That’s or Thats? The Complete Guide to Correct Usage in English helps clear up a common confusion in everyday English. While teaching English, I’ve seen people use thats instead of that’s in emails, texts, social media, and professional documents. The correct form is that’s, which is a contraction of That is or that has. The apostrophe matters because it shows the missing letters.
The difference becomes easier when you check the context. For instance, That’s my book means That is my book. That’s changed means That has changed. Fast typing, autocorrect, and omitting symbols can cause this spelling error, especially in informal writing.
A simple trick is to remember the full form while proofreading. Read the sentence, check its meaning, and use it correctly. This small habit can make your writing more clear, smoother, and professional.
That’s or Thats: Which One Is Correct?
The short answer is simple:
“That’s” is correct in standard English. “Thats” is generally incorrect when you mean “that is” or “that has.”
Consider these examples:
- That’s a beautiful house.
- That’s exactly what I meant.
- That’s been a difficult problem.
- That’s why we left early.
In each sentence, that’s contains an apostrophe.
The apostrophe represents missing letters created when two words combine. In this case, the contraction can represent that is or that has.
| Form | Meaning | Example |
| that’s | that is | That’s a good idea. |
| that’s | that has | That’s happened before. |
| thats | Usually an incorrect form of “that’s” | Thats a good idea. |
| that | A separate grammatical word | That book is mine. |
| thats’ | Incorrect apostrophe placement | Not standard English |
So, if you’re writing a sentence such as “Thats a great idea,” the standard correction is “That’s a great idea.”
What Does “That’s” Mean?
The contraction that’s has two main meanings.
It can mean:
- That is
- That has
The surrounding sentence tells you which meaning applies.
“That’s” Means “That Is”
This is the most common use.
For example:
That’s my favorite restaurant.
Expand the contraction:
That is my favorite restaurant.
Both sentences have the same basic meaning. The contracted version simply sounds more natural in everyday conversation.
Here are more examples:
- That’s a beautiful painting. → That is a beautiful painting.
- That’s the problem. → That is the problem.
- That’s not what I said. → That is not what I said.
- That’s your decision. → That is your decision.
- That’s why I called. → That is why I called.
The contraction works especially naturally in spoken English and conversational writing.
“That’s” Means “That Has”
The same spelling can also represent that has.
For example:
That’s been a difficult year.
Expand it:
That has been a difficult year.
Here, “that is been” doesn’t work. The only sensible expansion is “that has been.”
Other examples include:
- That’s happened before.
- That’s changed significantly.
- That’s become a serious concern.
- That’s gone too far.
- That’s already been discussed.
This distinction becomes useful when you’re proofreading your writing.
Why Does “That’s” Need an Apostrophe?
The apostrophe isn’t decorative. It performs a grammatical job.
English uses apostrophes in contractions to indicate that letters have been omitted.
For example:
- do not → don’t
- cannot → can’t
- it is → it’s
- she is → she’s
- we are → we’re
- they have → they’ve
- that is → that’s
- that has → that’s
When that is becomes that’s, the apostrophe signals the contraction.
Without it, thats doesn’t represent the standard contraction.
Think of the apostrophe as a small signpost. It tells your reader, “These two words have been shortened.”
That’s vs. Thats: The Difference at a Glance
The difference between that’s and thats comes down to standard spelling and grammar.
| Feature | That’s | Thats |
| Contains an apostrophe | Yes | No |
| Standard English contraction | Yes | No |
| Can mean “that is” | Yes | No |
| Can mean “that has” | Yes | No |
| Appropriate in edited writing | Yes | Generally no |
| Commonly appears as a typo | Sometimes | Yes |
Consider this sentence:
Incorrect:
Thats the restaurant we visited.
Correct:
That’s the restaurant we visited.
The corrected version expands naturally to:
That is the restaurant we visited.
That gives you a reliable way to catch the mistake.
How to Know Whether “That’s” Means “That Is” or “That Has”
You don’t need to memorize a complicated grammar rule.
Simply expand the contraction.
Try “That Is” First
Take this sentence:
That’s my problem.
Replace that’s with that is:
That is my problem.
The sentence works perfectly.
Therefore, that’s = that is.
Now consider:
That’s been happening for months.
Try that is:
That is been happening for months.
That doesn’t work.
Now try that has:
That has been happening for months.
Perfect.
Therefore, that’s = that has.
The Replacement Test
When you’re unsure, use this quick test:
- Find that’s.
- Replace it with that is.
- If the sentence doesn’t make sense, try that has.
- If either version works grammatically, that’s is appropriate.
This test also helps you understand what the contraction is doing in the sentence.
When “That’s” Means “That Is”
You’ll frequently see that’s before a noun, adjective, pronoun, adverbial expression, or other complement.
For example:
Before a Noun
That’s the answer.
Here, that’s means that is.
Before an Adjective
That’s interesting.
The expanded version is:
That is interesting.
Before a Prepositional Phrase
That’s in the kitchen.
This means:
That is in the kitchen.
Before a Clause
That’s why she left.
This means:
That is why she left.
These patterns appear constantly in natural English.
When “That’s” Means “That Has”
The “that has” meaning usually becomes easier to spot when a past participle follows it.
Consider:
That’s changed everything.
The expanded version is:
That has changed everything.
Similarly:
- That’s happened several times.
- That’s become increasingly common.
- That’s gone too far.
- That’s been a recurring issue.
- That’s already been explained.
A useful clue is the word immediately following the contraction.
Words such as been, happened, changed, become, gone, started, improved, increased, and decreased can indicate that that’s means that has.
However, context remains the final test.
That’s vs. That: Don’t Confuse the Two
That and that’s aren’t interchangeable.
That can function in several grammatical roles. It can point to something, introduce a clause, or act as a relative pronoun.
For example:
That car is expensive.
Here, that identifies the car.
But:
That’s an expensive car.
Here, that’s means that is.
The difference becomes clearer when you expand the contraction:
- That car is expensive.
- That is an expensive car.
One sentence uses that as a determiner. The other uses that’s as a contraction.
That’s vs. Its: An Important Difference
Another common source of confusion involves its.
These words look different, but punctuation often causes problems because English handles possessives and contractions in unusual ways.
That’s
That’s means:
- that is
- that has
Example:
That’s a good sign.
Its
Its is the possessive form of it.
Example:
The company changed its policy.
Here, its means that the policy belongs to or relates to the company.
Don’t write:
The company changed it’s policy.
That is incorrect because it’s means it is or it has.
The same principle helps distinguish these forms:
| Word | Meaning | Example |
| that’s | that is / that has | That’s a great result. |
| its | belonging to it | The dog wagged its tail. |
| it’s | it is / it has | It’s getting late. |
| that | several grammatical functions | That book is mine |
That’s vs. It’s: Why the Difference Matters
That’s and it’s are both contractions, yet they contract different words.
That’s:
that is / that has
It’s:
it is / it has
Compare:
That’s interesting.
Here, you’re saying:
That is interesting.
Now:
It’s interesting.
You’re saying:
It is interesting.
The two sentences may sound similar, but they refer to different grammatical subjects.
Common “That’s” Mistakes to Avoid
Writing “Thats” Without the Apostrophe
This is the most obvious mistake.
Incorrect:
Thats a difficult question.
Correct:
That’s a difficult question.
The apostrophe belongs between t and s.
Writing “Thats’”
Some writers recognize that an apostrophe belongs somewhere but put it after the s.
Incorrect:
Thats’ the problem.
Correct:
That’s the problem.
The apostrophe appears before the s because it represents the omitted part of the contraction.
Using “That’s” as a Possessive
You generally shouldn’t treat that’s as a possessive form.
For example, don’t assume that the apostrophe means ownership.
In:
That’s my book.
The apostrophe doesn’t indicate possession. It creates the contraction that is.
English possessive forms and contractions can look similar, which causes plenty of confusion.
Is “Thats” Ever Correct?
In standard English prose, thats without an apostrophe is generally not the correct form when you mean that’s.
You may still encounter thats online.
People sometimes omit apostrophes in:
- Text messages
- Social media posts
- Comments
- Informal chats
- Fast typing
- Usernames or handles
- Stylized names or titles
That doesn’t make thats the standard grammatical spelling.
For edited writing, professional communication, educational work, and published content, use that’s when you mean that is or that has.
Is “That’s” Too Informal for Formal Writing?
Not necessarily.
Contractions are perfectly grammatical. The real question is tone.
In casual writing, that’s often sounds more natural:
That’s why the results matter.
A highly formal document might instead use:
That is why the results matter.
Neither construction is inherently grammatically wrong.
Academic institutions, publishers, employers, and style guides can have their own preferences. If a particular style guide requires formal constructions, follow that requirement.
The key distinction is this:
Contractions are a matter of register and style in many contexts, not automatically a matter of grammatical correctness.
That’s in Everyday Expressions
You probably use that’s more often than you realize.
Here are several common expressions:
“That’s All”
That’s all I wanted to say.
Meaning:
That is all I wanted to say.
“That’s Right”
That’s right. You remembered correctly.
Meaning:
That is right.
“That’s It”
That’s it. We’re finished.
Meaning:
That is it.
“That’s Why”
That’s why preparation matters.
Meaning:
That is why preparation matters.
“That’s the Point”
That’s the point of the exercise.
Meaning:
That is the point of the exercise.
“That’s Not the Case”
That’s not the case here.
Meaning:
That is not the case here.
These expressions are common because that’s makes speech and writing feel compact and natural.
That’s in Questions and Exclamations
The contraction isn’t limited to ordinary statements.
You can use that’s in questions, too.
Examples:
- That’s your car?
- That’s the person you mentioned?
- That’s the final price?
- That’s what you decided?
You can also use it in exclamations:
- That’s incredible!
- That’s amazing!
- That’s unbelievable!
- That’s fantastic!
In each case, the apostrophe remains necessary.
That’s or That Is: Which Should You Use?
The answer depends largely on the tone you’re aiming for.
| Situation | Common choice |
| Conversation | That’s |
| Text messages | That’s |
| Casual email | That’s |
| Blog writing | That’s |
| General business communication | That’s |
| Academic writing | That’s or that is, depending on style |
| Highly formal writing | Often that is |
| Direct quotations | Preserve the original wording |
There’s no universal rule saying that every formal sentence must avoid contractions.
Instead, consider the expectations of your audience and the style of the document.
Real-World Correction Examples
A quick comparison makes the rule much easier to remember.
| Incorrect | Correct | Explanation |
| Thats a good idea. | That’s a good idea. | That’s = that is |
| Thats why I called. | That’s why I called. | That’s = that is |
| Thats been a problem. | That’s been a problem. | That’s = that has |
| I think thats enough. | I think that’s enough. | That’s = that is |
| Thats exactly right. | That’s exactly right. | That’s = that is |
| Thats changed recently. | That’s changed recently. | That’s = that has |
| Thats not my decision. | That’s not my decision. | That’s = that is |
| Thats happened before. | That’s happened before. | That’s = that has |
Notice the pattern.
The missing apostrophe is the only visible difference, yet it changes whether the written form follows standard English conventions.
A Simple Proofreading Trick for “That’s or Thats”
Here’s a practical editing method you can use whenever you see thats.
Step One: Find “Thats”
Look for the four-letter sequence thats in your draft.
Step Two: Expand It
Ask:
Could this mean that is?
If yes, write that’s.
If not, ask:
Could this mean that has?
If yes, write that’s.
Step Three: Check the Sentence
For example:
Thats been happening all week.
Try:
That is been happening all week.
It fails.
Try:
That has been happening all week.
It works.
Therefore:
That’s been happening all week.
This tiny habit can eliminate the mistake almost automatically.
Quick Facts About “That’s”
- That’s is a contraction.
- It can represent that is.
- It can also represent that has.
- The apostrophe marks omitted letters.
- Thats without an apostrophe is generally incorrect when intended as the contraction.
- That’s can appear in statements, questions, and exclamations.
- Contractions aren’t automatically inappropriate in formal writing.
- The appropriate choice between that’s and that is often depends on tone and style.
- The context determines whether that’s means that is or that has.
Read More: What Does BBW Mean in Text? Meaning, Context and Examples
Mini Quiz: That’s or Thats?
Choose the correct form in each sentence.
- ___ the best option available.
- I think ___ enough.
- ___ been a difficult month.
- ___ exactly what happened.
- ___ why we changed the plan.
- ___ already happened once.
- ___ not what I expected.
- ___ a beautiful view.
Answers
- That’s the best option available.
- I think that’s enough.
- That’s been a difficult month.
- That’s exactly what happened.
- That’s why we changed the plan.
- That’s already happened once.
- That’s not what I expected.
- That’s a beautiful view.
Every answer requires the apostrophe because each that’s represents either that is or that has.
FAQs:
Is “thats” a word?
Thats without an apostrophe isn’t normally the standard spelling of the contraction that’s. In standard English writing, use that’s when you mean that is or that has.
What does “that’s” stand for?
That’s can stand for that is or that has.
For example:
That’s my house. = That is my house.
That’s happened before. = That has happened before.
Is “that’s” grammatically correct?
Yes. That’s is a standard English contraction.
Can “that’s” mean “that has”?
Yes. For example:
That’s been difficult.
This means:
That has been difficult.
Is “that’s” informal?
Not inherently. It’s common in everyday English and acceptable in many types of writing. Some formal or academic contexts may prefer the expanded form that is or that has.
Why does “that’s” have an apostrophe?
The apostrophe indicates that letters have been omitted when that is or that has becomes that’s.
Is “thats” acceptable in texting?
You may see thats in informal digital communication, particularly when people omit punctuation. However, that’s remains the standard form in correctly edited English.
What is the difference between “that’s” and “that”?
That’s means that is or that has. That has several other grammatical functions and doesn’t automatically mean either phrase.
Is “thats’” correct?
No. Thats’ isn’t the standard contraction. The correct form is that’s, with the apostrophe before the s.
Conclusion:
The rule for that’s vs thats is simple once you understand it. Use that’s when you mean That is or that has, and remember that the apostrophe matters.
Whether you’re writing a text, email, or professional message, take a second to check the word. That small effort can make your writing more accurate and confident.
