“That’s” is always correct. “Thats” — without an apostrophe — is a misspelling in almost every context.
One small punctuation mark makes all the difference between a contraction and a typo.
This guide explains the difference between thats and that’s, the grammar rule behind the apostrophe, and when — if ever — thats without an apostrophe can appear.
What Does “That’s” Mean?
“That’s” is a contraction — a shortened form of two words joined together with an apostrophe. It combines either “that is” or “that has” into a single, natural-sounding word.
The apostrophe in “that’s” does one specific job — it marks the missing letter or letters that were removed when the two words merged.
“That is” → “That’s” “That has” → “That’s”
Examples:
- “That’s the best idea I’ve heard all week.” (= That is)
- “That’s been a problem for months.” (= That has)
Two Meanings of “That’s”
The meaning depends entirely on the context — but both are written the same way: that’s with an apostrophe.
Common everyday uses:
- “That’s fine with me.”
- “That’s a great point.”
- “That’s what I was thinking.”
- “That’s been the plan all along.”
How Contractions Work
In every case — the apostrophe marks exactly where letters were removed. “That’s” follows this rule perfectly.
What Does “Thats” Mean?
“Thats” — without an apostrophe — is not a recognized word in standard English. It does not appear in any major dictionary as a valid standalone word and is almost always a typo or spelling error.
Most commonly, people write thats when they intend that’s — simply forgetting the apostrophe in casual typing or fast communication.
Incorrect: “Thats a good idea.” ❌
Correct: “That’s a good idea.” ✅
The One Exception — “Thats” as a Noun
There is one very narrow, rare context where thats without an apostrophe is technically acceptable — when the word “that” is being discussed as a word itself and used in plural noun form.
Example: “The editor marked too many ‘thats’ in the paragraph and asked for revisions.”
Here, thats refers to multiple instances of the word that — used as a noun. This is an extremely rare, specialized usage — almost exclusively found in editorial, linguistic, or writing instruction contexts.
Outside this very specific exception — thats without an apostrophe is always wrong.
Thats or That’s Comparison Table
The Key Difference Between Thats or That’s
The Apostrophe Is Not Optional
In English, contractions require an apostrophe — always. Removing it does not create an alternative spelling. It creates a mistake.
Why People Write “Thats”
The mistake almost always happens because of:
- Fast typing — the apostrophe key is easy to skip on mobile devices
- Autocorrect failure — some keyboards do not automatically insert the apostrophe
- Informal habit — casual texting environments where punctuation is often dropped
- Unfamiliarity with contraction rules — not recognizing that the apostrophe is grammatically required
None of these reasons make thats correct — but they explain why it appears so frequently in informal digital writing.
When to Use “That’s” Correctly
In Everyday Statements
“That’s” works as a smooth, natural replacement for “that is” in almost any declarative sentence:
- “That’s the most important rule to remember.”
- “That’s exactly what the instructions say.”
In Questions and Exclamations
“That’s” works naturally in questions and emphatic statements:
- “Isn’t that’s exactly what happened?” ❌ — avoid in questions (use “that” instead here)
- “That’s incredible!” ✅
- “That’s what you call a mistake!” ✅
In Formal and Professional Writing
“That’s” is acceptable in most standard writing. For very formal documents — legal texts, academic papers, official reports — expanding it to “that is” is the safer, more formal choice.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Memory trick:
- Every time you write that’s — think “that is” or “that has” — and check that the apostrophe is there
- If you can replace that’s with “that is” and the sentence still makes sense → the apostrophe is correct and essential
- No apostrophe = no contraction = not the word you meant
FAQs — Thats or That’s
What is the definition of thats?
“Thats” has no standard definition in English. It is almost always a misspelling of “that’s” — the contraction of that is or that has. The only rare exception is when thats appears as a plural noun in editorial contexts referring to multiple uses of the word that.
What is the difference between Thats or That’s?
“That’s” is a correct English contraction — the apostrophe marks the missing letters from that is or that has. “Thats” without an apostrophe is a spelling error with no recognized standard meaning in English.
Why do people say albeit?
Albeit is a conjunction meaning “although” or “even though” — used to introduce a concession or qualification. Example: “It was a good result, albeit a surprising one.” It has no connection to thats or that’s — it is simply a formal connective word used in sophisticated writing.
How do you spell “that’s correct”?
The correct spelling is “that’s correct” — with an apostrophe after that. The apostrophe is essential because that’s is a contraction of that is. Writing “thats correct” without the apostrophe is always a spelling error.
Conclusion
The rule is simple and absolute. “That’s” — with an apostrophe — is always correct. It is the standard contraction of that is and that has, and the apostrophe is not optional — it is grammatically required.
“Thats” without an apostrophe is a misspelling in virtually every situation. Fast typing and casual texting cause it to appear — but that does not make it correct. Add the apostrophe every time and your writing will always be accurate, clear, and properly punctuated.
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