✍️ That’s or Thats: Correct Grammar, Meaning & Examples

That’s or thats has a very simple answer: that’s is the correct standard form when you mean “that is” or “that has.” The apostrophe is required because that’s is a contraction.

Thats without an apostrophe is generally a spelling error in ordinary English.

Examples:

That’s a great idea. = That is a great idea.
That’s been helpful. = That has been helpful.
Thats a great idea. ❌
Thats been helpful. ❌

The apostrophe may be tiny, but removing it turns a normal English contraction into a nonstandard spelling. Apparently punctuation needed this much responsibility.

Quick Answer: That’s or Thats

Form	Correct?	Meaning	Example
that’s	Yes	that is / that has	That’s my bag.
thats	Usually no	No standard contraction meaning	Thats my bag. ❌
that	Yes	Demonstrative, determiner, pronoun, conjunction, etc.	That book is mine.
those	Yes	Plural demonstrative corresponding to that	Those books are mine.
thats’	No in normal grammar	Incorrect apostrophe placement	Thats’ mine. ❌
thats’s	No	Incorrect/nonstandard form	Thats’s mine. ❌

The easiest rule to remember is:

That’s = that is or that has.

If neither expansion works, you probably need that rather than that’s.

What Does That’s Mean?

That’s is a contraction of either:

that is
that has

Cambridge Dictionary defines that’s as the short form of “that is” or “that has.” Cambridge Dictionary

That gives the word two common grammatical uses.

That’s = That Is

This is the most common use.

Examples:

That’s my phone.
= That is my phone.
That’s the answer.
= That is the answer.
That’s really interesting.
= That is really interesting.
That’s what I meant.
= That is what I meant.
That’s why I called you.
= That is why I called you.
That’s a beautiful house.
= That is a beautiful house.

Whenever that is works naturally, you can usually contract it to that’s.

That’s = That Has

That’s can also mean that has.

This typically happens before a past participle in a present-perfect construction.

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.
That’s made a big difference.
= That has made a big difference.
That’s already started.
= That has already started.

The surrounding words usually make the meaning obvious.

The Easy Replacement Test

If you are unsure whether that’s is correct, expand it.

Test 1: Replace It With “That Is”

Sentence:

That’s my jacket.

Expanded:

That is my jacket.

The sentence still works, so that’s is correct.

Test 2: Replace It With “That Has”

Sentence:

That’s been my biggest concern.

Expanded:

That has been my biggest concern.

Again, it works.

When Neither Works

Consider:

I like that’s color.

Try:

I like that is color.

Wrong.

Try:

I like that has color.

Also wrong.

The sentence needs something else, such as:

I like that color.

This replacement test solves most that’s vs thats confusion in seconds.

Is “Thats” a Word?

In standard English, thats is not the normal spelling of the contraction.

If you mean:

that is
that has

you need:

that’s

Correct:

That’s exactly what I wanted.

Incorrect:

Thats exactly what I wanted.

However, there is one narrow exception worth mentioning.

A business, username, product, brand, title, surname, or other proper name could deliberately use Thats as its official spelling.

That would not make thats a standard English contraction. It would simply be a proper name using an unconventional spelling.

Why Does That’s Need an Apostrophe?

The apostrophe shows that letters have been omitted.

That Is

Start with:

that is

The contraction becomes:

that’s

The apostrophe marks the shortened form.

That Has

Start with:

that has

The shortened form is also:

that’s

This is the same reason English uses contractions such as:

it is → it’s
cannot → can’t
do not → don’t
we are → we’re
they have → they’ve
I am → I’m

The apostrophe is part of the spelling, not optional decoration.

Thats vs. That’s in Texting

In texting, people frequently write:

thats

without an apostrophe because they are typing quickly.

You may see:

thats crazy
thats fine
thats cool
thats what I mean
thats hilarious

Readers normally understand them.

But in standard written English, the correct versions are:

that’s crazy
that’s fine
that’s cool
that’s what I mean
that’s hilarious

Casual typing explains the mistake. It does not create a new grammar rule.

What Does That’s Mean in Texting?

The meaning does not change in a text message.

That’s still normally means:

that is
that has

Examples:

That’s funny 😂
= That is funny.

That’s been happening all day.
= That has been happening all day.

Texting may be less formal, but the grammatical meaning remains the same.

What Is the Full Form of That’s?

There are two possible full forms:

That Is

That’s my seat.
That is my seat.

That Has

That’s happened already.
That has happened already.

So writing that the full form of that’s is always “that is” is incomplete.

The context decides which expansion is correct.

That’s Meaning and Definition

A concise definition is:

That’s is a contraction of “that is” or “that has.”

Examples:

That’s correct.
= That is correct.

That’s been corrected.
= That has been corrected.

The difference becomes especially clear when you look at the word that follows the contraction.

“That’s Correct” Meaning

The expression:

That’s correct.

normally expands to:

That is correct.

It means:

that is accurate
that is right
that statement is true
you have understood correctly

Example:

“The meeting starts at nine, right?”
“That’s correct.”

That’s vs. That

That’s and that are not interchangeable.

That’s

A contraction:

That’s my car.

Meaning:

That is my car.

That

Can function in several different grammatical ways.

Examples:

That car is mine.

Here, that is a demonstrative determiner.

That is mine.

Here, that is a demonstrative pronoun.

I know that she called.

Here, that introduces a clause.

So not every occurrence of that needs an apostrophe.

Demonstratives: This, That, These, Those

One reason this topic expands beyond punctuation is that that belongs to the English demonstrative system.

The four core demonstratives are:

Singular	Plural	General Distance
this	these	nearer
that	those	farther away

Examples:

This is my pen.
That is your pen.
These are my shoes.
Those are your shoes.

This

Singular and usually nearer:

This is delicious.

That

Singular and usually farther away:

That is expensive.

These

Plural and usually nearer:

These are mine.

Those

Plural and usually farther away:

Those are yours.

The neat part is that only that is normally contracts to:

that’s

You do not normally create equivalent standard contractions such as this’s, these’re, or those’re in ordinary edited writing.

Is “That” Singular or Plural?

That is singular.

Example:

That book is expensive.

For plural nouns, use:

those

Example:

Those books are expensive.

So the plural of demonstrative that is not thats.

It is:

those

This distinction is particularly useful because searches for the plural of that sometimes lead people to assume an s should simply be added.

English, naturally, declined to make this convenient.

What Is the Plural of That?

The plural demonstrative corresponding to that is:

those

Compare:

that house → those houses
that child → those children
that idea → those ideas
that problem → those problems

Not:

thats houses
that’s houses

Use those.

That’s vs. Those

These words can sound somewhat similar to learners, but their grammar is completely different.

That’s

Means:

that is
that has

Example:

That’s my computer.

Those

Plural demonstrative:

Those are my computers.

A quick comparison:

Word	Meaning
that’s	that is / that has
that	singular demonstrative
those	plural demonstrative

Is “Thats’” Correct?

Normally, no.

Thats’ places the apostrophe after the s, which does not create the contraction that is or that has.

Incorrect:

Thats’ the answer.

Correct:

That’s the answer.

There is no ordinary English contraction spelled:

thats’

Is “Thats’s” Correct?

No, not in standard ordinary usage.

Forms such as:

thats’s
thats’
that s

often appear because users know an apostrophe or s belongs somewhere but are unsure where.

The standard contraction is simply:

that’s

That S vs. That’s

Writing:

that s

does not form the contraction.

You need an apostrophe:

that’s

Compare:

that is → that’s
that has → that’s

The apostrophe joins the shortened elements into one written form.

Does the Apostrophe Show Possession in That’s?

No.

The apostrophe in that’s marks a contraction, not possession.

This is similar to:

it’s

which means:

it is
it has

Compare:

It’s raining.
= It is raining.

But:

The dog wagged its tail.

Here, its is possessive and has no apostrophe.

With that’s, the apostrophe likewise tells you that words have been shortened.

That’s in Formal Writing

That’s is grammatically correct in formal as well as informal English.

However, the preferred tone may vary.

In very formal academic, legal, or ceremonial writing, an author may choose the full form:

that is

instead of:

that’s

Compare:

Conversational:

That’s the main conclusion.

More formal:

That is the main conclusion.

Both can be grammatically correct. The difference is tone, not whether the apostrophe magically stops working when somebody wears a suit.

That’s in Academic Writing

Academic style varies by institution, field, publication, and instructor.

Some academic writing freely uses contractions.

Other formal styles prefer:

that is

rather than:

that’s

But if you do use the contraction, the spelling remains:

that’s

Never remove the apostrophe simply to make the writing look more formal.

Common Expressions With That’s

That’s Why

Means:

that is why

Example:

That’s why I left early.

That’s What

Means:

that is what

Example:

That’s what she told me.

That’s How

Means:

that is how

Example:

That’s how the machine works.

That’s Where

Means:

that is where

Example:

That’s where we met.

That’s When

Means:

that is when

Example:

That’s when I noticed the problem.

That’s Been

Usually means:

that has been

Example:

That’s been difficult.

That’s Got

Can represent:

that has got

Example:

That’s got to be the answer.

That’s It vs. That’s All

Both expressions can signal completion, but they are not always identical.

That’s It

Common meanings include:

there is nothing more
something is finished
that is the exact thing
a decision is final

Examples:

That’s it. We’re finished.

That’s it! That’s the book I wanted.

That’s All

Usually means:

there is nothing more
that is the complete amount
no additional information or action is needed

Example:

I only need your signature. That’s all.

Difference

That’s it can sound more final, emphatic, or identifying.

That’s all often emphasizes that nothing more is included or required.

“That’s It” or “Thats It”?

Correct:

That’s it.

Incorrect in standard English:

Thats it.

Why?

Because:

That’s it = That is it.

The apostrophe is therefore required.

What Are Demonstrative Pronouns?

Demonstrative pronouns point to specific people, objects, ideas, or situations without directly naming the noun.

The main forms are:

this
that
these
those

Examples:

This is delicious.

That is mine.

These are expensive.

Those belong to Sarah.

When the noun follows directly, the same words traditionally called demonstrative adjectives are more commonly analyzed in modern grammar as demonstrative determiners.

Example:

That car is mine.

Here, that comes before and identifies the noun car.

The Four Demonstratives

The core English demonstratives are:

this
that
these
those

Their basic pattern is:

Near	Farther Away
this	that
these	those

And:

Singular	Plural
this	these
that	those

Distance can be physical, conversational, temporal, or conceptual rather than literally measured in metres.

10 Examples of Demonstrative Pronouns

This is mine.
That looks expensive.
These belong to me.
Those were delicious.
This feels strange.
That was unexpected.
These are ready.
Those need cleaning.
This will work.
That explains everything.

Notice that no noun immediately follows the demonstrative in these examples.

Demonstratives Used Before Nouns

Compare:

That is mine.

Here, that is standing alone as a pronoun.

Now:

That laptop is mine.

Here, that modifies or determines the noun laptop.

More examples:

this phone
that building
these shoes
those people

How Do You Identify a Demonstrative Pronoun?

Ask whether this, that, these, or those is standing in for a noun rather than appearing directly before one.

Example:

That is broken.

That is a demonstrative pronoun.

But:

That chair is broken.

Here, that comes directly before chair, so it functions as a demonstrative determiner.

20 Examples of Pronouns

Pronouns are much broader than demonstratives. Examples include:

I
me
you
he
him
she
her
it
we
us
they
them
mine
yours
ours
theirs
this
that
these
those

Not every word in this list performs the same type of pronoun function, but all can function within the broader pronoun system.

Common That’s Grammar Mistakes

Leaving Out the Apostrophe

Incorrect:

Thats a good idea.

Correct:

That’s a good idea.

Putting the Apostrophe After the S

Incorrect:

Thats’ a good idea.

Correct:

That’s a good idea.

Using That’s When You Need That

Incorrect:

I like that’s jacket.

Correct:

I like that jacket.

Using Thats as the Plural of That

Incorrect:

Thats are expensive.

Correct:

Those are expensive.

Assuming That’s Only Means “That Is”

Incomplete rule:

That’s = that is only.

Correct rule:

That’s = that is or that has.

Correct and Incorrect Examples

Incorrect	Correct	Explanation
Thats my car.	That’s my car.	That is my car.
I think thats right.	I think that’s right.	That is right.
Thats been difficult.	That’s been difficult.	That has been difficult.
Thats’ enough.	That’s enough.	Apostrophe goes before s.
Thats are mine.	Those are mine.	Plural of that is those.
I like that’s color.	I like that color.	No contraction is needed.
That s my seat.	That’s my seat.	Contraction needs apostrophe.
Thats it.	That’s it.	That is it.

A Simple Way to Remember the Difference

Whenever you type that’s, expand it mentally.

Ask:

Can I say “that is”?

If yes, use that’s.

If not, ask:

Can I say “that has”?

If yes, use that’s.

If neither works, you may need:

that
those
another construction entirely

Example:

That’s beautiful.

→ That is beautiful. ✓

Example:

That’s been fixed.

→ That has been fixed. ✓

Example:

That’s car is red.

→ That is car is red. ✗
→ That has car is red. ✗

Correct:

That car is red.

That’s vs. Its and It’s

These apostrophe rules are often confused.

It’s

Means:

it is
it has

It’s raining.

Its

Possessive:

The company changed its policy.

That’s

Means:

that is
that has

That’s the problem.

The useful principle is:

apostrophes in these contractions mark omitted letters, not possession.

For another common grammar distinction involving agreement rather than apostrophes, see GrammarRead’s guide to People Do or People Does?.

That’s in Questions

The contraction also appears naturally in questions.

Examples:

What’s that?
Who’s that?
Is that yours?
Do you think that’s correct?
Is that’s correct? ❌

Notice the last example.

You would not normally say:

Is that’s correct?

because expanding it produces:

Is that is correct?

Instead:

Is that correct?

The expansion test catches the mistake immediately.

That’s With “Why,” “What,” and “How”

These combinations are extremely common.

That’s Why

That’s why we changed the plan.

That’s What

That’s what I wanted.

That’s How

That’s how I learned.

That’s Where

That’s where I parked.

These all normally expand with:

that is

Can You Use That’s at the Start of a Sentence?

Yes.

Examples:

That’s correct.

That’s exactly what happened.

That’s been bothering me all day.

That’s the reason we came.

Capitalization does not change the contraction rule.

Can You Use That’s in the Middle of a Sentence?

Yes.

Examples:

I think that’s correct.

She knows that’s the problem.

The option that’s available today may change tomorrow.

The correct form still depends on whether that is or that has fits.

Is That’s Always a Contraction?

In ordinary English grammar, that’s is a contraction.

It does not normally represent possession.

When you see:

that’s

read it as:

that is

or:

that has

Then decide which meaning fits the sentence.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Difference Between “That’s It” and “That’s All”?

That’s it can mean something is finished, settled, or exactly identified. That’s all usually means there is nothing more to add, include, or do.

For example:

That’s it! That’s the missing key.

Here, that’s it identifies something.

I only need your name. That’s all.

Here, that’s all means nothing else is required.

What Is the Definition of “Thats”?

Thats has no standard grammatical meaning when used as a replacement for that’s. In ordinary English, it is usually a misspelling caused by leaving out the apostrophe.

Which Is Correct: “That’s It” or “Thats It”?

That’s it is correct.

It expands to:

That is it.

Therefore, the apostrophe is required.

Are This, That, These, and Those Demonstratives?

Yes. This, that, these, and those are the four central demonstratives in English. They can function as pronouns or as determiners depending on sentence structure.

What Are the Four Demonstratives?

They are:

this
that
these
those

This and that are singular.
These and those are plural.

What Are 10 Examples of Demonstrative Pronouns?

Examples include:

This is mine.
That is yours.
These are ready.
Those are expensive.
This feels right.
That looks strange.
These belong upstairs.
Those were delicious.
This will help.
That explains it.

Can You Give Me a List of Demonstratives in English?

The main English demonstratives are:

this, that, these, those

They can point to objects, people, ideas, events, or previously mentioned information.

Can You Give Me 20 Examples of Pronouns?

Yes:

I, me, you, he, him, she, her, it, we, us, they, them, mine, yours, ours, theirs, this, that, these, those.

How Do You Identify a Demonstrative Pronoun?

Look for this, that, these, or those standing independently instead of directly modifying a following noun.

That is expensive.

That is a pronoun.

That phone is expensive.

That functions as a determiner.

Is “Thats’” Ever Correct?

Not as the contraction of that is or that has.

Use:

that’s

not:

thats’

What Is the Plural of “That”?

The plural demonstrative of that is those.

That car → those cars.

Do not write thats as the plural.

What Does That’s Mean in Texting?

It has the same grammatical meaning as elsewhere:

that is or that has.

People sometimes omit the apostrophe while texting, but thats remains nonstandard spelling when the contraction is intended.

Final Answer

For That’s or Thats, use that’s when you mean:

that is
that has

The apostrophe is required because that’s is a contraction.

Thats without an apostrophe is generally incorrect in standard English, although it could appear deliberately in a proper name, username, title, or brand.

Also remember: