what's
- 1Contraction of 'what is', joining the question word with the verb 'is'.
What's the capital of Australia?
She asked what's wrong with the engine.
Note
One spelling covers three verbs. The contraction can stand for what is, for the "what has" contraction, or for the casual "what does". In this reading the 's is the verb of being, or the helper before an -ing form, as in what's going on? The spelling never tells you which verb is meant. The words that follow it do.
- 2Contraction of 'what has', joining the question word with the auxiliary verb 'has'.
What's changed since we last spoke?
He wondered aloud what's caused all the delays.
Note
The perfect-tense reading: the 's is the auxiliary has, and a past participle later in the clause gives it away, as in what's that got to do with it? When changed, caused or got follows, read has. When an adjective, a noun or an -ing form follows, read is.
- 3Contraction of 'what does', joining the question word with the auxiliary verb 'does'; chiefly colloquial.
What's it cost to repair the old roof?
What's a player need to make the team around here?
Note
Here the 's hides the auxiliary does. The clue is a bare verb after the subject: what's that mean?, what's it cost? Readers expect 's to stand for is or has, so a sentence like this can trip them for a moment. In writing, spelling out what does is the clearer choice.
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