Who Think vs. Who Thinks – Which is Correct?
Both “who think” and “who thinks” are correct, but they agree with different subjects. Use “who think” when who refers to a plural subject; use “who thinks” when who refers to a singular subject. The verb agrees with the antecedent of who in the sentence, not automatically with who itself.
Who Think or Who Thinks – Which Is Correct?
Both who think and who thinks are grammatically correct. The choice depends on whether who refers to a plural or singular antecedent.
Use who think after a plural noun or pronoun:
The students who think creatively often find unusual solutions.
Use who thinks after a singular noun or pronoun:
The student who thinks creatively often finds unusual solutions.
The word who does not determine the verb form by itself. Instead, identify the noun that who represents. That noun is called the antecedent, and the verb must agree with it.
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use the replacement test: replace who with he, she, or it for a singular antecedent, or with they for a plural antecedent.
- The employee who thinks carefully… → She thinks carefully.
- The employees who think carefully… → They think carefully.
If you would say they think, choose who think. If you would say he thinks or she thinks, choose who thinks.
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| who think | Relative pronoun + plural verb | Refers to people or another plural subject who use their minds, form opinions, or hold beliefs | People who think critically ask useful questions. |
| who thinks | Relative pronoun + singular verb | Refers to one person or another singular subject who uses their mind, forms an opinion, or holds a belief | A person who thinks carefully avoids mistakes. |
How to Use Who Think
Use who think in a relative clause when who refers to a plural antecedent. The phrase can describe people who reason, believe, consider an issue, or have a particular opinion. It is appropriate in casual, academic, professional, and formal writing.
Common plural antecedents include people, students, employees, experts, those, and individuals.
Example 1: People who think critically are less likely to accept unsupported claims.
Example 2: The researchers who think the results are significant published a detailed report.
Example 3: Those who think before speaking often communicate more effectively.
What Are the Different Forms of Think?
Think is an irregular verb. Its main forms are think in the base form, thinks in the third-person singular present tense, thought in the simple past tense, and thought as the past participle. The present participle is thinking.
- Base form: think — They think carefully.
- Third-person singular: thinks — She thinks carefully.
- Past tense: thought — They thought carefully.
- Past participle: thought — She has thought carefully.
- Present participle: thinking — They are thinking carefully.
After a plural antecedent, use think: the people who think. After a singular antecedent, use thinks: the person who thinks.
Etymology of the Word Think
Think comes from the Old English verb thencan, meaning “to conceive in the mind,” “consider,” or “intend.” It is related to the Old English word þencan and has connections with words for thought and mental consideration in other Germanic languages. The past forms thought and thinking developed through historical changes in English pronunciation and spelling.
How to Use Who Thinks
Use who thinks when who refers to one singular person or another singular antecedent. The phrase may describe someone who reasons, believes something, considers a possibility, or has an opinion.
Do not be distracted by a plural noun elsewhere in the sentence. The verb agrees with the noun directly represented by who.
Example 1: She is the only person who thinks the plan will succeed.
Example 2: The manager who thinks ahead can prepare for potential problems.
Example 3: Anyone who thinks this task is easy should try it first.
What Are the Different Forms of Thinks?
Thinks is the third-person singular present-tense form of the irregular verb think. It is used with singular subjects such as he, she, it, someone, anyone, and singular nouns.
- Singular present: He thinks the answer is correct.
- Plural present: They think the answer is correct.
- Past tense: He thought the answer was correct.
- Continuous form: He is thinking about the answer.
Because thinks already marks a singular subject, it cannot normally follow a plural antecedent. Therefore, the people who thinks is incorrect in standard English; write the people who think.
Etymology of the Word Thinks
Thinks is formed by adding the third-person singular present-tense ending -s to think. The base verb comes from Old English thencan, meaning to consider or form an idea in the mind.
Related Concepts
Understanding relative clauses and subject–verb agreement makes it easier to choose between who think and who thinks.
- Subject–verb agreement: A verb must match its subject in number. Singular subjects take thinks, while plural subjects take think.
- Relative clauses: A relative clause begins with words such as who and provides additional information about a noun, as in the teacher who thinks carefully.
- Antecedent: The antecedent is the noun that a pronoun refers to. In the students who think, students is the antecedent of who.
- Third-person singular verbs: In the present tense, most English verbs take -s with he, she, or it. Thus, she thinks is correct, but they think is correct.
Examples from Media and Literature
The following examples use common sentence patterns found in books, films, journalism, and public commentary:
- Literary discussion: Readers who think deeply about a novel may notice meanings that are not immediately obvious.
- Film criticism: The character who thinks logically often contrasts with characters who act impulsively.
- News writing: Voters who think the proposal is practical may support the measure.
- Documentary narration: Anyone who thinks history is simple should examine the events from multiple perspectives.
- Opinion writing: Experts who think the policy needs revision have offered several alternatives.
Practice Exercises
Choose the correct phrase to complete each sentence: who think or who thinks.
- The scientist ______ the evidence is convincing explained her conclusion.
- People ______ carefully usually make better decisions.
- He is the only employee ______ the deadline is realistic.
- Students ______ critically are more likely to identify weak arguments.
- Anyone ______ this is an easy problem should attempt it.
Answer Key
- who thinks — The antecedent is the singular noun scientist.
- who think — The antecedent is the plural noun people.
- who thinks — The antecedent is the singular noun employee.
- who think — The antecedent is the plural noun students.
- who thinks — The pronoun anyone is grammatically singular.
Who Think Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| who reason | People who use logic to reach a conclusion |
| who consider | People who carefully examine an idea or possibility |
| who believe | People who hold an opinion or accept something as true |
| who reflect | People who think carefully about an experience or issue |
Who Thinks Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| who reasons | One person who uses logic to reach a conclusion |
| who considers | One person who carefully examines an idea or possibility |
| who believes | One person who holds an opinion or accepts something as true |
| who reflects | One person who thinks carefully about an experience or issue |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is “who think” or “who thinks” correct?
Both are correct. Use who think when the antecedent is plural and who thinks when the antecedent is singular.
Question 2: Is “people who thinks” correct?
No. People is plural, so the correct phrase is people who think. For one person, write a person who thinks.
Question 3: Should I write “someone who think” or “someone who thinks”?
Write someone who thinks. Although someone refers to an unspecified person, it is grammatically singular and requires thinks.
Question 4: Why does “who” sometimes use a singular verb and sometimes a plural verb?
The verb agrees with the antecedent of who. For example, the man who thinks has a singular antecedent, while the men who think has a plural antecedent.
Conclusion
Who think and who thinks are both correct phrases. Choose who think for plural antecedents such as people, students, and those. Choose who thinks for singular antecedents such as someone, anyone, and the person. Pro tip: Checking subject–verb agreement helps your writing appear polished, precise, and professional.
