This guide breaks down both forms with clear examples so you’ll never second-guess yourself again.
What Does “It’s Called” Mean?
“It’s called” means you’re naming or identifying something right now. The word “it’s” is a contraction of “it is,” and “called” is the past participle used to describe what something is named.
This structure follows the passive voice pattern: subject + is/are + past participle. When you say “it’s called,” you’re literally saying “it is called” in a shortened form.
Full Form vs Contracted Form
| Full Form | Contracted Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| It is called a smartphone | It’s called a smartphone | Identifying the name |
| It is called the Eiffel Tower | It’s called the Eiffel Tower | Stating what it’s named |
| It is called photosynthesis | It’s called photosynthesis | Explaining terminology |
Common examples in everyday speech:
- That building? It’s called the Chrysler Building.
- This dish is called jambalaya in Louisiana.
- When you mix blue and yellow, it’s called green.
- The fear of spiders? It’s called arachnophobia.
More Posts: Brite vs Bright – Correct Spelling and Usage Guide
What Does “It Called” Mean? (When Is This Correct?)
“It called” lacks the verb “to be” and creates an incomplete sentence in most cases. Without “is” or “was” before “called,” the grammar breaks down and confuses readers.
The phrase only works correctly when “it” is the subject performing the action of calling in the past tense, like “The phone rang, then it called again.” However, this usage is extremely rare and doesn’t involve naming something.
Why this confuses people:
The missing apostrophe makes people think they’re writing past tense, but “called” here needs a helper verb. You can’t say “it called a meeting” when you mean “it is called a meeting.”
Incorrect examples people use:
- ❌ What it called? (Missing “is”)
- ❌ The process it called evaporation (Missing “is”)
- ❌ That building it called the Empire State (Missing “is”)
Correct versions:
- ✅ What is it called?
- ✅ The process is called evaporation
- ✅ That building is called the Empire State
It’s Called vs It Called Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | It’s Called | It Called |
|---|---|---|
| Grammatical Structure | Contraction + past participle | Incomplete phrase |
| Full Form | It is called | No complete form |
| Tense | Present passive | Incomplete |
| Usage | Naming/identifying | Rarely correct |
| Example | It’s called a “hashtag” | ❌ Grammatically broken |
Paired examples showing context:
- ✅ This symbol is called an ampersand (&)
- ❌ This symbol called an ampersand (incomplete)
- ✅ When water freezes, it’s called ice
- ❌ When water freezes, it called ice (missing verb)
- ✅ That programming language? It’s called Python
- ❌ That programming language? It called Python (doesn’t work)
The Contraction vs Possessive Trap
Don’t confuse “it’s” (it is) with “its” (possessive). The word “its” shows ownership without an apostrophe: “The dog wagged its tail.” But “it’s” always means “it is” or “it has.”
Memory Trick That Works
Expand the contraction. If you can say “it is called” and it sounds right, then “it’s called” is correct. If expanding it creates nonsense, you’ve made an error.
According to grammar research from the Oxford English Corpus, contracted forms like “it’s” appear in over 60% of informal English writing, making this one of the most common grammatical patterns people encounter daily.
More Posts: “At the House” vs “In the House” – Which Is Correct?
FAQ’s
Is “it called” ever correct?
Yes, but only when “it” performs the action of calling in past tense, like “The phone rang, then it called twice more.” For naming things, always use “it’s called” or “it is called.”
Can I say “it’s called” in formal writing?
Absolutely. While some style guides prefer “it is called” in academic papers, “it’s called” is perfectly acceptable in business emails, reports, and professional communication. Just avoid it in legal documents or research papers.
What’s the difference between “it’s called” and “they call it”?
“It’s called” uses passive voice (focusing on the name), while “they call it” uses active voice (focusing on who’s doing the naming). Both are correct: “It’s called a meteor” vs. “Astronomers call it a meteor.”
How do I remember when to use “it’s called”?
Replace “it’s” with “it is” in your head. If “it is called” sounds right, use the contraction. If it sounds wrong, you probably need a different verb structure entirely.
Is “what’s it called” grammatically correct?
Yes, “what’s it called” is the contracted form of “what is it called” and is widely used in spoken English. It’s casual but grammatically sound: “What’s that tool called?” = “What is that tool called?”
Do Americans and British speakers use this differently?
No significant difference exists. Both use “it’s called” for naming and identifying things. The apostrophe rules and grammatical structure remain identical across English-speaking regions.
Conclusion
The rule is simple: use “it’s called” when identifying or naming something in the present. The contraction “it’s” means “it is,” creating a complete grammatical structure with the past participle “called.”
Never write “it called” when naming things—it’s incomplete and incorrect. Apply the replacement test (swap “it’s” with “it is”), and you’ll nail this grammar point every single time. Keep practicing, and this distinction becomes automatic.
At FixerGrammar.com, Johnson Isaacs shares easy grammar tips, clear examples, and helpful guidance to make writing simple, smooth, and mistake-free.
Related Posts
