What are ‘What’s’ and ‘It’s’?

What’s 和 It’s are contractions. A contraction is a short way to say or write two words together.

• What’s is the short form of What is.
• It’s is the short form of It is.

We use an apostrophe ( ‘ ) to show that a letter is missing. This makes speaking and writing faster and more natural.

How Do We Use 'What's'?

我们使用 What's...? to ask about things, names, or information.

• It is a common way to start questions in English.
• You can ask about a person's name, an object, or a situation.

试想一下 What's...? as asking 'What is this thing?' or 'What is the name of this?'.

How Do We Use 'It's'?

我们使用 It's... to give an answer about a thing, a name, or a situation.

• It is a common way to start an answer.
• You use It's when the subject of your answer is 'it'.

For example, if someone asks What's your name?, you can answer It's [your name].

Common Uses of What's...? and It's...

You will hear and use these contractions often in daily conversations.

• Asking for names:
  What's your name?
  It's Carlos.
• Asking about objects:
  What's this?
  It's a book.
• Asking about colors:
  What's your favorite color?
  It's blue.
• Asking about time:
  What's the time?
  It's three o'clock.

示例

• What's your first name? It's Julissa.
• What's the name of your college? It's Hunter College.
• What's your email address? It's [email protected].
• What's your last name? It's Mendes.
• What's the name of your company? It's Altar Homes.

练习

西班牙语母语者常犯的错误

A very common mistake for learners is forgetting the apostrophe ( ' ). The apostrophe is important because it shows that letters are missing.

• 错误： Whats your name?
  正确： What's your name?
• 错误： Its a pen.
  正确： It's a pen.

请记住，, its (without an apostrophe) is a possessive word, like 'his' or 'her'. For example: The dog wagged its tail. 这与……不同 It's (it is).

常见问题

Why do English speakers use 'What's' and 'It's' instead of 'What is' and 'It is'?

English speakers use What's 和 It's because they are quicker and sound more natural in everyday conversation. They are common contractions.

Can I always use 'What's' and 'It's'?

Yes, for A1 level, you can almost always use What's 和 It's in questions and answers. In very formal writing, you might use the full forms What is 和 It is, but contractions are fine for most situations.

What is the difference between 'It's' and 'Its'?

It's (with an apostrophe) is a contraction of It is 或 It has. Its (without an apostrophe) shows possession, meaning 'belonging to it', like in The cat ate its food.