“That’s” and “thats” may look almost identical, but only one is normally correct in standard English. That’s is the correct form when you need the apostrophe because it is a contraction of “that is” or “that has.” Thats, without an apostrophe, is generally not the standard spelling.
For example, you can write “That’s my car” to mean “That is my car,” or “That’s happened before” to mean “That has happened before.” The apostrophe is important because it shows that letters have been omitted from the original words.
Quick Answer
- That’s ✅ = contraction of that is or that has
- Thats ❌ = generally incorrect in standard English
Examples: - That’s a beautiful house. = That is a beautiful house.
- That’s happened before. = That has happened before.
If you are writing the ordinary English word, use that’s when you mean that is or that has.
What Does “That’s” Mean?
That’s has two main meanings:
- That is
- That has
The correct meaning depends on what follows it.
“That’s” = “That is”
Examples:
- That’s my phone. → That is my phone.
- That’s interesting. → That is interesting.
- That’s the problem. → That is the problem.
- That’s a great idea. → That is a great idea.
“That’s” = “That has”
Examples:
- That’s been difficult. → That has been difficult.
- That’s happened before. → That has happened before.
- That’s changed everything. → That has changed everything.
A useful trick is to replace that’s with that is or that has. If one of them makes sense, the apostrophe is correct.
What About “Thats”?
Thats without an apostrophe is generally not the standard English form when you mean that is or that has.
For example:
❌ Thats my book.
✅ That’s my book.
❌ Thats a good idea.
✅ That’s a good idea.
❌ Thats happened before.
✅ That’s happened before.
The apostrophe cannot normally be omitted in standard writing.
That’s vs Thats Comparison Table
| Form | Correct in Standard English? | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| That’s | ✅ Yes | That is / That has | That’s my bag. |
| Thats | ❌ Generally no | Intended as “that’s” | Thats my bag. |
| That is | ✅ Yes | Full form | That is my bag. |
| That has | ✅ Yes | Full form | That has happened before. |
When to Use “That’s”
Use that’s when you can expand it to either that is or that has.
That’s = That is
That’s my favorite song.
That’s why I called you.
That’s exactly what I meant.
That’s a difficult question.
That’s = That has
That’s been a problem for years.
That’s happened to me before.
That’s changed since last year.
15 Examples of “That’s”
- That’s my new car.
- That’s a beautiful view.
- That’s exactly what I wanted.
- That’s the answer.
- That’s why I left early.
- That’s a great idea.
- That’s not what I said.
- That’s your decision.
- That’s been difficult for me.
- That’s happened before.
- That’s changed everything.
- That’s the best part.
- That’s what makes it interesting.
- That’s never happened before.
- That’s all I wanted to say.
That’s in Questions and Responses
That’s is also common in short conversational responses.
Examples:
- That’s right.
- That’s true.
- That’s enough.
- That’s okay.
- That’s amazing!
- That’s interesting.
- That’s exactly it.
These are contractions of that is.
That’s vs That Is
Both forms are correct, but they have different levels of formality.
That’s is a contraction:
That’s a good point.
That is is the full form:
That is a good point.
In formal writing, some writers prefer the full form, but contractions such as that’s are standard English and are appropriate in many professional and academic contexts as well.
That’s vs That Has
One important detail is that that’s can represent that has, not only that is.
Compare:
That’s my book.
= That is my book.
That’s been my goal.
= That has been my goal.
If that’s is followed by a past participle such as been, happened, or changed, it may represent that has.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Leaving out the apostrophe
❌ Thats a beautiful day.
✅ That’s a beautiful day.
Mistake 2: Thinking “thats” is an informal spelling
In texting, people sometimes omit apostrophes, but thats is not the standard spelling. In formal, professional, academic, or polished writing, use that’s.
Mistake 3: Confusing “that’s” with “thats”
The apostrophe is not decorative. It shows that that’s is a contraction.
that’s → that is / that has
Mistake 4: Confusing “that’s” with “whose”
Remember that whose is the possessive form of who, while that’s is a contraction.
That’s vs Its
Another common apostrophe confusion involves that’s and its.
That’s = that is / that has
Its = possessive form of it
Examples:
- That’s my dog. = That is my dog.
- The dog wagged its tail.
The apostrophe in that’s indicates a contraction, while its normally has no apostrophe when showing possession.
That’s vs Thats in Texting
In casual texting, some people may type thats without an apostrophe because they are typing quickly. However, this does not make thats the standard spelling.
For:
- School assignments
- Essays
- Articles
- Professional emails
- Formal documents
use that’s when you mean that is or that has.
American vs British English
There is no meaningful spelling difference between American and British English here.
Both use:
- that’s = that is / that has
- thats = generally nonstandard
The same apostrophe rule applies in both varieties.
Similar Contractions
That’s belongs to a larger group of common English contractions.
| Contraction | Full Form |
|---|---|
| That’s | That is / That has |
| It’s | It is / It has |
| What’s | What is / What has |
| Who’s | Who is / Who has |
| There’s | There is / There has |
| Here’s | Here is / Here has |
| These contractions use an apostrophe to show omitted letters. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “thats” a word?
Thats is generally not the standard spelling when you mean that’s. In normal English writing, use the apostrophe.
Is “that’s” correct?
Yes. That’s is the standard contraction of that is or that has.
What does “that’s” stand for?
It can stand for that is or that has.
Can “that’s” mean “that has”?
Yes. For example, “That’s happened before” means “That has happened before.”
Is “thats” acceptable in texting?
People may omit apostrophes in informal digital communication, but that’s remains the standard spelling.
Should I use “that’s” in formal writing?
Yes, that’s is grammatically correct. However, depending on the formality and style of the document, you may choose the full form that is or that has.
What is the difference between “that’s” and “that is”?
They have the same basic meaning when that’s = that is. The difference is that that’s is the contracted form.
Final Verdict
The correct standard form is:
That’s ✅
It means:
- That is
- That has
The form thats without an apostrophe is generally incorrect when used to represent either contraction.
So write:
That’s a great idea.
Not:
❌ Thats a great idea.
Conclusion
The difference between that’s and thats is simple: that’s is the standard contraction of that is or that has, while thats without an apostrophe is generally not standard English.
Whenever you are unsure, try expanding that’s. If you can replace it with that is or that has, the apostrophe belongs there. This simple test makes it easy to choose the correct form.
Remember This
THAT’S = THAT IS / THAT HAS ✅
THATS = generally incorrect in standard English ❌
Try the replacement test:
That’s → That is ✓
That’s → That has ✓
If either expansion works, use that’s.
Daniel Whitmore is a faith-inspired author dedicated to writing content that uplifts and motivates. His focus is on hope, resilience, and moral clarity, offering readers guidance for navigating life with confidence and belief.
