Thats or That’s: Meaning, Spelling, and Correct Usage (2026)

Thats or That’s shows a common English spelling difference, and the apostrophe in that’s helps readers understand the underlying grammar rule. That’s is a real English word and a contraction of “that is” or “that has.” The apostrophe indicates the letters removed from the original words. For example, “That’s a good point” means “That is a good point.” This tiny apostrophe changes the meaning and shows the correct form in English writing. In standard English, thats has no recognized meaning as a standard English form, making it an incorrect spelling rather than an alternative or correct form. A useful trick for learners is to expand the contraction in each sentence.

If “that is” or “that has” fits the context, choose that’s and use it correctly. This simple approach helps you remember the spelling difference and makes the grammatical difference more obvious. From my experience teaching English and during tutoring sessions, I use simple example lines to break down this rule. One instance is a phrase that can cover different words depending on the context. This habit can improve communication, help a writer use proper spelling, and make correct English writing clear, smoother, and more confident.

The wrong form can feel right because people read it every day, and Few grammar mistakes seem so tricky when people type quickly. The apostrophe disappears easily on phone keyboards during fast composition or fast typing. Autocorrect, omitting, and missing symbols can also create a small mistake or error. You may see this form in emails, blog posts, posts, captions, comments, professional documents, texts, and social media. During busy times, a writer may develop a habit of giving less proper attention to punctuation. However, there is no situation where thats is an acceptable replacement when the contraction needed is that’s.

In formal writing, an academic paper, written message, or texting reply, quick proofreading can help you avoid unnecessary errors and express a professional style. Casual speech can be informal, but correct written English language still needs care. This straightforward guide makes the wrong version easier to spot, while steady learning, regular proofreading, and proper spelling help keep your writing correct and careless errors away.

Table of Contents

Quick Answer: Is It “Thats” or “That’s”?

“That’s” is the correct standard form when you mean “that is” or “that has.”

“Thats” without an apostrophe is generally incorrect when you intend that contraction.

Form	Standard English?	Meaning	Example
That’s	Yes	That is / That has	That’s a great idea.
Thats	Generally no	Usually an omitted apostrophe	❌ Thats a great idea.
That is	Yes	Full form	That is a great idea.
That has	Yes	Full form	That has happened before.

The easiest rule is this:

If you can replace “that’s” with “that is” or “that has,” use the apostrophe.

For example:

That’s my book. → That is my book.
That’s happened before. → That has happened before.

Both are correct because “that’s” represents a contraction of two words.

What Does “That’s” Mean?

“That’s” is a contraction. A contraction combines two words into a shorter form, usually by removing one or more letters and replacing them with an apostrophe.

In this case, “that’s” has two standard meanings:

That is
That has

Cambridge Dictionary specifically lists both meanings for that’s, while Collins gives the same two standard expansions.

That means the surrounding sentence matters. The spelling stays the same, but the grammatical meaning changes.

“That’s” Meaning “That Is”

This is the most common use.

Examples include:

That’s my house.
That’s a good question.
That’s exactly what I wanted.
That’s not the answer.
That’s interesting.

You can expand each sentence:

That’s my house.
→ That is my house.

Or:

That’s a good question.
→ That is a good question.

Nothing important changes except the tone. The contraction sounds more natural and conversational.

“That’s” Meaning “That Has”

The second meaning can be slightly trickier.

Consider:

That’s happened before.

If you expand that’s as that is, you get:

That is happened before.

That doesn’t work.

Instead:

That has happened before.

Now the sentence makes sense.

Here are more examples:

That’s been difficult. → That has been difficult.
That’s changed recently. → That has changed recently.
That’s happened several times. → That has happened several times.
That’s become a major issue. → That has become a major issue.

This is why you shouldn’t assume that “that’s” always means “that is.”

Why Does “That’s” Need an Apostrophe?

The apostrophe shows that the word is a contraction.

Think of it as a small grammatical marker telling the reader, “Some letters have been left out here.”

For example:

that is → that’s

The apostrophe represents the contraction.

The same principle appears throughout English:

Full form	Contraction
I am	I’m
You are	You’re
She is	She’s
It is	It’s
We are	We’re
They are	They’re
That is	That’s
That has	That’s

The apostrophe isn’t decoration. It performs a grammatical job.

Without it, “thats” doesn’t function as the standard contraction of “that is” or “that has.”

What Does “Thats” Mean?

This is where the thats vs. that’s question gets simple.

In standard English, “thats” isn’t the normal spelling of the contraction.

If someone writes:

Thats a beautiful painting.

They almost certainly intend:

That’s a beautiful painting.

The missing apostrophe is a spelling or punctuation error.

You’ll still encounter “thats” online. People type quickly. Phones and keyboards can encourage shortcuts. Some usernames, company names, titles, and branding also deliberately remove punctuation.

For example, a username could contain the letters thats because usernames often follow naming restrictions. That’s a naming choice, not evidence that “thats” has become the standard grammatical contraction.

In ordinary edited English, use “that’s.”

“That’s” vs. “That Is”: What’s the Difference?

Both forms can be grammatically correct.

The difference usually involves style, emphasis, and tone, rather than basic meaning.

Compare:

That’s the problem.

with:

That is the problem.

The first sounds relaxed and conversational. The second can sound more deliberate or emphatic.

Consider this exchange:

“You think the price is the problem?”
“That is the problem.”

The full form can add weight to the statement.

Now compare:

That’s the problem.

It feels more natural in everyday conversation.

When Should You Use “That’s”?

Use “that’s” when you want a natural contraction of “that is” or “that has.”

For example:

That’s exactly right.
That’s the restaurant we visited.
I know that’s difficult.
That’s what she meant.
That’s been happening for months.

When Might “That Is” Be Better?

You might choose the full form when you want emphasis or when a particular writing style avoids contractions.

For example:

That is precisely what the report shows.

The uncontracted form gives the sentence a slightly more formal or emphatic feel.

Importantly, “that’s” isn’t grammatically wrong simply because a sentence appears in formal writing. Style expectations vary between institutions, publications, and types of writing.

How to Tell Whether “That’s” Means “That Is” or “That Has”

Here’s a useful proofreading trick.

Use the Expansion Test

Replace “that’s” with “that is.”

If the sentence still works, you’ve found the meaning.

Example:

That’s my favorite movie.

Expand it:

That is my favorite movie.

Correct.

Therefore:

That’s = that is

Now try:

That’s been a strange experience.

Expand it:

That is been a strange experience.

That doesn’t work.

Try:

That has been a strange experience.

Now it works.

Therefore:

That’s = that has

This simple test works remarkably well.

The Two-Step Test

When you’re unsure, follow these steps:

Replace that’s with that is.
If that doesn’t work, replace it with that has.
Use whichever expansion produces a grammatical sentence.

It’s a tiny trick, but it catches many errors.

Common Uses of “That’s”

The contraction appears in many everyday sentence patterns.

“That’s” Before a Noun

That’s Sarah.

Here, that’s means that is.

Another example:

That’s my brother.

Expanded:

That is my brother.

“That’s” Before an Adjective

That’s strange.

Expanded:

That is strange.

More examples:

That’s amazing.
That’s expensive.
That’s unusual.
That’s impossible.
That’s important.

“That’s” Before a Clause

That’s what I meant.

Here, that’s means:

That is what I meant.

Another common expression is:

That’s why I called.

This means:

That is why I called.

“That’s” With “Been”

When “that’s” comes before been, it commonly represents “that has.”

Examples:

That’s been difficult.
That’s been my experience.
That’s been a problem.
That’s been discussed already.

The substitution test makes the structure clear:

That’s been difficult.
→ That has been difficult.

“Thats” vs. “That’s” in Texting and Social Media

Digital communication creates an interesting wrinkle.

People often drop punctuation in texts, comments, captions, and quick messages. A missing apostrophe may not stop anyone from understanding the sentence.

For example:

Thats exactly what I was thinking.

Most readers understand the intended meaning immediately.

However, being understandable isn’t the same as following standard written English.

The distinction matters more when your writing represents you professionally.

Use the Correct Form in:

School assignments
College papers
Professional emails
Resumes
Cover letters
Business reports
Blog posts
Published articles
Formal applications
Client communications

A casual text between friends has different expectations. A job application doesn’t.

Common “Thats” and “That’s” Mistakes

The error usually comes from forgetting what the apostrophe does.

This error is subtler.

Consider:

That’s changed everything.

Some writers automatically read that’s as that is.

But:

That is changed everything.

doesn’t work.

The correct expansion is:

That has changed everything.

So context determines whether the contraction represents is or has.

“That’s” vs. “Its” and “It’s”

If you’re learning apostrophe rules, it’s worth comparing that’s with its and it’s.

These words cause confusion because the apostrophe has different functions.

Word	Meaning	Example
That’s	That is / That has	That’s my car.
It’s	It is / It has	It’s raining.
Its	Possessive form of it	The dog wagged its tail.

The important distinction is this:

It’s is a contraction.
Its is a possessive form.

Likewise, that’s is a contraction.

So don’t assume that every apostrophe followed by s indicates possession. In contractions, the apostrophe can show omitted letters instead.

Is “Thats” Ever Correct?

In ordinary grammar, “thats” isn’t the standard alternative to “that’s.”

However, language appears in many contexts beyond ordinary sentences.

You might encounter thats as:

Part of a username
A deliberately styled brand name
A title
A domain or account name
A search query
Informal text with omitted punctuation
A transcription or quoted spelling

Those situations don’t change the standard grammatical rule.

For example, if a fictional character’s username is @thatsomething, the username can retain that spelling. Names and branding often follow their own conventions.

But if you’re writing:

Thats the answer.

in a school assignment or article, use:

That’s the answer.

Do “That’s” and “Thats” Sound Different?

Usually, no.

The apostrophe changes the written form, not the normal pronunciation.

Cambridge lists the pronunciation of that’s in both US and UK English, while Collins likewise treats it as the spoken contraction of that is or that has.

That’s one reason the error can survive unnoticed.

You can hear:

“That’s the answer.”

but you can’t hear whether the speaker would type the apostrophe afterward.

Speech gives you the sound. Writing has to supply the punctuation.

“That’s” in Formal and Academic Writing

Contractions sometimes get a bad reputation in formal writing.

The reality is more nuanced.

“That’s” is a standard English contraction, but different writing environments may have different style preferences.

An academic paper might favor:

That is an important distinction.

A conversational article might use:

That’s an important distinction.

Neither sentence is inherently grammatically broken.

The choice depends on tone, audience, and style requirements.

If a professor, publisher, employer, or organization specifies a particular style, follow that guidance. Otherwise, choose the form that fits the voice and purpose of the sentence.

Real-World Examples of “That’s”

Seeing the contraction in different structures makes the rule easier to remember.

“That’s” = “That Is”

That’s the book I wanted.

That’s a difficult decision.

That’s exactly what happened.

That’s not what I said.

That’s the main reason.

In each case, replace that’s with that is.

“That’s” = “That Has”

That’s been a recurring issue.

That’s changed significantly.

That’s happened before.

That’s become more common.

That’s caused several problems.

Here, replacing that’s with that has produces the grammatical sentence.

A Simple Case Study: Finding the Correct Form

Imagine you’re proofreading this paragraph:

“Thats the first problem. Thats also why the project failed. Thats been obvious for weeks.”

At first glance, the three errors look identical.

Correct them one at a time.

Sentence One

That’s the first problem.

Expansion:

That is the first problem.

So that’s = that is.

Sentence Two

That’s also why the project failed.

Expansion:

That is also why the project failed.

Again:

that’s = that is

Sentence Three

That’s been obvious for weeks.

Try:

That is been obvious for weeks. ❌

Now try:

That has been obvious for weeks. ✅

Therefore:

that’s = that has

This example shows why context matters. The same spelling can represent two different grammatical constructions.

Quick Facts About “That’s”

“That’s” is a contraction.
It can mean “that is.”
It can also mean “that has.”
The apostrophe marks the contraction.
“Thats” is generally not the standard spelling when you intend the contraction.
The pronunciation normally doesn’t reveal whether the apostrophe belongs in writing.
The substitution test can identify the meaning.
“That’s” can appear in both conversational and formal contexts, although individual style guides may favor expanded forms.
A username, brand, or title can intentionally use “thats” without changing the standard grammar rule.

Expansion:

That has happened before.

Notice the pattern: the correct spelling remains “that’s” in every example. What changes is what the contraction represents.

FAQs

Is “thats” a correct English word?

No. “Thats” without an apostrophe is not the standard English form. The correct word is “that’s,” which is a contraction of “that is” or “that has.”

What does “that’s” mean?

“That’s” can mean “that is” or “that has.” The correct meaning depends on the sentence and its context.

Why do people write “thats” instead of “that’s”?

People often leave out the apostrophe when they type quickly, especially on phones. Autocorrect, casual texting, and fast writing can also cause this small spelling mistake.

How can I remember whether to use “that’s” or “thats”?

Try expanding “that’s” into “that is” or “that has.” If one of these expressions fits the sentence, use “that’s” with the apostrophe.

Is “thats” acceptable in formal writing?

No. In formal writing, use “that’s” when you mean “that is” or “that has.” Checking your writing during proofreading can help you catch the missing apostrophe.

Conclusion

Thats or That’s is a simple spelling issue once you understand the role of the apostrophe. “That’s” is the correct standard form because it represents “that is” or “that has.” “Thats” without the apostrophe should not be used as a replacement. A quick check of the sentence can help you choose the correct form and keep your English writing clear and accurate.