It’s Called vs It Called is easier to understand when you focus on meaning, spelling, and how each phrase works in English grammar and context. The difference between these forms becomes clear when you look at what each phrase does in a sentence. It’s called is the correct phrase for naming something, identifying something, or giving the name of a person, object, place, movie, or idea. For example, The movie is called Inception gives the particular name of a movie title through a naming expression. Here, it’s is a contraction of it is, and the apostrophe is important. On the other hand, it called can describe a past action when a subject performed an action, depending on the sentence context.
The main distinction becomes easier through grammar practice, especially when you check the sentence meaning instead of relying on memorization alone. The challenge is that these phrases can sound nearly identical in speech, particularly when spoken quickly. English learners, writers, native speakers, and grammar learners may become confused because spoken English often compresses meaning, while written English shows the form more clearly. Your brain hears one version, but your fingers may type another on the page, creating a mistake that can lead to awkward sentences or grammatically incorrect writing. The same basic grammar rules apply in American English and British English, while context determines the correct usage in professional writing, formal writing, everyday conversation, and the wider English language.
A useful practical guide is to ask whether you are identifying, naming, referring to something, or describing an action. Use it’s called when referring to a name, title, proper name, or identifying information. Use it called when the subject made a call or completed a past action described by the sentence. This approach improves clarity, language accuracy, writing accuracy, and communication clarity, while helping you avoid common mistakes, grammar mistakes, and incorrect usage. Pay attention to the pronoun, verb, auxiliary verb, present tense, and past tense because they reveal the grammatical form and grammatical meaning. Once the right form becomes familiar, you can choose it quickly and confidently in conversation, professional communication, and writing practice, producing more natural English, stronger sentence structure, and clearer communication.
Quick Answer
“It’s called” means “it is called.” Use it when you’re telling someone the name, label, title, or term for something.
It’s called a smartphone.
Here, the sentence tells you the name of the object.
“It called” is different. It uses called as the past tense of call. It means that something made a call, produced a call, shouted, summoned someone, or performed another action associated with the verb “call.”
The phone called me twice.
In that sentence, it performs the action.
The simplest rule
Naming something? Use “it’s called.”
Describing something that called? Use “it called.”
There is one important detail, though. “It called” isn’t grammatically wrong by itself. Its correctness depends entirely on what it refers to and what you mean by called.
The distinction is supported by standard definitions of it’s as a contraction of it is or it has.
Comparison Overview
The fastest way to understand it’s called vs it called is to put them side by side.
| Feature | It’s called | It called |
| Full form | It is called | It called |
| Main verb | Is | Called |
| Tense | Present | Simple past |
| Voice | Passive | Active |
| Main purpose | Names or identifies something | Describes an action |
| Meaning of “called” | Named or labeled | Telephoned, shouted, summoned, or made a call |
| Example | “It’s called a laptop.” | “It called me yesterday.” |
| Can identify a name? | Yes | No, not in this construction |
| Requires context? | Usually straightforward | Often requires context |
Consider these two sentences:
It’s called a satellite.
It called the satellite.
The first sentence tells you what something is named. The second tells you that something called a satellite.
That small grammatical difference creates a completely different meaning.
Main Differences Between It’s Called vs It Called
The central difference between it’s called vs it called comes down to grammar, tense, voice, and meaning.
It’s called = “It is called”
The apostrophe in it’s represents omitted letters. In this particular phrase, it’s expands to it is.
So:
It’s called a drone.
means:
It is called a drone.
The phrase identifies a name or label.
It called = past-tense action
In:
It called me yesterday.
there’s no contraction. Called is the simple past form of call.
The subject it performs the action.
That difference is why replacing one phrase with the other can completely change a sentence.
What Does “It’s Called” Mean?
“It’s called” is used to identify what something is named or known as.
You might use it when discussing a product, animal, place, technical term, food, process, book, movie, tool, or almost anything else that has a name.
For example:
- It’s called a microscope.
- It’s called photosynthesis.
- It’s called a hamburger.
- It’s called the Pacific Ocean.
- It’s called a palindrome.
- It’s called The Great Gatsby.
The basic pattern is:
It + is + called + name or label
Because it is can contract to it’s, English speakers commonly shorten the structure:
It is called a microscope.
becomes:
It’s called a microscope.
Cambridge defines it’s as the short form of it is or it has. In “it’s called,” the relevant expansion is clearly it is.
Why “It’s Called” Uses Passive Voice
There’s a useful grammar point hiding inside this everyday phrase.
Consider:
People call it a telescope.
This is an active sentence.
People perform the action of calling. It receives that action.
Now change the sentence to passive voice:
It is called a telescope.
The focus shifts from who names it to what it is called.
The contracted form becomes:
It’s called a telescope.
The transformation looks like this
Active:
People call it a telescope.
↓
Passive:
It is called a telescope.
↓
Contraction:
It’s called a telescope.
This construction is especially useful when the person or group doing the naming isn’t important.
For example, imagine you’re showing someone an unfamiliar kitchen tool. You don’t need to explain who originally named it.
You simply say:
“It’s called a whisk.”
The name is the useful information.
Why passive voice fits naturally here
The passive construction puts attention on the thing being named.
That’s why these sentences sound natural:
- “This process is called fermentation.”
- “The instrument is called a barometer.”
- “That shape is called a hexagon.”
- “The dish is called paella.”
The identity matters more than the person who supplied the name.
What Does “It Called” Mean?
“It called” uses the simple past tense of the verb call.
Unlike “it’s called,” this construction doesn’t identify a name.
Instead, it says that it performed some kind of calling action in the past.
For example:
The automated system called me yesterday.
Here, it could refer to a software system, telephone system, or automated service.
Another example:
The bird called from the tree.
Here, called describes a sound made by the bird.
You can also have:
The machine called the emergency number.
The machine performed the calling action.
“Called” has several meanings
The verb call doesn’t only mean “telephone.”
Depending on context, it can mean:
- telephone someone
- shout or speak loudly
- summon someone
- make a characteristic animal sound
- request someone’s attention
- ask someone to come
- name or describe someone or something
That’s why context matters so much.
Compare:
It called me.
with:
It’s called a phone.
The first describes an action.
The second gives a name.
When Should You Use “It’s Called”?
Use “it’s called” when you’re telling someone what something is named.
This is the normal choice for identification.
Naming an object
“What is that tool?”
“It’s called a wrench.”
The phrase identifies the object.
Naming a place
“What is that building called?”
“It’s called the library.”
Again, the construction gives the name.
Introducing a technical term
“What is this process called?”
“It’s called osmosis.”
This pattern appears constantly in educational writing.
Naming food
“What’s this dish called?”
“It’s called paella.”
Naming a process
“What is that reaction called?”
“It’s called oxidation.”
Naming a title
“What is the movie called?”
“It’s called Inception.”
The common thread is simple:
You’re identifying a name, title, term, label, or description.
When Is “It Called” Correct?
Here’s where many grammar explanations become misleading.
“It called” can absolutely be correct.
The phrase only becomes incorrect when someone uses it to mean “it is called.”
For example:
The phone called me at noon.
That’s grammatically possible. The phone performs the action.
Another example:
The automated service called three times.
Again, the system performs the action.
You can also use called for sounds:
The owl called during the night.
Here, called refers to the bird producing its characteristic sound.
A useful question to ask
Before choosing between the two forms, ask:
Am I giving something’s name?
If yes:
It’s called…
If you’re describing an action that happened in the past, ask:
Did “it” perform the action of calling?
If yes:
It called…
This two-question test solves most cases in seconds.
It’s Called vs It Is Called
There is no basic difference in meaning between these two forms:
It’s called a tablet.
It is called a tablet.
The first is simply the contracted version of the second.
Why use the contraction?
“It’s called” tends to sound more conversational and natural in everyday English.
For example:
“What’s this thing?”
“It’s called a torque wrench.”
That sounds perfectly normal.
The full form can also be natural:
“It is called a torque wrench.”
You might choose the longer form when you want a more deliberate tone or when a particular style guide discourages contractions.
However, contractions aren’t automatically grammatically incorrect in formal writing. The appropriate choice depends on the context, publication, and style requirements.
It’s Called vs Its Called: Don’t Drop the Apostrophe
One of the most common mistakes is writing:
❌ Its called a bicycle.
when the intended meaning is:
✅ It’s called a bicycle.
The difference is fundamental.
“It’s” means “it is” or “it has”
For example:
It’s called a bicycle.
Expand it:
It is called a bicycle.
The sentence still works.
“Its” shows possession
For example:
The bicycle lost its chain.
Here, its means that the chain belongs to or is associated with the bicycle.
You can’t replace it with it is:
❌ The bicycle lost it is chain.
That clearly fails.
Cambridge and Khan Academy both explain the same core distinction: “it’s” is a contraction of “it is” or “it has,” while “its” is possessive and does not take an apostrophe.
The easiest “it’s” test
Replace it’s with it is.
If the sentence still makes sense, it’s is probably correct.
It’s called a camera.
→ It is called a camera.
✅ Correct.
But:
The camera lost it’s lens.
→ The camera lost it is lens.
❌ Incorrect.
The correct sentence is:
The camera lost its lens.
“What Is It Called?” vs “What Does It Call?”
These questions look related, but they ask for different information.
What is it called?
This asks for the name of something.
“I found this strange tool. What is it called?”
The answer might be:
“It’s called a caliper.”
This is the standard English question for asking the name of an unfamiliar thing.
What does it call?
This asks about an action of calling.
For example:
“What does the program call this variable?”
That means:
What name does the program use for this variable?
The grammar is different because does is the auxiliary verb.
So don’t treat “what does it call?” as a replacement for “what is it called?”
They can overlap in meaning in specific contexts, but their structures and perspectives differ.
“What Is It Called?” vs “How Is It Called?”
For standard American English, the natural question is:
What is it called?
Another natural option is:
What do you call it?
The phrase “How is it called?” is generally not the standard way to ask for the name of something in American English. English-learning references and language discussions consistently identify “What is it called?” as the natural construction.
Why does English use “what”?
Because you’re asking for an identity or name.
Think of the difference this way:
- What → asks about identity, name, object, or information.
- How → asks about manner, method, condition, or process.
For example:
What is this called?
asks for the name.
Meanwhile:
How did you make this?
asks about the method.
Natural alternatives
You can say:
- What is it called?
- What do you call it?
- What’s the name of it?
- What’s this called?
The first two are especially natural in everyday conversation.
Common Mistakes With It’s Called vs It Called
The confusion usually comes from treating called as if it always means the same thing.
It doesn’t.
Mistake: Using “it called” to give a name
❌ It called a smartphone.
If you’re identifying the object, write:
✅ It’s called a smartphone.
Why? Because the intended meaning is:
It is called a smartphone.
Mistake: Writing “its called”
❌ Its called a smartphone.
Correct:
✅ It’s called a smartphone.
The apostrophe matters because it’s represents it is.
Mistake: Assuming “it called” is always wrong
This goes too far in the other direction.
Consider:
The automated system called me this morning.
That sentence is grammatical.
So the rule isn’t:
“Always use it’s called.”
The actual rule is:
Use “it’s called” for naming. Use “it called” when “it” performed a past calling action.
Mistake: Confusing “it was called” with “it’s called”
These constructions refer to different time frames.
It’s called the Old Mill.
This describes its current name.
It was called the Old Mill.
This can describe a name it had in the past.
For example:
“The building is now called the Heritage Center. It was called the Old Mill for decades.”
The change from is to was changes the time reference.
It’s Called vs It Called Examples
Real examples make this distinction much easier to remember.
| Sentence | What it means |
| It’s called a telescope. | The object has that name. |
| It called me yesterday. | It telephoned me yesterday. |
| It’s called photosynthesis. | The process has that name. |
| The bird called from the tree. | The bird made a call. |
| It’s called a palindrome. | The term for the concept is “palindrome.” |
| The system called the number. | The system made a phone call. |
| It’s called a wrench. | The tool is named “wrench.” |
| The dog called out from the yard. | The dog made a vocal call. |
Notice the recurring pattern.
“It’s called” points toward identity.
“It called” points toward action.
It’s Called vs It Called in Everyday Situations
The distinction becomes even clearer when you see both forms in realistic contexts.
Technology
Imagine someone points at an unfamiliar feature on a phone.
“What is that feature?”
“It’s called AirDrop.”
Now imagine the phone itself initiates a call:
“It called my emergency contact automatically.”
The first sentence identifies a name. The second describes an action.
Food
Someone sees an unfamiliar dish:
“What is this called?”
“It’s called paella.”
There is no calling action here. You’re simply naming the dish.
Animals
Someone hears a strange sound outside:
“What animal makes that sound?”
“It’s called a loon.”
Now consider:
“The bird called from the lake.”
Here, called describes the bird’s vocal behavior.
Workplace software
Imagine an employee asks about an unfamiliar workflow:
“What is this process called?”
“It’s called quality assurance.”
Later:
“The system called the customer automatically.”
The same word appears in both sentences. Its grammatical role and meaning change.
A Practical Test for Choosing the Right Phrase
You don’t need to memorize a page of grammar rules.
Use these quick tests.
Test one: The “it is” test
If you can expand it’s to it is, you’re dealing with the contraction.
It’s called a drone.
→ It is called a drone.
Correct.
Test two: The naming test
Ask:
Am I telling someone what something is named?
If yes, use:
It’s called…
Examples:
- “It’s called a violin.”
- “It’s called evaporation.”
- “It’s called the Grand Canyon.”
Test three: The action test
Ask:
Did “it” actually perform the action of calling?
If yes, it called may be appropriate.
Examples:
- “The phone called me.”
- “The system called the number.”
- “The bird called from the woods.”
The whole decision tree
Are you giving a name?
→ Yes: It’s called.
Are you describing something that called in the past?
→ Yes: It called.
That’s the heart of the entire distinction.
It’s Called vs It Was Called
Another useful comparison involves time.
It’s called
Use this when describing a current or relevant name:
It’s called the Blue House.
It was called
Use this when discussing a former or historical name:
It was called the Blue House before the renovation.
This distinction matters when writing about renamed places, products, organizations, historical terms, or older versions of something.
For example:
“The software is now called AlphaDesk. It was called Project Alpha during development.”
Here, is called describes the present name. Was called describes the previous name.
It’s Called vs It’s Known As
These expressions often serve similar purposes.
It’s called a snow leopard.
It’s known as a snow leopard.
Both can identify what something is named or recognized as, although known as can carry a slightly different emphasis depending on context.
For example:
The city is called New York City.
The city is known as the Big Apple.
The first sentence gives the formal name. The second introduces a widely recognized nickname or designation.
This distinction becomes useful when you’re writing about names, nicknames, titles, terminology, or alternate labels.
Case Study: A Simple Conversation
Consider this short exchange:
Alex: “What’s that kitchen tool?”
Sam: “It’s called a mandoline.”
Alex: “Oh. What does it do?”
Sam: “It slices vegetables very thinly.”
Here, “it’s called” identifies the tool.
Now change the context:
Alex: “Why did the phone ring?”
Sam: “It called me from the emergency contact list.”
Now called describes an action.
The word called hasn’t changed spelling. The grammar around it changes the meaning.
That’s an important lesson in English: you can’t always determine meaning from one word in isolation. Sentence structure and context often do the heavy lifting.
FAQs
Is “it’s called” grammatically correct?
Yes. “It’s called” is grammatically correct when you are saying what something is named. For example, “It’s called Inception” means that the name of the movie is Inception.
What does “it called” mean?
“It called” can describe a past action performed by a subject. For example, “The company called me yesterday” uses called as a past-tense verb.
Is “its called” correct?
Usually, no. “Its called” is incorrect when you mean “it is called.” The apostrophe in “it’s” is needed because it represents the contraction “it is.”
What is the difference between “it’s called” and “it called”?
“It’s called” identifies or gives the name of something, while “it called” can describe a past action. The surrounding sentence and context help determine which form is appropriate.
How can I remember which form to use?
Focus on the meaning rather than the sound. If you mean “it is called,” use “it’s called.” If called describes something that happened in the past, use “it called” when the sentence structure supports it.
Conclusion
Understanding It’s Called vs It Called becomes easier when you focus on the role of called in the sentence. Use “it’s called” when naming or identifying something, and use “it called” when called functions as a past-tense action. Remember that “it’s” means “it is,” while “its” is a possessive form. Paying attention to meaning, sentence structure, and context will help you choose the correct expression with greater confidence.
