“Whose” vs. “Who’s”: What’s the Difference?

The words whose and who’s are homophones — they sound the same but have different meanings and uses.
One shows possession, and the other is a contraction.
Let’s clear it up once and for all.

Whose: Shows Possession

Meaning

“Whose” is a possessive pronoun. It shows that something belongs to someone.
You can think of it as the possessive form of who.

Examples of “Whose” (10 total)

1. Whose book is this on the table?
2. I met a girl whose brother is a pilot.
3. Do you know whose phone this is?
4. The artist whose work we saw is from Spain.
5. Whose idea was this brilliant plan?
6. The man whose car was stolen called the police.
7. That’s the student whose grades improved the most.
8. I can’t remember whose jacket I borrowed.
9. The movie whose director won an Oscar is on Netflix.
10. She’s someone whose opinion I really trust.

🧠 Tip:
If you’re showing ownership or relationship, use whose.

Who’s: The Contraction

Meaning

“Who’s” is short for “who is” or “who has.”
It’s not possessive — the apostrophe replaces the missing letters.

Examples of “Who’s” (10 total)

1. Who’s ready for the meeting? (Who is)
2. Who’s going to the party tonight?
3. Who’s been calling me all day? (Who has)
4. Who’s in charge of this project?
5. Who’s that standing by the door?
6. Who’s taken my seat?
7. Who’s been to Paris before?
8. Who’s your favorite actor?
9. Who’s making dinner tonight?
10. Who’s already finished their homework?

🧠 Tip:
If you can replace it with who is or who has, use who’s.

Quick Comparison Table

How to Remember the Difference

👉 Who’s = Who is / Who has
👉 Whose = Belonging to whom

Memory Trick:

If the word makes sense when you replace it with who is or who has, it’s who’s.
If it shows ownership, it’s whose.

Why It’s Easy to Mix Up

Even experienced writers and AI tools make this mistake because the two words sound identical.
That’s why Humanizey helps refine AI-generated text by catching grammar details like this — making your writing sound natural, human, and correct.

FAQs

1. Is “who’s” ever used for possession?

No — “who’s” never shows ownership. It only means who is or who has.

2. Is “whose” always about people?

Not always. It can refer to things too: The company whose logo changed recently.

3. Can I start a question with “whose”?

Yes! Whose phone is this? is perfectly correct.

4. What’s the easiest way to check?

Replace it:

• If who is fits, use who’s.
• If his or her fits, use whose.

Practice: Choose the Correct Word (“Whose” or “Who’s”)

(Answers are listed at the end.)

1. ___ going to the concert tonight?
2. Do you know ___ car this is?
3. ___ been eating my fries?
4. I wonder ___ behind that mysterious door.
5. ___ phone keeps ringing?
6. The teacher asked ___ project was due today.
7. ___ ready to start the meeting?
8. The woman ___ bag I found looked worried.
9. ___ making dinner tonight?
10. I can’t tell ___ handwriting this is.

Answers

1. Who’s
2. Whose
3. Who’s
4. Who’s
5. Whose
6. Whose
7. Who’s
8. Whose
9. Who’s
10. Whose