English plurals apply to nouns, pronouns, and verbs. Most nouns use -s or -es as suffixes, but there are exceptions. Pronouns and verbs change completely. Exceptions include -ies for words ending in -y and Latin plurals. English has irregular plurals. Apostrophes in possessive endings can change meaning. An English plural is the form of a […]
A plural family is a family with multiple wives and/or husbands or partners, often associated with some Mormon sects and segments of the Muslim community. Plural marriage can be religious or secular, with proponents arguing it can be supportive and productive while opponents argue it can be exploitative and lead to abuse. A plural family […]
The plural of hippopotamus is “hippos” or the Latin form, but “hippos” is often seen as informal and may remind people of a Christmas song. In formal contexts, “hippo” should be used. A hippo gathering is called a “bulge.” The plural of hippopotamus is “hippos”, although the Latin plural form of “hippos” may also be […]
Pluralia tantum are nouns that only occur in plural form, such as “scissors” and “pants”. They are arbitrary and vary between languages. Tantum singular are nouns that only occur in singular form, such as “information” and “dust”. Pluralia tantum can cause confusion for second language learners due to their exceptions to the rule. The use […]
Collective plurals are groups of items described as a single unit, such as a litter of kittens or a platoon of troops. They require singular or plural verbs and pronouns depending on whether the group acts together or separately. Mistakes are common, and different forms of English treat them differently. A collective plural is a […]
Plural nouns indicate more than one of a singular noun. In English, regular nouns add -s, -es, or -ses, while irregular nouns have unique pluralization methods. Collective nouns use singular nouns to denote groups. A plural noun is a modified form of a singular noun. Singular nouns are words that denote one and only one […]
