "Who's coming with us?"

Quick Cheat Sheet

Context	Use Whose	Use Who's
Shows ownership	✓
Means "who is"		✓
Means "who has"		✓

Test Yourself

Choose the right word:

1. (Whose/Who's) jacket is on the floor?
2. I wonder (whose/who's) going to be at the party.
3. The teacher (whose/who's) class I love is leaving.
4. (Whose/Who's) been drinking my coffee?
5. (Whose/Who's) in charge here?
6. Anyone (whose/who's) interested should come to the meeting.
7. The car (whose/who's) alarm keeps going off is driving me crazy.
8. Tell me (whose/who's) on your team.
9. (Whose/Who's) side are you on?
10. A friend (whose/who's) always there for you is a true gift.

Answer Key: 1. Whose, 2. who's, 3. whose, 4. Who's, 5. Who's, 6. who's, 7. whose, 8. who's, 9. Whose, 10. who's

Remember: Whose is for possession. Who's is a contraction. Master this simple rule, and you'll get it right every time!