Whose vs Who’s
What’s the difference between them?
Whose
Meaning:
Possessive form of 'who,' used to indicate ownership, the identity of the owner, or the relationship between two people.
Examples:
1. Whose turn is it to take out the trash?
2. Whose car is that parked in the driveway?
3. Whose bright idea was it to start a business in this economy?
Who’s
Meaning:
Who's is a contraction of the words 'who is' or 'who has'.
Examples:
1. Who's ready for a fun day at the beach?
2. Who's going to clean up this mess?
3. Who's up for pizza and a movie tonight?
Learn similar and opposite words to spot the difference
Synonyms
Antonyms
Whose
1. Whomst
2. Of whom
3. Belonging to whom
1. Nobody's
2. Not Yours
3. Not Mine
4. Not His/Hers
5. Not Theirs
Who’s
1. Who is
2. Who it is
3. Who are
4. Who has
1. Nobody's
2. Who isn't
3. No one
4. Nobody
5. Who isn't here
Tricks for mastery
Useful tips to understand the difference between confusing words "Whose", "Who’s".
1. 'Who's' has an apostrophe, which indicates a contraction. Think of the apostrophe as standing in for the missing letters in 'who is' or 'who has.'
2. Determine the function in the sentence. If you can replace it with 'who is' or 'who has,' then 'who's' is the correct choice. If it indicates ownership or a relationship, then it's 'whose.'
Practice English with the Promova app and avoid misusing confusing words
Frequently asked questions
In what situations should the first word be used?
'On the picture' should be used when referencing the physical being of something on the picture.
When is the appropriate context for using the second word?
'In The Picture' should be used when talking about the content of a picture.
Do the two words share the same pronunciation?
The two words do not share the same pronunciation. 'On the picture' is pronounced as 'on thuh pik-chur' while 'in the picture' is pronounced as 'in thuh pik-chur'.
What are some common mistakes people make when using these words?
A common mistake people make when using these words is using 'in the picture' when referring to the physical being of something in a picture, rather than 'on the picture'. Another mistake is confusing the two words and pronouncing them the same way.
Fill in the gaps to check yourself
1. Do you know __________ going to bring the snacks to the party tonight?
2. The detective is trying to figure out __________ fingerprints are on the mysterious letter.
3. I have a friend __________ birthday is next week; I need to buy a present.
4. __________ going to join us for the hiking trip this weekend?
5. The singer __________ voice captivates the audience is performing on the stage.
6. I wonder __________ going to be the winner of the cooking competition.
1.Do you know whos going to bring the snacks to the party tonight?
Explanation: Whos is a contraction of who is, indicating the person responsible for bringing snacks.
2. The detective is trying to figure out whose fingerprints are on the mysterious letter.
Explanation: Whose is the possessive form, indicating ownership of the fingerprints on the letter.
3. I have a friend whose birthday is next week; I need to buy a present.
Explanation: Whose is used to indicate the possession of the birthday by the friend.
4. Whos going to join us for the hiking trip this weekend?
Explanation: Whos is a contraction of who is, asking about the person joining for the hiking trip.
5. The singer whose voice captivates the audience is performing on the stage.
Explanation: Whose is used to indicate the possessive form, referring to the singers captivating voice.
6. I wonder whos going to be the winner of the cooking competition.
Explanation: Whos is a contraction of who is, expressing curiosity about the winner of the cooking competition.
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Download the PDF with a list of commonly confused words made as flashcards for comfortable learning.
List of Commonly Confused Words
Finding your way around the English language can be hard, especially since there are so many confusing words and rules. So, a list of the most confusing words in English is an extremely useful tool for improving language accuracy and sharing the ideas clearly.