That’s or thats is a common English spelling question that can cause confusion in everyday writing. The two forms look almost identical, but the tiny apostrophe changes the meaning and grammatical role of the word. In standard English, that’s is the correct form when you mean that is or that has. Thats without an apostrophe is generally incorrect when you intend either contraction.
You may come across this mistake in emails, blog posts, captions, comments, professional documents, texts, and social media. Because people read and write quickly, the missing apostrophe can easily go unnoticed. However, careful readers often notice the error, especially in formal or published writing. The good news is that this grammar point is simple once you understand what the apostrophe represents.
In this guide, we’ll look at the real grammatical difference between that’s vs. thats, explain when to use each form, and cover the common mistakes that cause confusion. You won’t need to memorize a complicated rule. Once you know how that’s works as a contraction, choosing the right form becomes much easier.
That’s or Thats: Which One Is Correct?
If you’re wondering whether to write “that’s” or “thats,” choose “that’s” when you mean “that is” or “that has.”
The apostrophe matters because it shows that letters have been removed from the original phrase.
For example:
That’s a beautiful painting.
Here, “that’s” means “that is.”
You could expand the sentence:
That is a beautiful painting.
The meaning stays the same.
Now consider this sentence:
That’s happened before.
Here, “that’s” means “that has.”
The expanded version is:
That has happened before.
So the basic rule is simple:
| Form | Standard English? | Meaning |
| that’s | Yes | That is / That has |
| thats | No, when intended as a contraction | Usually intended to mean that’s |
| that is | Yes | Full form of that’s |
| that has | Yes | Full form of that’s |
The missing apostrophe in “thats” isn’t just a minor typo in formal writing. It removes the punctuation that identifies the word as a contraction.
What Does “That’s” Mean?
The word “that’s” has two standard meanings. It can represent “that is” or “that has.”
The surrounding sentence usually makes the intended meaning obvious.
“That’s” Means “That Is”
The most common use of “that’s” is as a contraction of “that is.”
For example:
- That’s my phone.
- That’s a great idea.
- That’s the restaurant we visited.
- That’s exactly what I wanted.
- That’s not what I expected.
Try expanding each sentence by replacing “that’s” with “that is.”
That’s my phone.
That is my phone.
Both are grammatically correct.
In everyday American English, the contracted version often sounds more natural. People commonly say “that’s” in conversation and use it freely in informal and professional writing.
“That’s” Means “That Has”
The second meaning can catch learners off guard.
“That’s” can also contract “that has.”
This usually appears when “has” functions as an auxiliary verb, particularly in perfect constructions.
For example:
- That’s happened before.
- That’s been a problem for years.
- That’s changed significantly.
- That’s never happened to me.
- That’s already started.
Look at the first sentence:
That’s happened before.
Expanding the contraction gives:
That has happened before.
You wouldn’t normally interpret it as:
That is happened before.
That version doesn’t work grammatically. The structure tells you that “that’s” means “that has.”
Why Does “That’s” Need an Apostrophe?
An apostrophe often signals that letters have been omitted from a word or phrase.
That’s exactly what’s happening with “that’s.”
The full phrase “that is” becomes:
that is → that’s
The apostrophe indicates that part of the original expression has been shortened.
The same principle appears in other familiar contractions:
- I am → I’m
- you are → you’re
- he is → he’s
- she is → she’s
- it is → it’s
- we are → we’re
- they are → they’re
- what is → what’s
The apostrophe isn’t there for decoration. It performs a grammatical job.
Without it, “thats” doesn’t follow the standard spelling of the contraction.
A Useful Way to Think About It
Think of the apostrophe as a tiny sign saying:
“Something was shortened here.”
In “that’s,” the apostrophe tells the reader that the phrase has been compressed.
That makes “that’s” fundamentally different from simply writing “thats.”
Can “Thats” Ever Be Correct?
In standard English writing, “thats” isn’t the correct spelling of the contraction “that’s.”
You may occasionally encounter “thats” online in usernames, informal posts, branding, search queries, or deliberate stylization. Those uses don’t change the standard grammatical rule.
For example, someone might create a username containing “thats.” A brand might also intentionally omit punctuation from a name. Such cases involve styling or naming conventions, not ordinary English grammar.
When you’re writing an essay, article, email, school assignment, report, or professional message, use “that’s” when you mean “that is” or “that has.”
Quick Correction
Incorrect in standard writing:
Thats a good point.
Correct:
That’s a good point.
The difference is one character, but that character carries grammatical information.
That’s vs. That Is: How to Tell the Difference
Sometimes writers wonder whether they should use the contraction or spell out the phrase.
The easiest test is to replace “that’s” with “that is.”
If the expanded sentence works, “that’s” means “that is.”
For example:
That’s the answer.
Becomes:
That is the answer.
The sentence remains grammatical.
However, don’t assume that every instance of “that’s” means “that is.” Some examples require “that has.”
Consider:
That’s been difficult.
Try the substitution:
That is been difficult.
It doesn’t work.
Now try:
That has been difficult.
Perfect. Therefore, “that’s” means “that has” in this sentence.
The Two-Step Substitution Test
When you’re unsure, use this quick method:
- Replace “that’s” with “that is.”
- If that doesn’t work, replace it with “that has.”
- Choose the version that produces a grammatically correct sentence.
This trick works especially well when proofreading.
That’s or Thats in Questions and Answers
The apostrophe rule doesn’t change simply because “that’s” appears in a question or response.
For example:
That’s your jacket, right?
Here, “that’s” means “that is.”
Another example:
That’s what I was trying to explain.
Again, “that’s” means “that is.”
However, some questions create a different structure.
Consider:
Is that correct?
You shouldn’t write:
Is that’s correct?
Why? Because “that” already functions as the subject or demonstrative element in the sentence. Adding “that’s” creates the wrong grammatical structure.
This distinction is important because “that” and “that’s” aren’t interchangeable.
That’s vs. That: What’s the Difference?
“That” is a complete word with several grammatical functions. “That’s” is a contraction.
Consider these examples:
That book belongs to Sarah.
Here, “that” identifies a particular book.
That’s Sarah’s book.
Here, “that’s” means “that is.”
The words may appear next to similar ideas, but they perform different jobs.
“That” can function as:
- A demonstrative pronoun
- A determiner
- A relative pronoun
- A conjunction
For example:
That is the house.
I know that you’re busy.
The movie that we watched was funny.
Meanwhile:
That’s the house.
contains the contraction “that’s.”
Understanding this distinction prevents many punctuation errors.
Common “That’s” Grammar Mistakes
A few mistakes appear repeatedly in everyday writing.
Writing “Thats” Without the Apostrophe
This is the most obvious error.
Incorrect:
Thats exactly what happened.
Correct:
That’s exactly what happened.
If you’re shortening “that is” or “that has,” include the apostrophe.
Confusing “That’s” With “That”
These forms aren’t interchangeable.
Incorrect:
That’s book belongs to me.
Correct:
That book belongs to me.
Here, “that” modifies “book.” The contraction “that’s” doesn’t belong in that structure.
Confusing “That’s” With “Its”
This mistake usually comes from broader confusion about apostrophes.
“That’s” means “that is” or “that has.”
“Its” is normally a possessive determiner.
Compare:
That’s a dog.
The dog wagged its tail.
There’s another important distinction worth remembering:
- it’s = it is / it has
- its = possessive form of it
The same apostrophe principle explains why these forms differ.
Confusing “That’s” With “There’s”
These contractions have different meanings.
That’s = that is / that has
There’s = there is / there has
Compare:
That’s the problem.
and:
There’s a problem.
The first points to or identifies something. The second introduces or identifies the existence of something.
That’s or Thats in Formal Writing
Whether you should use “that’s” or the full “that is” depends partly on the tone of your writing.
Contractions are completely normal in conversational American English. They’re also common in many forms of modern professional writing.
However, some academic, legal, technical, or highly formal documents may favor expanded forms for consistency or emphasis.
Compare:
That’s the main issue.
with:
That is the main issue.
Both are grammatical.
The second version can sound slightly more formal or emphatic. The first usually feels more conversational.
When “That’s” Works Well
Use “that’s” naturally in:
- Conversations
- Personal emails
- Blog posts
- Casual articles
- Social media
- Interviews
- Informal messages
- Conversational professional writing
When “That Is” May Be Better
The full form can work better when:
- You’re emphasizing a point.
- You’re writing in a highly formal style.
- A publication’s style guide requires fewer contractions.
- The expanded wording improves rhythm or clarity.
The key point is that “that’s” isn’t grammatically incorrect simply because a piece of writing is formal. Context and style matter.
That’s in Everyday American English
In spoken American English, contractions are extremely common because they make speech flow naturally.
You might hear:
That’s what I mean.
That’s not the point.
That’s been happening all week.
That’s exactly right.
These expressions don’t sound unusual because contractions are deeply embedded in everyday English.
The same pattern appears in informal writing. A blog that constantly replaces natural contractions with their expanded forms can sound unusually stiff.
For example:
That is what I wanted to tell you.
is perfectly correct, but:
That’s what I wanted to tell you.
often sounds more natural in conversational writing.
Neither version changes the underlying meaning.
That’s or Thats: Real-World Examples
Seeing the difference in context makes the rule easier to remember.
Examples Where “That’s” Means “That Is”
| Sentence | Expanded form |
| That’s my car. | That is my car. |
| That’s a smart choice. | That is a smart choice. |
| That’s the problem. | That is the problem. |
| That’s your decision. | That is your decision. |
| That’s exactly right. | That is exactly right. |
Examples Where “That’s” Means “That Has”
| Sentence | Expanded form |
| That’s happened before. | That has happened before. |
| That’s been difficult. | That has been difficult. |
| That’s changed recently. | That has changed recently. |
| That’s never happened here. | That has never happened here. |
| That’s already started. | That has already started. |
Notice the pattern. The surrounding words tell you which expansion makes sense.
A Practical Case Study: Proofreading “Thats”
Imagine you’re proofreading this paragraph:
Thats the reason the project changed. Thats been clear since the first meeting.
At first glance, both mistakes look identical. However, each sentence has a different underlying meaning.
The corrected version is:
That’s the reason the project changed. That’s been clear since the first meeting.
Now expand each contraction.
First sentence:
That’s → That is
Second sentence:
That’s → That has
The same written contraction represents two different full phrases.
That’s why context matters.
A Simple Memory Trick for That’s vs. Thats
Here’s the easiest rule to keep in your back pocket:
If “that is” or “that has” fits, use “that’s.”
That’s it.
Suppose you write:
Thats a strange result.
Ask yourself:
Does “that is” work?
Yes.
So write:
That’s a strange result.
Now consider:
Thats happened twice.
Try “that is”:
That is happened twice.
No.
Try “that has”:
That has happened twice.
Yes.
Therefore:
That’s happened twice.
The method takes only a few seconds and works well during proofreading.
Read More: Serpent vs Snake: What’s the Real Difference?
Quick Facts About “That’s”
Keep these points in mind whenever you’re unsure about the spelling:
- “That’s” is the standard contraction.
- “Thats” is generally incorrect in standard English when intended as that’s.
- “That’s” can mean “that is.”
- “That’s” can also mean “that has.”
- The apostrophe marks the contraction.
- “That” and “that’s” perform different grammatical roles.
- Formal writing may use “that is” for tone or emphasis.
- Everyday American English commonly uses “that’s.”
- A username or brand containing “thats” doesn’t establish it as standard grammatical usage.
Conclusion:
The difference between that’s and thats comes down to one small but important punctuation mark. That’s is the correct contraction of that is or that has, while thats is generally incorrect in standard English when you mean either phrase. If you’re unsure, expand that’s in your sentence. If that is or that has makes sense, you’ve found the right form. This simple check can make proofreading easier and help you avoid a common spelling mistake.
FAQs:
Is “thats” a correct word?
In standard English, thats without an apostrophe isn’t normally correct when you mean that is or that has. Use that’s instead.
What does “that’s” mean?
That’s is a contraction that can mean that is or that has, depending on the sentence.
Is “that’s” the same as “that is”?
Yes. That’s is the contracted form of that is. For example, “That’s good” means “That is good.”
Is “thats” correct in formal writing?
No. In formal writing, use that’s when you mean that is or that has. The apostrophe is an important part of the contraction.
How can I remember whether to use “that’s” or “thats”?
Try expanding the word. If the sentence works with that is or that has, use that’s. This quick test makes the correct choice much easier.
