Who Miss vs. Who Misses – Which is Correct?

Both “who miss” and “who misses” are grammatically correct; the choice depends on the subject represented by who. Use “who misses” when who refers to one person or another singular subject, and “who miss” when it refers to two or more people or a plural subject. Context determines agreement here.

Who Miss or Who Misses – Which is Correct?

Both “who miss” and “who misses” are correct forms. The correct choice depends on whether who refers to a plural or singular person or group.

Use “who misses” when the implied subject is singular:

• Who misses their family?
• She is the person who misses her hometown most.

Use “who miss” when the implied subject is plural:

• Who miss their families?
• They are the students who miss the morning bus.

The word who does not automatically require either miss or misses. The verb must agree with the person or people represented by who.

Since “Miss” can be a title as well as a verb, distinguish these uses with Miss vs. Mrs.

The Best Trick to Remember the Difference

Replace who with a likely subject. If you would say he, she, or one person misses, choose who misses. If you would say they, we, or several people miss, choose who miss.

A quick substitution test makes the difference clear:

• Who misses the train? → She misses the train.
• Who miss the train? → They miss the train.

In a general question about an unknown individual, “Who misses…?” is usually the natural choice. In a sentence that clearly refers to several people, use “who miss…”.

How to Use Who Miss

“Who miss” is used when who refers to more than one person. It commonly appears in relative clauses after plural nouns, although it can also occur in questions when a plural subject is understood from context.

This form is appropriate in casual and formal English. The verb remains in its base form because plural subjects use miss, not misses.

Example 1: The employees who miss the deadline must contact their manager.

Example 2: Who among the players miss their families most during the season?

Example 3: These are the customers who miss the convenience of the old system.

What are the different forms of Miss?

Miss is a regular verb. Its forms are miss in the base form, misses in the third-person singular present tense, missed in the past tense and past participle, and missing in the present participle or gerund form.

• Base form: I miss my friends.
• Third-person singular: She misses her friends.
• Past tense: They missed the last train.
• Present participle: He is missing his family.

After plural subjects, use miss: People who miss the event can watch the recording. After a singular subject, use misses: A person who misses the event can watch the recording.

Etymology of the word Miss

The verb miss comes from Old English missan, meaning “to fail to hit,” “fail to reach,” or “fail to perceive.” Over time, its meaning expanded to include failing to attend or encounter something and feeling the absence of a person or thing.

How to Use Who Misses

“Who misses” is used when who refers to one person or another singular subject. It is especially common in direct questions when the speaker is asking which individual experiences an absence, fails to catch something, or feels a particular emotion.

Use this form in both formal and informal English. The -es ending is required because miss ends in -ss; third-person singular verbs ending in -s, -sh, -ch, -x, or -z generally take -es.

Example 1: Who misses the former director the most?

Example 2: She is the only person who misses every rehearsal.

Example 3: Who misses the morning train regularly?

What are the different forms of Misses?

Misses is not a separate verb; it is the third-person singular present form of miss. The complete set of forms is miss, misses, missed, and missing.

Use misses with he, she, it, or a singular noun:

• He misses his old job.
• The child misses her parents.
• Who misses the dog?

Do not use misses after a plural subject:

• Correct: The children who miss their parents need support.
• Incorrect: The children who misses their parents need support.

Etymology of the word Misses

Misses has the same origin as the verb miss. The ending -es developed as the standard third-person singular present-tense ending for verbs whose final sounds make a simple -s difficult to pronounce, as in misses.

Related Concepts

Understanding subject–verb agreement and the different grammatical roles of who makes it easier to choose between miss and misses.

• Subject–verb agreement: A singular subject takes a singular present-tense verb, while a plural subject takes the base form. Therefore, she misses but they miss.
• Relative clauses: A clause beginning with who can describe a noun. The noun before the clause usually determines the verb: the person who misses and the people who miss.
• Interrogative pronouns: In questions, who asks about a person or people. The expected number of people determines whether the verb is singular or plural.
• Subject versus object: In Who misses you?, who is the subject. In Who do you miss?, who is the object, and the subject is you.

Examples from Media and Literature

The following examples reflect common patterns found in dialogue, fiction, journalism, and commentary. They show how the implied number of the subject controls the verb.

• Film dialogue pattern: “Who misses the old days?” Here, the speaker is asking which individual feels nostalgic, so misses is singular.
• Novelistic narration: “The travelers who miss their families write home every week.” The plural noun travelers requires miss.
• News-report pattern: “Residents who miss the early bus may use the replacement service.” The plural noun residents takes miss.
• Personal essay pattern: “She is the one who misses the quiet of her hometown.” The singular noun phrase the one requires misses.
• Sports commentary pattern: “Who misses the penalty?” The question concerns one unidentified player, so misses is appropriate.

Practice Exercises

Choose the correct word to complete each sentence: miss or misses.

1. Who _____ the weekly staff meeting most often?
2. The students who _____ the bus must wait for the next one.
3. She is the friend who _____ us whenever we travel.
4. Which employees _____ the older software system?
5. Who _____ their hometown after moving away?

Answer Key

1. misses — The question refers to one unidentified person.
2. miss — Students is plural.
3. misses — Friend is singular.
4. miss — Employees is plural.
5. misses — The question normally asks about one unidentified person.

Miss Synonyms

Misses Synonyms

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: Is “who miss” grammatically correct?
Yes. Use who miss when who refers to several people or follows a plural noun, as in “the workers who miss the deadline.”

Question 2: Is “who misses” grammatically correct?
Yes. Use who misses when who refers to one person or follows a singular noun, as in “the employee who misses the deadline.”

Question 3: Should I say “Who miss you?” or “Who misses you?”
Usually, say “Who misses you?” when asking which individual misses you. Use “Who miss you?” only when the context clearly identifies a plural group, although “Which people miss you?” is often clearer.

Question 4: What is the difference between “Who misses?” and “Who do you miss?”
In “Who misses?”, who is the subject performing the action. In “Who do you miss?”, you is the subject and who is the object of the verb.

Conclusion

Both “who miss” and “who misses” are correct. Choose “who misses” for one person or a singular noun, and choose “who miss” for multiple people or a plural noun. Pro Tip: Accurate subject–verb agreement improves clarity and protects your professional reputation in emails, reports, and applications.