Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is it a thing to use His instead of He's?

148 replies

boringbelle · 23/02/2025 09:28

I'm noticing that many posts online are using His when they mean 'he's'. I thought it was a typo at first, but seeing it so often I wonder if people don't know that it's incorrect and are spelling out 'he's' as they say it.

But what I've also noticed is that no one seems to correct it like they do with other grammatical inaccuracies such as 'Your' instead of '

So AIBU to care, as I find it so annoying, especially as I think it's a new error that's creeping in?

OP posts:
missmollygreen · 23/02/2025 09:41

TheElvesLongSleeves · 23/02/2025 09:36

Same. It's the apostrophe thing imho which is everywhere now
"local School's"
"sausage's and bacon"
And so on.
Saw a menu in what looked like a nice, bit "posh", restaurant and thought "ffs even Word would most likely highlight that".
Grinds a bit that I spent all these years trying to learn English, when I could have just skip most of my classes and still be up to a basic standard today 😂

Show quote history

"Skipped"
While we are at it! 😁

Goldengirl123 · 23/02/2025 09:41

No it’s just peopke doing it wrong. Bugs the hell out of me

TheElvesLongSleeves · 23/02/2025 09:42

MegTheForgetfulCat · 23/02/2025 09:40

I wish I understood the thought process that goes into some of these mistakes. Eg why does the person writing the menu know there is no apostrophe in "salads" but then writes "drink's"? It would (sort of) make more sense if they used an incorrect apostrophe in every plural word, but it's usually just random Confused

Show quote history

Exactly!!!

TheElvesLongSleeves · 23/02/2025 09:43

missmollygreen · 23/02/2025 09:41

"Skipped"
While we are at it! 😁

Show quote history

See? That's why I said "trying to learn"😂😂

MegTheForgetfulCat · 23/02/2025 09:44

Goldengirl123 · 23/02/2025 09:41

No it’s just peopke doing it wrong. Bugs the hell out of me

Don't you mean it bugs the he'll out of you? Wink

HereIfYouNeedMe · 23/02/2025 09:45

Irrationally irritates me. My friend does it,
'his in hospital but his doing okay'

RampantIvy · 23/02/2025 09:45

Is it a thing to use His instead of He's?

IMO only by people who don't have a command of English grammar or people who have English as a second language perhaps.

RobinGoch · 23/02/2025 09:46

JudgeBread · 23/02/2025 09:35

I've not seen this one much, but I've heard it spoken both ways around so I assume it's just one of those little linguistic quirks that works it's way into the written language.

As a hardened pedant who also loves the internet and also loves language and etymology, I've had to accept a lot of linguistic quirks that have worked their way into written language. If I corrected every one I saw I'd never do anything else.

Mind your apostrophes there 😀 it can happen to us all!

Redpeach · 23/02/2025 09:46

It's enough to make a pedant 'loose' their mind.

Allthegoodhorses · 23/02/2025 09:47

Digdongdoo · 23/02/2025 09:39

My DH does this all the time. Also "am" instead of "I'm". Drives me mad, but it's because English is not his first language and he is spelling phonetically.

Very good!!

boulevardofbrokendreamss · 23/02/2025 09:47

MinnieCoops · 23/02/2025 09:39

Yes. It's shocking and I do judge people who can spell he's.

Also could/should of is an absolute disgrace.

So is could of!

Bbq1 · 23/02/2025 09:47

HereIfYouNeedMe · 23/02/2025 09:45

Irrationally irritates me. My friend does it,
'his in hospital but his doing okay'

Sounds like a 5 year old speaking...

RampantIvy · 23/02/2025 09:49

I think some of the errors are just typos, and if you run a spellcheck they get missed because the incorrect word is spelled correctly. I do this all the time with from and form.

MegTheForgetfulCat · 23/02/2025 09:49

Redpeach · 23/02/2025 09:46

It's enough to make a pedant 'loose' their mind.

Whenever anyone posts about wanting to "loose" weight, I always picture someone doing hoola hoops and jumping around the room trying to shake the flab loose Grin

Jc2001 · 23/02/2025 09:49

Sarah2891 · 23/02/2025 09:36

Only for those who can't spell

Or use punctuation.

HÆLTHEPAIN · 23/02/2025 09:50

JudgeBread · 23/02/2025 09:35

I've not seen this one much, but I've heard it spoken both ways around so I assume it's just one of those little linguistic quirks that works it's way into the written language.

As a hardened pedant who also loves the internet and also loves language and etymology, I've had to accept a lot of linguistic quirks that have worked their way into written language. If I corrected every one I saw I'd never do anything else.

As a hardened pedant you should have noticed it should be ‘worked its way’….😂 I am only teasing by the way - I can’t comment on anyone’s spelling or grammar as my own leaves a lot to be desired.

I’ve noticed it quite a lot lately that people write he’s instead his, so the other way round to OP.

PersephoneSmith · 23/02/2025 09:50

Seen is my personal bugbear, [shudder]
‘I’ll get the drinks seen as you bought the last ones’
urgh
Also, ‘I was led in bed’

RabbitsRock · 23/02/2025 09:50

Led on the bed gets me!

Original poster
boringbelle · 23/02/2025 09:50

Onlyvisiting · 23/02/2025 09:41

I've not encountered this and cant quite visualise it.
However the amount of people including actual published authors that don't know the difference between weary and wary makes me so ragey! The meanings aren't even close to similar so it is really jarring when I read it in the wrong situation.

Once you see it for the first time you will then see it all the time!
An example I've seen recently:
His a very tall man

OP posts:
RampantIvy · 23/02/2025 09:50

Oh, and when I use my Kindle Fire it autocorrects words to really bonkers words even though I have spellcheck switched off. Mad.

GrainneIsAinmDom · 23/02/2025 09:52

I don't want to loose my stuff / I am going to loose so much weight is another one

MegTheForgetfulCat · 23/02/2025 09:52

RampantIvy · 23/02/2025 09:49

I think some of the errors are just typos, and if you run a spellcheck they get missed because the incorrect word is spelled correctly. I do this all the time with from and form.

Autocorrect has a lot to answer for as well. There are a lot of native speakers who just can't spell and/or who don't have a basic grasp of grammar, though!

user1492757084 · 23/02/2025 09:56

Using 'that' instead of 'who' for humans irritates me.
who = human, that = other than human.

For example:
People that can not spell.
The dog who sat on the mat.

AMurderofMurderingCrows · 23/02/2025 09:57

Great, another thing to piss me off 😂

Along with 'jamp' and 'brought a chester draws'.

Velvian · 23/02/2025 09:58

I've seen his for he's frequently on here. Loose for lose is at epidemic levels on MN. I don't mind a typo, my phone comes up with some crazy shit, but a fairy dies every time someone types loose instead of lose. 😭

Swipe left for the next trending thread