This one gets me EVERY time, even though English was my best subject. Anyways, I transcribe for doctors now and here is the sentence (sorry about the context) "This is a 26 year old woman whose/who's last period was blah blah". which is it? i know apostrophe means posession, but I always go back and forth. Thank you!
2006-07-27 08:38:17 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
Whose is the possesive
who's is a contraction (who is)
2006-07-27 08:41:36 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Many homophones create irregular spellings--for example, the only time -eak is pronounced like "ache" is when it has the homophones STEAK, STAKE; BREAK, BRAKE. So WHOSE is an irregularly spelled possessive to distinguish it from WHO'S, which is short for "Who is" and "Who has (studied)." At a wild garden party, the question might be asked, "Who's got whose hose?" That might be a way to remember the difference (the sillier the gimmick for remembering is, the better) because the possessive is followed by a word with the same spelling, though a different sound. Also, "Who's going to get whose hose?"
2006-07-27 09:15:29 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Aside from the correct explanations ("who's" is a contraction of "who is" and "whose" is a possessive), and focusing on "who's" = "who is", it might help to keep this in mind:
Possesive PRONOUNS often add an "s" at the end, but NEVER take apostrophes!
Compare "hers" "ours" "theirs" "yours".
We might be able to kill two birds with one stone here, since people make the same mistake with it's/its (even more frequently!) In both cases --- the one with an apostrophe is a contraction (from "...is"), the other is a possessive pronoun.
2006-07-27 09:39:15 · answer #3 · answered by bruhaha 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's definitely whose.
Just work it out in your head. If you can substitute "who is" for the word you're looking for, it's who's, if not, it's whose.
Try it:
"this is a 26 year old woman who is last period..."
"this is a 26 year old woman whose last period..."
Only one makes sense, right?
2006-07-27 08:43:55 · answer #4 · answered by Kaytee C 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Main Entry: 1whose
Pronunciation: 'hüz, üz
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English whos, genitive of who, what
: of or relating to whom or which especially as possessor or possessors
Who's = Who is
2006-07-27 08:42:09 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the sentence example you gave it is WHOSE. Remember who's is a contraction for WHO IS: Who's going with me?
2006-07-27 08:52:53 · answer #6 · answered by Sherry K 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Whose
2006-07-27 09:50:23 · answer #7 · answered by tiger_lilly33186 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Whose. Whose shows ownership of something. Who's is the abbreviation for "who is". For example "Who's going with me?" "Whose car has the most room?"
2006-07-27 08:42:16 · answer #8 · answered by startwinkle05 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The answer is whose. Who's stands for who is.
2006-07-27 08:44:51 · answer #9 · answered by Kel 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Whose!
Remember Who's is a contraction (who is).
2006-07-27 08:42:05 · answer #10 · answered by justaskn 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋