Common mistake who's (whose)
Common Mistake: "Who's" vs "Whose"
When writing in English, it's important to use the correct word choice to convey your intended meaning. One common mistake that many people make is confusing the words "who's" and "whose." These two words may sound similar, but they have different meanings and should be used in different contexts.
The Correct Usage of "Whose"
The word "whose" is a possessive pronoun. It is used to indicate ownership or possession. Here are a few examples:
- Whose car is this? (asking about the owner of the car)
- I don't know whose book this is. (referring to ownership of the book)
- We are going to the party at Jane's house, whose parents are very kind. (describing the parents' ownership of the house)
The Correct Usage of "Who's"
The word "who's" is a contraction of the words "who is" or "who has." It is used to ask a question or to make a statement about someone or something. Here are a few examples:
- Who's coming to the party tonight? (asking about the people who will attend the party)
- Who's in charge of this project? (asking about the person responsible for the project)
- I wonder who's going to win the game. (speculating who will be the winner)
It's important to pay attention to context when using "who's" or "whose" to ensure that your writing is clear and accurate. Keep in mind that "who's" is a contraction while "whose" is a possessive pronoun.
While it's important to have a strong understanding of grammar rules, it's always helpful to have a tool like Linguix grammar checker to help you catch any mistakes you might make. Linguix is a powerful grammar checker that can not only help you with common mistakes like "who's" vs "whose" but also provide valuable suggestions to improve your overall writing style. Give it a try and take your writing to the next level!
who's (whose) mistake examples
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Incorrect:By who's standards?Correct:By whose standards?
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Incorrect:What do you know about who's car that is?Correct:What do you know about whose car that is?
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Incorrect:But for who's benefit are you doing this?Correct:But for whose benefit are you doing this?
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Incorrect:... and not surprisingly, for who's perfect performance the medal was awarded.Correct:... and not surprisingly, for whose perfect performance the medal was awarded.
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Incorrect:She was a teacher under who's unusually effective tutelage the students excelled.Correct:She was a teacher under whose unusually effective tutelage the students excelled.
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Correct:Those whose money was stolen are free.
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Correct:Let's go inside and have a look at who's there.
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Correct:Have a guess at who's in the competition.
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Correct:What do you know about who's happy and who's sad?
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Correct:Learn to forgive, for who's perfect?
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Incorrect:Those who's highest level of education...Correct:Those whose highest level of education...
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Correct:Those whose money was stolen are free.
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Incorrect:These are people who's lives are important.Correct:These are people whose lives are important.
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Incorrect:We have one family (single mom with four children) who has a boy who's birthday is tomorrow.Correct:We have one family (single mom with four children) who has a boy whose birthday is tomorrow.
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Incorrect:I’ve taken over a project who’s certificate has recently expired.Correct:I’ve taken over a project whose certificate has recently expired.
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Incorrect:Somebody who’s brain is working come and clarify this, please!Correct:Somebody whose brain is working come and clarify this, please!
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Correct:These are people whose lives are important.
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Correct:Tom doesn't know anybody who's able to do that.
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Correct:The person who's able to help isn't here now.
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Correct:How can you tell who's innocent and who's guilty?
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Correct:If you say who's good and who's bad at these tasks, I'll assign the work.
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Correct:Tom is the only one who's still there.
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Correct:I have to see who's in there.
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Correct:Tom is the one who's rich.
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Correct:Tom is the only person who's rich.
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Correct:Guess who's behind you.
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Correct:We want a woman who's good at cooking.
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Correct:Tom is the only one who's drunk.
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Correct:I know somebody who's perfect for the job.
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Correct:I won't quit until we find out who's responsible.
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Correct:Yep, though it’s just one character who’s creepy.
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Correct:Just a question for anyone who’s familiar with throwing.
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Correct:I'm not the one who's sick.
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Correct:Tom has a daughter who's pretty tall.
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Correct:Dan, Tomcat's a good guy who's eager to work his way up on an energy trading floor.
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Correct:Everybody who's anybody will be there.
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Correct:I showed Tom who's boss.
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Correct:The one who's rich is my friend:
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Correct:Nope, it’s still hard as Hell; ask anyone who’s part of the working poor.
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Incorrect:Do we know who's banana this is on the table?Correct:Do we know whose banana this is on the table?
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Correct:For a person who's wrong frequently, it's nice to be right.
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Correct:DDT remains on WHO's list of insecticides recommended for IRS.
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Correct:Who's home?
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Incorrect:Whose the boss around here?Correct:Who's the boss around here?
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Correct:I was wondering whose those were.
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Correct:She keeps asking whose this is.
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Correct:I wonder whose these beautiful flowers on the counter are.
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Correct:The most valuable part of the beaver is its inner fur whose many minute barbs make it excellent for felting, especially for hats.
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Incorrect:Who's actual job is it to make copies around here?Correct:Whose actual job is it to make copies around here?
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Correct:Whose actual job is it to get coffee around here?
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Incorrect:Whose at the door?Correct:Who's at the door?
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Incorrect:Whose on first base?Correct:Who's on first base?
