who's

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "who's" is correct and usable in written English.
It is a contraction of "who is" or "who has" and can be used in various contexts to refer to a person or people. Example: "Who's coming to the party tonight?"

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Who's rich, who's not?

The New York Times

Who's happy, who's depressed?

The New York Times

Who's up, who's down?

Huffington Post

Who's right and who's wrong?

Science Magazine

Who's in, who's out?

The New York Times

"Who's this?

The New Yorker

Who's ready?

The New York Times

Who's that?

The New York Times

Who's dead?

The New Yorker

Who's not?

The New York Times - Arts

Who's down?

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "who's" when you want to combine "who is" or "who has" for brevity and a more conversational tone. Ensure the context clearly indicates which meaning you intend.

Common error

Avoid using "who's" when you need the possessive form. "Who's" means "who is" or "who has", while "whose" indicates ownership. For example, use "whose book is this?" not "who's book is this?".

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "who's" is to act as a contraction serving as a pronoun and verb. It is used to inquire about the identity of a person or to indicate possession or completion, as confirmed by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "who's" is a common contraction that combines "who is" or "who has". It is crucial to differentiate it from "whose", which indicates possession. Ludwig AI confirms that "who's" is grammatically correct and widely accepted in various contexts, especially in news and media. When writing, always consider whether you mean "who is/has" or the possessive "whose" to avoid errors. Use "who is" or "who has" for greater clarity in formal contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

who is

Expands the contraction "who's" to its full form.

who has

Another expansion of the contraction "who's" to its full form, indicating possession or completion of an action.

who is it

Emphasizes the identity of the person in question.

who's the one

Highlights a specific individual among a group.

who could it be

Expresses uncertainty or speculation about someone's identity.

which person is

A more formal way of asking for someone's identity.

the person who is

Identifies someone by describing their state or role.

the individual who has

A formal alternative using "individual" instead of "person".

who might that be

Expresses curiosity and uncertainty.

can you tell me who is

A polite way of requesting information about someone's identity.

FAQs

How to use "who's" in a sentence?

"Who's" can be used to combine "who is" or "who has" in a sentence. For example, "Who's going to the store?" or "Who's been eating my cookies?".

What's the difference between "who's" and "whose"?

"Who's" is a contraction of "who is" or "who has", while "whose" indicates possession. For example, "whose car is this"? (possession) versus "who is coming"? ("who's" coming?).

What can I say instead of "who's"?

Depending on the context, you can use "who is" or "who has" instead of "who's". For example, instead of saying "Who's there?", you can say "Who is there?".

Is it ever incorrect to use "who's"?

Yes, it's incorrect to use "who's" when you mean "whose", the possessive form. For example, it is wrong to write "who's book is this?" when you should write "whose book is this"?