Many English learners get confused by who's and whose, and that's completely normal — they look similar, but mean very different things.

Here’s a simple and clear way to remember the difference:

1. Who's = Who is or Who has

Who's is a contraction (/kənˈtrækʃən/ – a short form of two words).
Think of the 's as a little tail that stands for is or has.

Examples:

• Who's coming to the party?
  (= Who is coming to the party?)

• Who's got my pen?
  (= Who has got my pen?)

Tip: If you can replace “who’s” with “who is” or “who has” and the sentence still makes sense, then you’re using it correctly.

2. Whose = Possession (/pəˈzeʃən/ – the state of owning something)

Whose is a possessive (/pəˈzesɪv/ – showing ownership) word.
It is used to ask who something belongs to.

Examples:

• Whose book is this?

• Whose turn is it?

Tip: If you're asking about ownership (/ˈoʊnɚʃɪp/ – having something as your own), then the word you want is whose — no apostrophe needed.

Summary: