Table of Contents

Whose and who's for asking questions

Introduction

lost wallet_porte-monnaie_carteira perdida              Question

Whose wallet is this?                      Who's this?


Definition

Whose is a pronoun that we can use to ask questions.

 

Who's is a contraction of 'who is' or 'who has' and we also use it to ask questions.

 

They are sometimes confused because they have the same pronunciation. - /huːz/.

 

[Note that 'whose' is also a relative pronoun. For more information, see Relative Pronouns: whom, whose, where.]


Construction

Whose

 

Construction

Examples

 

1. 'Whose' + 'to be' + object?

 

 

 

 

Whose is this pen?

 

Whose are those desks?

 

2. 'Whose' + object + 'to be' + ...?

 

 

 

 

Whose pen is this?

 

Whose desks are those?

 

 

 

Who's

 

Construction

Examples

 

1. 'Who's' + ...?

 

 

 

Who's your boss? [who is]

 

Who's hungry? [who is]

 

 

1. 'Who's' + got + ...?

 

 

 

Who's got a red pen I can borrow? [who has]

 

Who's got a pet at home? [who has]

 

 

 

 

 

Note that 'who's' [who has] is also used in present perfect sentences.


Uses

Question word

Use

Examples

 

Whose

 

To ask about possession.

 

"Whose books are these on the table?"

"They belong to John."

 

"Whose turn is it to take the minutes?"

"Mine."                         

 

Who's

 

To ask about people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Who's going to the meeting?"

"The team leaders are."

 

"Who's Tom's manager?"

"Sarah is."  

 

"Who's got a pool?" 

"I have, we can have the pool party at my place."

 


Examples

"Whose is this key? I found it by the coffee machine."

"I think it's Sarah's."

"Who's got a laptop I can use? Mine is broken again."

"You can use this one; I don't need it for the moment."

meeting, colleagues, discuss, talk

"Who's that with Mark?" 

"It's Maria. She's his new secretary."


bored; clock time wait horloge attendre l

"Who's got an appointment at 10 o'clock?"

"I have."