who else's

USAGE SUMMARY

"who else's" is a correctly formed phrase and may be used in written English.
It is usually used as a possessive form of the pronoun "who else", suggesting possession or belonging of a thing or person. For example: "I thought it was John's, but it turned out to be who else's?".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

Or, if PlayStation 3 was a huge hit, it might be like injecting a virus into the world's bloodstream, inclining more consumers to covet Blu-ray home computers, video recorders, and other stuff yet to be conceived in Sony's — and who else's?

The New Yorker

Who else's could this "Satyricon" possibly be?

The New York Times

"We don't know who else's offshore accounts might be used in the interests of the country with the help of state business," said the programme's anchor.

The Guardian

Who else's follow button have you perversely found your finger hovering over, a sigh of resignation gathering in your lungs?

Vice

Who else's problem might it be?

The New Yorker

"Who else's fault could it be?

The Guardian - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

It's a little crowded for a convention, but it's being catered by — who else? — Katz's Deli, the scene of Meg Ryan's famous "orgasm" in "When Harry Met Sally".

The New Yorker

Who else? What's the image?

The New York Times

He and who else? De Gaulle's war years in London read like "Don Quixote Doing Achilles at the Court of St. James's".

The New York Times - Books

Who else? Iceland's Prime Minister Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson.

Huffington Post

But who else? Despite Graham's boasts, there really aren't all that many votes that stand or fall on drilling.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "who else's" to inquire about the possessor or owner of something when other individuals are already under consideration. For example: "If it's not John's responsibility, then "who else's" is it?"

Common error

Avoid using "who else's" when you simply mean "who else". The possessive form is specifically for indicating ownership or belonging. If you're just asking "who else is coming?", don't add the "'s".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "who else's" functions as a possessive interrogative, used to inquire about the owner or possessor of something, especially when contrasting with others. According to Ludwig, it is correctly formed and used in English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "who else's" is a grammatically sound possessive interrogative phrase used to inquire about ownership or responsibility, particularly in contrast to other individuals. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in English. While not exceedingly common, it appears reliably in neutral contexts like news and media. Related phrases offer slight variations, but "who else's" remains a clear and concise choice for its specific purpose. When writing, ensure the possessive form is appropriate and that you aren't simply asking "who else".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

whose other

Changes the word order and focuses on the possessive pronoun "whose" combined with "other".

whose besides

Uses "besides" instead of "else's" to indicate additional ownership or association.

of whom else

Employs a more formal phrasing to denote possession or belonging.

who other owns

Rephrases the question to emphasize ownership by someone other than the person already mentioned.

which other person's

Uses "person's" to explicitly refer to an individual's possession.

what other person owns

Similar to the above, but uses "what" to inquire about possession.

whose additional

Focuses on the aspect of something being "additional" to someone already mentioned.

besides whose

Inverts the structure to put "besides" first, slightly altering the emphasis.

apart from whom

Uses "apart from" to inquire about exclusion and possession.

excluding whose

Emphasizes the act of excluding someone from ownership or involvement.

FAQs

How is "who else's" used in a sentence?

"Who else's" is used to ask about possession or responsibility when other people have already been considered. For example, "If it's not John's fault, "who else's" fault can it be?"

Is "who else's" grammatically correct?

Yes, "who else's" is grammatically correct as a possessive form. It indicates that something belongs to someone not already mentioned.

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

"Who else" simply asks about other people, while "who else's" asks about what belongs to another person. For instance, "Who else is coming to the party?" versus ""Who else's" car is parked outside?"

Can I use an alternative to "who else's"?

You can use alternatives like "whose other" or "of whom else", depending on the context, but "who else's" is generally clear and concise.