the quality or state of being the same |
Let’s have a conversation about the common mistake people make when writing the word “Essays.” Many individuals seem to get confused between “Eseys” and “Essays” and find themselves wondering which spelling is correct. Today, we will debunk this confusion and establish the correct spelling once and for all.
To address this issue, it is pertinent to emphasize that “Essays” is the correct spelling of the word. The incorrect term “Eseys” is a common misspelling resulting from a typographical error or a lack of familiarity with the correct spelling.
Now, let’s learn the reasons why “Essays” is the right spelling. Firstly, “Essays” is the plural form of the singular noun “Essay.” When we want to refer to more than one essay, we simply add an “s” to the end of the word. This is the conventional English rule for forming plurals of nouns, and it applies to “Essay” as well. For example, “I have written multiple essays on various topics.” Here, the correct plural form of “Essay” is used to convey the idea that the speaker has written more than one essay.
Moreover, we can also look at past forms of verbs to further solidify the correct spelling. For instance, the verb form of “Essay” is “Essayed.” “Essayed” is the past tense form, and by examining the conjugation of the verb, we can recognize that “Essays” is indeed the accurate plural form. You might say, “He essayed his thoughts on the subject,” to convey that someone expressed their ideas in the form of an essay.
To illustrate the incorrect spelling, “Eseys,” it is crucial to emphasize that this word does not exist in Standard English. It is a mistake that has often emerged due to a lack of knowledge or inattentiveness during writing. Therefore, it is essential to be attentive and avoid this misspelling in formal writing, as it may weaken your language skills and leave a negative impression on the reader.
In conclusion, we have effectively established that the correct spelling of the word referring to multiple essays is “Essays.” “Eseys” is an erroneous form that should be avoided. Remember, using proper grammar and spelling not only enhances your communication skills, but it also showcases your proficiency in the English language. So, the next time you find yourself unsure about whether to write “Eseys” or “Essays,” confidently choose the latter for an accurate and grammatically correct sentence!
So, keep practicing your writing skills, pay attention to proper grammar, and remember the correct spelling of “Essays.” With dedication and practice, you will become an exceptional writer and expert in the English language.
Corrisponding or corresponding – which is correct.
When it comes to the word “corrisponding” or “corresponding,” the correct spelling is “corresponding.” The word “corrisponding” does not exist in the English language. I… Read More » Corrisponding or Corresponding – Which is Correct?
Surprise or suprize? That’s the ultimate question. If you’ve ever encountered these two spellings, you might have wondered which is the correct one. The answer,… Read More » Surprise or Suprize – Which is Correct?
Ah, the age-old question of spelling! It’s a common dilemma that many English learners encounter: should it be “delicius” or “delicious”? Well, let’s dive right… Read More » Delicius or Delicious – Which is Correct?
Are you wondering whether to spell it as “fruition” or “fruittion”? Well, let me clear up the confusion for you. The correct spelling is “fruition.”… Read More » Fruition or Fruittion – Which is Correct?
During or Durring – Which is Correct? When it comes to the correct spelling of the word, the answer is quite simple – during. Yes,… Read More » During or Durring – Which is Correct?
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Definition of essay noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
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actions that are intended to make something happen more slowly, in order to win an advantage
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[ noun es -ey es -ey , e- sey verb e- sey ]
a picture essay.
Origin of essay 1
As several of my colleagues commented, the result is good enough that it could pass for an essay written by a first-year undergraduate, and even get a pretty decent grade.
GPT-3 also raises concerns about the future of essay writing in the education system.
This little essay helps focus on self-knowledge in what you’re best at, and how you should prioritize your time.
As Steven Feldstein argues in the opening essay, technonationalism plays a part in the strengthening of other autocracies too.
He’s written a collection of essays on civil engineering life titled Bridginess, and to this day he and Lauren go on “bridge dates,” where they enjoy a meal and admire the view of a nearby span.
I think a certain kind of compelling essay has a piece of that.
The current attack on the Jews,” he wrote in a 1937 essay, “targets not just this people of 15 million but mankind as such.
The impulse to interpret seems to me what makes personal essay writing compelling.
To be honest, I think a lot of good essay writing comes out of that.
Someone recently sent me an old Joan Didion essay on self-respect that appeared in Vogue.
There is more of the uplifted forefinger and the reiterated point than I should have allowed myself in an essay.
Consequently he was able to turn in a clear essay upon the subject, which, upon examination, the king found to be free from error.
It is no part of the present essay to attempt to detail the particulars of a code of social legislation.
But angels and ministers of grace defend us from ministers of religion who essay art criticism!
It is fit that the imagination, which is free to go through all things, should essay such excursions.
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Published on April 14, 2023 by Jack Caulfield .
A plural noun is a noun that refers to more than one of something (as opposed to a singular noun, which refers to just one). Like singular nouns, they may refer to people, animals, things, concepts, or places.
Plural nouns are normally formed by adding -s to the singular noun (e.g., the singular “cat” becomes the plural “cats”). With certain nouns, you need to add or change some of the other letters. The rules are explained in the table below.
There are also some irregular plurals that don’t end in -s at all. The following section explains them.
Word ending | How to form the plural | Examples |
---|---|---|
— | Add to form most plurals that don’t fall into the categories below and to form the plurals of names. | dog: dog ; house: house ; editor: editor ; concept: concept ; Monday: Monday ; Kennedy: Kennedy |
ch, sh, ss, x | Add . | church: church ; wish: wish ; grass: grass ; tax: tax |
f, fe | Often pluralized normally, but sometimes, the or is replaced with . | belief: belief ; staff: staff ; safe: safe ; wolf: wol ; life: li |
i | Usually, pluralize normally. But is occasionally used instead. | bikini: bikini ; chili: chili |
o | When preceded by another vowel, pluralize normally. When preceded by a consonant, usually add . But some words are still pluralized normally. | cuckoo: cuckoo ; tomato: tomato ; hero: hero ; piano: piano ; photo: photo |
s, z | Add . Sometimes, the consonant is doubled (more often with ). | gas: gas ; waltz: waltz ; canvas: canvas ; quiz: quiz |
uy, y | Replace with , but only if it’s preceded by a consonant or by . If preceded by a different vowel, pluralize normally. | city: cit ; baby: bab ; spy: sp ; soliloquy: soliloqu ; day: day ; ploy: ploy |
Irregular plurals, plurals of compound nouns, common mistake: adding an apostrophe, plural nouns with singular functions, nouns that are always plural, uncountable nouns, worksheet: plural nouns, other interesting language articles, frequently asked questions about plural nouns.
Some plural nouns don’t end in -s at all. These are generally called irregular plurals . They are typically either leftovers from older ways of forming plurals in English or foreign words that were imported into English.
Only a small proportion of nouns have irregular plurals, but some of them are very commonly used words, so it’s important to be aware of them. There are a few main groups of irregular plurals, which are explained in the table below.
If you’re unsure about how to pluralize a word that isn’t mentioned in the table, consult a dictionary.
A small number of nouns have retained their Old English plural form, using and sometimes altering other parts of the word. | brother: [only used in certain religious or organizational contexts; otherwise “brothers”]; child: ; ox: |
Some nouns become plural by simply in the middle of the word. | foot: ; goose: ; man: ; mouse: ; tooth: ; woman: |
often (but not always) retain their original plural forms. | analysis: ; appendix: ; formula: ; fungus: ; millennium: ; phenomenon: |
such as French, Italian, and Hebrew occasionally retain their original plural forms, although it’s usually acceptable to use a normal English plural instead. | bureau: or ; cherub: or ; timpano: |
Some nouns—often the names of animals—have . | ; ; ; ; |
There are a few that don’t fit any of the categories above. | die: ; penny: ; person: |
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Compound nouns are nouns that are made up of multiple words. They may be open compounds (written with spaces; e.g., “head of state”); hyphenated compounds (written with hyphens ; e.g., “brother-in-law”); or closed compounds (no spaces or hyphens; e.g., “household”).
To create the plural of a compound noun, you often pluralize only the final word (e.g., “high schools “), but there are also cases where you pluralize an earlier word (e.g., “ heads of state”) or occasionally multiple words (e.g., “ men-children “).
To determine how to pluralize a compound noun, consider which word is the “head” of the noun—the thing being represented, which the other words modify. For example, “high schools” refers to multiple schools, not multiple “highs.”
When it’s still not obvious, consult a dictionary to find the correct plural.
A common mistake when forming plural nouns is to add an apostrophe before the “s.” In English, apostrophes are used to form possessive nouns and contractions , not plurals. You also don’t need an apostrophe to pluralize a number, acronym , or proper noun .
There’s one context in which it’s standard to use an apostrophe to form the plural. This is when you’re pluralizing a single letter. The apostrophe is generally added in such cases to avoid confusion with other words (e.g., “a’s” vs. “as”).
Some nouns are said to be plural in form but singular in construction . These words originate as plural forms but are now primarily used in a singular sense.
This is most common in the names of fields of study: for example, “physics,” “mathematics,” “ethics,” and “aesthetics.” Other examples include “news,” “measles,” and “billiards.”
“Singular in construction” means that these words have singular subject-verb agreement . For example, you’d write “the news is …” rather than “the news are …”
Similarly, some nouns are always plural and have no singular form—typically because they refer to something that consists of a pair of something. For example, “scissors” consist of two blades, “pants” of two legs, and “glasses” of two lenses.
Even a single pair of scissors, for example, is referred to in the plural (e.g., “the scissors are over there”). These nouns are sometimes referred to by the Latin term plurale tantum (“plural only”).
Because it’s wrong to use an indefinite article with a plural noun (e.g., “a scissors”) and no singular form exists (e.g., there’s no such thing as “a scissor”), the phrase “a pair of” is used before the noun when an indefinite article is needed. “Pairs of” is also used to specify quantities of these nouns (e.g., “three pairs of pants,” not “three pants”).
Your new spectacles suit you very nicely.
How many pairs of shorts do you own?
Uncountable nouns (also called mass nouns or noncount nouns ) are nouns that don’t have a plural form and can’t be preceded by an indefinite article (“a” or “an”). They often refer to abstract ideas or processes (e.g., “research”), physical substances (e.g., “water”), or areas of study (e.g., “geography”).
Uncountable nouns are singular, not plural, in terms of subject-verb agreement, and the words themselves cannot be pluralized. An alternative phrasing or word choice must be used instead:
If you need to refer to a specific quantity of an uncountable noun, you use a unit of measurement to do so, since the noun itself doesn’t represent a specific quantity:
Test your understanding of how plural nouns are formed with the worksheet below. In each sentence, add the correct plural form of the noun in brackets. Some of the plurals are regular, some irregular.
If you want to know more about nouns , pronouns , verbs , and other parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations and examples.
Nouns & pronouns
The plural of “moose” is the same as the singular: “moose.” It’s one of a group of plural nouns in English that are identical to the corresponding singular nouns. So it’s wrong to write “mooses.”
For example, you might write “There are several moose in the forest.”
The correct plural of “octopus” is “octopuses.”
People often write “octopi” instead because they assume that the plural noun is formed in the same way as Latin loanwords such as “fungus/fungi.” But “octopus” actually comes from Greek, where its original plural is “octopodes.” In English, it instead has the regular plural form “octopuses.”
For example, you might write “There are four octopuses in the aquarium.”
Normally, the plural of “fish” is the same as the singular: “fish.” It’s one of a group of irregular plural nouns in English that are identical to the corresponding singular nouns (e.g., “moose,” “sheep”). For example, you might write “The fish scatter as the shark approaches.”
If you’re referring to several species of fish, though, the regular plural “fishes” is often used instead. For example, “The aquarium contains many different fishes , including trout and carp.”
The plural of “crisis” is “crises.” It’s a loanword from Latin and retains its original Latin plural noun form (similar to “analyses” and “bases”). It’s wrong to write “crisises.”
For example, you might write “Several crises destabilized the regime.”
We strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below.
Caulfield, J. (2023, April 14). What Is a Plural Noun? | Examples, Rules & Exceptions. Scribbr. Retrieved September 2, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/nouns-and-pronouns/plural-noun/
Aarts, B. (2011). Oxford modern English grammar . Oxford University Press.
Butterfield, J. (Ed.). (2015). Fowler’s dictionary of modern English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Garner, B. A. (2022). Garner’s modern English usage (5th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Other students also liked, possessive noun | examples, definition & worksheet, when to use apostrophe s ('s) | guide & examples, how to tell if a noun is countable or uncountable | examples, "i thought ai proofreading was useless but..".
I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes”
I have a love/hate relationship with the English language. I love writing and communicating ideas to fellow readers. I (sometimes) hate all the weird rules.
Take plurals, for instance. English has many strange plural words that defy rules or make their own. In this article, we'll cover several tricky plurals (such as "moose" and "moose") and do our best to explain how they work. I hope it drives your love/hate relationship more toward the former!
You probably don't need our help with these. For most words, simply add an "s" to the end of the singular form to make a plural. For instance:
Singular: paper / Plural: paper s
Singular: cat / Plural: cat s
Singular: tree / Plural: tree s
Easy enough. Things get slightly complicated when the word already ends with an "s," or with a "ch," "sh," "x," or "z." In this case, it's often correct to add "es" instead:
Singular: grass / Plural: grass es
Singular: bench / Plural: bench es
Singular: radish / Plural: radish es
What about words like "memory"? To pluralize a word ending in a consonant and the letter "y," replace the "y" with "ies":
Singular: memory / Plural: memor ies
Singular: baby / Plural: bab ies
Singular: glory / Plural: glor ies
Now let's advance to the truly tricky stuff.
As the name implies, irregular plurals don't follow the rules of their regular counterparts. The best way to learn these is to memorize them. Here are a few examples:
One might think calfs is the right word, but it's actually cal ves . There are a few others with a similar construction, including leaf and lea ves , knife and kni ves , and life and li ves .
Hoof and hoofs (or hooves).
Some irregular plurals are actually acceptable in multiple forms, as in the case of the word hoof . The logical plural hoof s actually works here. Yet using hoo ves is also valid. As the writer, it's your choice which you use, so long as you're consistent.
Just don't get tripped up with words that sound similar. For example, hooves is an acceptable plural of hoof . However, prooves is not the plural of proof . The correct plural is proof s . It's just one of those things you have to remember (though ProWritingAid's homonym report can help).
This is certainly one of the stranger ones on this list. The preferred plural of person is not persons . It's people .
However, you've probably heard the word persons used before, such as in the phrase "Missing Persons Case." That's because persons is a formal version of the plural and therefore used almost exclusively in legal settings. So unless you're a law enforcement official, you should opt for people .
What about peoples ? In the words of Jane Mairs , Director of English Language Learning Publishing, "the only time you will want to use the word 'peoples' is when you are referring to groups of people from multiple ethnic, cultural, racial, or national backgrounds." For example:
"The American people." (We use people because we're referring only to Americans.)
"The American, Chinese, Mexican, and English peoples." (We use peoples because we're referring to many folks from many countries.)
There are a few tricky holdovers from these languages that have remained in English. A few examples:
There's no such word as stimuluses (even though that would make logical sense). According to our Ancient Greek friends, the proper plural is stimuli .
Again, you'd probably guess that the plural form of genus would be genuses . However, it's actually genera . Fortunately, if you're not a scientist, this probably won't be a concern too often.
This one came up when I revisited my alma mater the other day. When asked for the reason for my visit, I said, "I'm an alumni." I feared I'd botched it and, sure enough, I had.
What I should've said was, "I'm an alumnus ." That's the singular form for male graduates. For female graduates, the generally accepted form is alumna . The plural form for both is alumni . So if my wife had been there as well, she would've said, "I'm an alumna," or, "We're alumni."
As if that wasn't tricky enough, there's also another plural form for a group of graduates who are all women. It's alumnae . So if my wife was with a female friend who graduated from the same school, she would've said, "We're alumnae."
So to reiterate: alumni can refer to a group of all-male graduates or a group of both men and women. Alumnae can refer only to a group of all-female graduates. If there's even one dude in there, you'd use alumni .
Many animals use the same word for both their singular and plural form. Thanks, animals! These are called invariants. For example, "I saw a moose " is correct, as is, "I saw several moose ." Mooses , meese , and moocices are not real words. Here are some others that fit this category:
Ox and oxen.
Logic rarely factors into English. Therefore, the plural of ox is not oxes . It's oxen ! You probably knew that one if you're a fan of the Oregon Trail computer games.
Since fox rhymes with ox , you might think the plural of fox would be foxen . It's not! The plural of fox is foxes . I made this error several times and felt silly for doing so.
There's a constant debate over the plural form of data . Is it datas ? Is datas even a word?
First of all, data is already a plural word; its singular companion is datum —or was. Unless you're in a technical field, that singular has been largely abandoned. Instead, most grammarians accept data as both a singular and plural form.
So what about the word datas ? It's mostly a matter of opinion. Though some use datas as a plural, others oppose the word. It seems most authorities agree that the preferred form for both singular and plural is data , and that it should be never used with the indefinite article ("a"). Easy to remember, since sentences like "I found a data I think you should see" just sound weird.
If you're still confused, I found this article immensely helpful when researching the topic myself. Check it out!
What are some tricky plurals we missed? Let us know in the comments below!
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If someone asked you what a noun is , you’d probably say it’s a person, place, or thing. Pretty simple, right? But what about plural nouns? For example, what is the plural form for cat ? If you said cats , you’re right! What about the plural for foot ? If you said foots , you’re incorrect. The correct form is feet. Simply adding an s at the end works for some nouns – but not all.
Plural nouns can be confusing for many English learners. Most students struggle with regular versus irregular plurals as well as apostrophe usage with some plurals. Nevertheless, understanding plural nouns is important for effective communication. After all, you’ll encounter them in many contexts!
If you find plural nouns confusing, read on! This blog will provide essential grammar tips for using plural nouns correctly in written and spoken English. We’ll discuss pluralization rules as well as irregular and tricky plural noun forms. By the time you finish reading, you’ll feel confident using plural nouns effectively in any context. And understanding plural nouns can go a long way to improving your English grammar .
Plural nouns refer to more than one person, place, or thing. You can easily recognize most of them by their s or es ending:
There’s not much to pluralizing such nouns. However, things get tricky with irregular plurals, as they have their own unique forms. For example:
English language learners often struggle to distinguish regular plurals from irregular ones . Fortunately, to form irregular plurals, you just need to know which letters to change.
As we stated above, you can make most singular nouns plural by adding s or es to the end of the word, depending on the word’s ending. Likewise, collective nouns (nouns that represent groups) can be made plural by adding s or es . For example:
Nouns such as bottle, toy, bike , and chair are the easiest to pluralize, as you simply add s to the end. However, some nouns require the es ending:
The rules for forming these plurals are different from the rules for forming regular plurals, and interestingly enough, there are multiple ways to form irregular plurals. Examples of nouns that have irregular plurals include mouse , man , goose , wolf , and wife . Their pluralization looks like this:
Pluralizing these is usually a matter of knowing the rules regarding certain noun endings. If a noun ends in f or fe , you change the ending to ve before adding an s to form the plural:
The only exceptions to this rule are roof, belief, chef, chief , and café , which take the s ending. For nouns such as goose, foot, and tooth , you change the double o into a double e to make the plural. So the plural forms are geese, feet, and teeth , respectively.
Booth and book are exceptions: their plurals use the s ending. Therefore, changing the double o to a double e is incorrect. And for nouns such as man and woman , you only need to change the a to e to make the plural.
The word mouse has a unique plural form. You simply change mouse to mice :
However, you wouldn’t apply this rule to other words ending in ouse , such as house . You would simply add the s ending for those.
The final letter of a noun often dictates the correct spelling of the pluralized form. But just as we saw with irregular plurals, you must be aware of special rules.
If a singular noun ends in y and the letter before the y is a consonant, you change the ending to ies to make the plural:
If a singular noun ends in y and the letter before the y is a vowel, just add an s to make the plural:
If a singular noun ends in o , add es to make the plural:
However, you would not apply this rule to nouns such as piano , halo , and photo , which take the s ending for the plural.
We know you’ve probably been asking this question from the beginning. The simple answer is that the es ending applies to nouns that end in s , ss , sh , ch , x , and z . For example:
While we’ve already mentioned a few exceptions, more exist. If a singular noun ends in us , the plural ending is i . For example:
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If a singular noun ends in is , the plural ending is es :
If a singular noun ends in on , the plural ending is a :
Believe it or not, some nouns don’t change at all when you pluralize them. Such nouns include sheep, fish, deer, series , aircraft , and species . They can be singular or plural:
Possessive nouns demonstrate ownership, generally with the ’ s ending. Let’s say your cousin Bill owns a boat (lucky Bill!). You would indicate it like this:
Most students confuse plural nouns with possessive nouns because of the s endings. Understanding how to use apostrophes with plurals and possessives can be tricky. Plural nouns don’t have apostrophes unless they’re also possessive. Let’s consider the following examples:
1. Adding s or es endings to irregular nouns (e.g., goose , man , child , foot )
2. Adding an apostrophe to a plural noun when it’s not possessive
3. Adding s endings with nouns that actually need the es ending
4. Adding pluralizing endings to nouns that don’t change at all (e.g., deer , fish , series )
5. Adding the wrong ending to nouns that end in us , is , and on
1. Remember that plural nouns don’t use apostrophes unless they’re also possessive.
2. You cannot pluralize all nouns simply by using s or es endings.
3. Remember which letters need to be changed to form irregular plurals (which all have unique forms).
4. Know which nouns use the s and es endings.
5. Know which nouns are singular and plural in sentences.
Looking at how much of something a noun is referring to can tell you whether that noun is singular or plural. It’s singular if it refers to one person or thing. It’s plural if it refers to more than one person or thing.
When reading a sentence, look for any nouns with s or es endings. If so, they’re likely plural. Furthermore, by understanding how much of something the noun refers to, you can recognize the tricky irregular plural nouns we’ve covered.
It’s important to use the correct forms of plural and possessive nouns, as incorrect plurals can change the meaning of a sentence. Take these examples:
We encourage you to practice using plural nouns correctly. One way to do this is by trying a worksheet on singular and plural nouns . The more practice you have, the more comfortable you’ll be. For our visual learners, we recommend this video on how to form plural nouns . Finally, we encourage you to proofread your written work for correct plural noun usage.
If you’re currently working on an essay or a paper, you might be interested in letting our proofreading experts review your writing. They can check for grammar and punctuation errors and make sure the spelling is perfect. They’ll also ensure the correct use of plural nouns! Consider submitting a 500-word document for free today.
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When writing (a blog post, script, etc..) what is the proper way to indicate two or more instances of a single letter? For instance, in Monty Python's Bookshop Sketch :
C: I wonder if you might have a copy of "Rarnaby Budge"? P: No, as I say, we're right out of Edmund Wells! C: No, not Edmund Wells - Charles Dikkens. P: (pause - eagerly) Charles Dickens?? C: Yes. P: (excitedly) You mean "Barnaby Rudge"! C: No, "Rarnaby Budge" by Charles Dikkens. That's Dikkens with two Ks, the well-known Dutch author. P: (slight pause) No, well we don't have "Rarnaby Budge" by Charles Dikkens with two Ks, the well-known Dutch author, and perhaps to save time I should add that we don't have "Karnaby Fudge" by Darles Chickens, or "Farmer of Sludge" by Marles Pickens, or even "Stickwick Stapers" by Farles Wickens with four M's and a silent Q!!!!! Why don't you try W. H. Smith's? C: Ah did, They sent me here.
I had always believed that plural never uses an apostrophe before the 's' (it's only used for possession), but I have rarely seen in written material the format "four Ms". (On a side note, whoever wrote this transcript also used "two Ks".)
On a side note, and perhaps this should be a separate question, if a Compact Disc is a CD, then two Compact Discs would be two CDs right? (I see "CD's" written everywhere )
The Chicago Manual of Style , one of the more widely used style guides in the United States, says:
Capital letters used as words, numerals used as nouns, and abbreviations usually form the plural by adding s . To aid comprehension, lowercase letters form the plural with an apostrophe and an s .
So: Dikkens with two Ks , but mind your p's and q's . (And always CDs , unless you're talking about something the CD owns.)
Harbrace College Handbook 6th edition section 15d
Use the apostrophe and s to form the plural of letters, figures, symbols, and words referred to as words. Examples Congreve seldom crossed his t's, his 7's looked like 9's, and his and's were usually &'s. Note: This apostrophe is sometimes omitted when there is no danger of ambiguity: the 1930's, or the 1930s; two B's and three C's, or two Bs and three Cs.
This is one of those annoying exceptions to the general rule of never using an apostrophe to form plurals. It can be used when treating letters and numerals as nouns.
Personally, I only use it with lowercase letters where it is distinctly helpful ( mind your p's and q's ); for uppercase and numerals, adding a lowercase 's' should be clear enough.
To form plural of letters, figures, symbols and abbreviations put the concerned thing in single inverted comma and then add s.
(Entry 1 of 2)
Synonyms & Similar Words
Thesaurus Definition of essay (Entry 2 of 2)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
How does the verb essay differ from other similar words?
Some common synonyms of essay are attempt , endeavor , strive , and try . While all these words mean "to make an effort to accomplish an end," essay implies difficulty but also suggests tentative trying or experimenting.
When might attempt be a better fit than essay ?
While the synonyms attempt and essay are close in meaning, attempt stresses the initiation or beginning of an effort.
Where would endeavor be a reasonable alternative to essay ?
Although the words endeavor and essay have much in common, endeavor heightens the implications of exertion and difficulty.
When is strive a more appropriate choice than essay ?
While in some cases nearly identical to essay , strive implies great exertion against great difficulty and specifically suggests persistent effort.
How do try and attempt relate to one another, in the sense of essay ?
Try is often close to attempt but may stress effort or experiment made in the hope of testing or proving something.
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'essay.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
You'll know the difference if you give it the old college essay
Cite this entry.
“Essay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/essay. Accessed 2 Sep. 2024.
Nglish: Translation of essay for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of essay for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about essay
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After weeks of rumors that they were going to name their baby Plum, Hailey and Justin Bieber surprised fans when they announced the arrival of their son Jack Blues Bieber.
Jack is only notable in how, well, unnotable it is. These days, it's rare for celebrities of the Biebers' caliber to choose such a ubiquitous name. And at Number 14 on the US popularity charts, Jack is already so popular it is unlikely to see a meaningful boost from this birth announcement.
But Hailey and Justin unearthed a hidden gem in Blues. It's virtually one-of-a-kind — Blues has never been used for more than five babies in a given year — yet a perfect fit for our current naming climate.
You can certainly expect to hear more babies called Blues in years to come, but the Biebers' influence will be felt beyond this one name. Blues will be the catalyst for the hottest new boy name trend: Plural Names.
Plural names combine two of Americans' favorite name styles: word names and last names as first names .
To make a plural name, you simply add an S to the end of a singular noun, making it both a plural noun and a surname. Many English last names — along with some surnames in other languages such as Spanish — were originally derived this way. Gates historically referred to someone who lived near the town gates, while Graves was an occupational name for a steward.
But not every noun works in the plural name formula (we don't recommend naming your child "Towels" or "Photographs", for example). Here are our tips for creating the ideal plural name:
One-, or at most, two-syllable plural names are most effective. Keep it short!
A couple of dominant plural name themes have emerged. Municipal names — think Banks, Parks, Bridges — evoke places you visit around town. Nature names — like Brooks, Woods, and Groves — conjure the landscape. A plural name from one of these categories — whether common or one-of-a-kind — is likely to get a good reception.
The braver namers among us might invent totally new plural names — how about Alps? — but for many parents, the appeal of plural names lies in that they're surnames in addition to word names. If your plural name exists as a surname, it will naturally have a more name-like sound.
Here are some of the best plural names for boys, organized by popularity level.
Popular plural names currently rank in the US Top 1000, with top choice Miles at Number 43 on the US charts and the Spanish plural name Santos (meaning "saints") at Number 795.
With the exception of Hayes and Riggs, all of these names increased in popularity between 2022 and 2023.
In addition to Blues, the other plural name on everyone's lips is Townes, recently used by both Hilary Duff (the OG plural namer, responsible for popularizing Banks) and Alexander Ludwig. Townes hasn't cracked the Top 1000 yet, but if it follows in Banks's path, expect to see it on the 2024 charts.
Other hot — but still uncommon — plural names include Stiles, Parks, and Oakes, which were among the fastest-rising boy names beyond the Top 1000 last year.
These rare plural names rank outside of the Top 1000 but were given to at least five baby boys in 2023:
One-of-a-kind plural names are as unique as they come. At last count, fewer than five baby boys were recorded with these names.
Some, like Shields (last charted in 1962) and Groves (1925), have appeared in historical data. But most of these choices are entirely new to the baby name lexicon.
And yes, Blues makes the list of one-of-a-kind plural names at present. But don't expect to see it here next year!
Sophie kihm.
Sophie Kihm has been writing for Nameberry since 2015. She has contributed stories on the top 2020s names , Gen Z names , and cottagecore baby names . Sophie is Nameberry’s resident Name Guru to the Stars, where she suggests names for celebrity babies. She also manages the Nameberry Instagram and Pinterest .
Sophie Kihm's articles on names have run on People , Today , The Huffington Post , and more. She has been quoted as a name expert by The Washington Post , People , The Huffington Post , and more. You can follow her personally on Instagram or Pinterest , or contact her at [email protected]. Sophie lives in Chicago.
And enter our "create your own plural name" contest.
Hailey and Justin Bieber have announced the name of their baby boy — Jack Blues .
At first glance the combination may not seem all that outrageous — Jack currently ranks #14 on the US popularity chart and Blue has been the face of the word name revolution ever since the birth of Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s daughter Blue Ivy in 2012.
But what elevates this name is that Hailey and Justin accomplished the difficult feat of creating a brand-new, one-of-a-kind, — and actually pretty cool — name that fits into one of the hottest new trends of today — Plural Names .
Our featured blog this week — Plural Names: The Best New Baby Name Formula — explores this newfound phenomenon where parents are reaching for the plural forms of nouns (or names that sound like nouns) for their babies.
We are seeing the success of the plural names trend most evidently as the hottest of the plural name cohort scale the charts.
The most popular plural name is Miles at #43 (and rising). While the name Miles is not derived from the word for the metric unit of measurement, the name nonetheless encapsulates the sense of adventure that the word mile suggests.
Other fast rising boy names in this category include Brooks , Hayes , and Rhodes . Banks got its big break when Hilary Duff and Matthew Koma named their daughter Banks back in 2018 — but 92% of babies named Banks in 2023 were boys.
Which is your favorite of America’s favorite plural names?
A big contributor to the success of the plural names trend has been its overlap with another of the biggest trends of this century — surname names .
Many plural names originated as surnames, such as Wells and Briggs . Hilary Duff and Matthew Koma just chose the rare surname Townes for their baby girl which is sitting just outside the Top 1000 for boys (but probably not for long).
Which is your favorite of these surname names?
Some of the coolest nouns to pluralize are nature names — which are inherently cool as ever in 2024 already.
Woods , Rivers , and Fields have that undeniable nature connection, but the surname element allows them to still feel like a name.
Which is your favorite plural nature name?
Or you could follow the route that the Biebers did — creating your own plural name. There as endless possibilities out there that have yet to be discovered.
Here are a few truly unique picks that we can envision as baby name potential.
Now it’s your turn. We want to hear your brand-new, completely original plural name — the plural form of a word — that you think would make a great baby name.
Nominate one name in the comments below!
Leave a comment
Get those creative juices flowing! We will be adding the winning nomination to the Nameberry database , and announcing it in the next weekend’s newsletter, so stay tuned!
Liked by Clare Green
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if I had to pick one to nominate, it would go to Embers. like Rivers, but make it fire nation instead of water tribe!
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The meaning of ESSAY is an analytic or interpretative literary composition usually dealing with its subject from a limited or personal point of view. How to use essay in a sentence. ... Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide. 31 Useful Rhetorical Devices. ... Name That Tree! A quiz that's all bark, no bite. Take the quiz. Merriam Webster.
noun. 1. a short literary composition on a particular theme or subject, usually in prose and generally analytic, speculative, or interpretative. 2. anything resembling such a composition. a picture essay. 3. an effort to perform or accomplish something; attempt. 4.
essay (plural essays) (authorship) A written composition of moderate length, exploring a particular issue or subject. 2013 January, Katie L. Burke, "Ecological Dependency", in American Scientist [1], volume 101, number 1, archived from the original on 9 February 2017, page 64:
Plural Nouns. In general, a noun is a person, place, or thing. A proper noun is a specialized name for a specific person, place, or thing. Proper nouns are always capitalized (e.g., "Crayola"). Nouns can be singular (i.e., only one) or plural (i.e., more than one). To make a noun plural, add "s" (e.g., "dogs" is the plural form of ...
The plural of essay is essays. Find more words at wordhippo.com!
1 essay / ˈ ɛˌseɪ/ noun. plural essays. Britannica Dictionary definition of ESSAY. [count] : a short piece of writing that tells a person's thoughts or opinions about a subject. Your assignment is to write a 500-word essay on one of Shakespeare's sonnets. The book is a collection of his previously unpublished essays on/about a variety of ...
Definition of essay noun in Oxford Advanced American Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
Now, let's learn the reasons why "Essays" is the right spelling. Firstly, "Essays" is the plural form of the singular noun "Essay." When we want to refer to more than one essay, we simply add an "s" to the end of the word. This is the conventional English rule for forming plurals of nouns, and it applies to "Essay" as well.
ESSAY definition: 1. a short piece of writing on a particular subject, especially one done by students as part of the…. Learn more.
essay (by somebody) a collection of essays by prominent African American writers; essay on somebody/something The book contains a number of interesting essays on women in society. essay about somebody/something Pierce contributes a long essay about John F. Kennedy. in an essay I discuss this in a forthcoming essay.
Plural essays. Writing that looks at an issue or subject. Each student had to write an essay on his favorite author. Related words [change] essayist; Verb [change] Plain form essay. Third-person singular essays. Past tense essayed. Past participle essayed. Present participle essaying (transitive) To try.
ESSAY meaning: 1. a short piece of writing on a particular subject, especially one done by students as part of the…. Learn more.
Essay definition: a short literary composition on a particular theme or subject, usually in prose and generally analytic, speculative, or interpretative.. See examples of ESSAY used in a sentence.
John Locke's 1690 An Essay Concerning Human Understanding. The word essay derives from the French infinitive essayer, "to try" or "to attempt".In English essay first meant "a trial" or "an attempt", and this is still an alternative meaning. The Frenchman Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) was the first author to describe his work as essays; he used the term to characterize these as "attempts ...
A plural noun is a noun that refers to more than one of something (as opposed to a singular noun, which refers to just one). Like singular nouns, they may refer to people, animals, things, concepts, or places. Plural nouns are normally formed by adding -s to the singular noun (e.g., the singular "cat" becomes the plural "cats").
Essay definition: A testing or trial of the value or nature of a thing.
Regular Plurals. You probably don't need our help with these. For most words, simply add an "s" to the end of the singular form to make a plural. For instance: Singular: paper / Plural: papers. Singular: cat / Plural: cats. Singular: tree / Plural: trees. Easy enough.
Updated on October 18, 2022 Grammar. A plural noun is a noun that refers to more than one person, place, thing, or idea. Most singular nouns are made plural by adding a suffix, usually - s or - es. For example, the singular noun dog takes the plural form dogs, as in three dogs. However, there are irregular plural nouns that take unique forms.
1. Adding s or es endings to irregular nouns (e.g., goose, man, child, foot) 2. Adding an apostrophe to a plural noun when it's not possessive. 3. Adding s endings with nouns that actually need the es ending. 4. Adding pluralizing endings to nouns that don't change at all (e.g., deer, fish, series) 5.
The Chicago Manual of Style, one of the more widely used style guides in the United States, says:. Capital letters used as words, numerals used as nouns, and abbreviations usually form the plural by adding s.To aid comprehension, lowercase letters form the plural with an apostrophe and an s.. So: Dikkens with two Ks, but mind your p's and q's. (And always CDs, unless you're talking about ...
Definition: a vaporous exhalation formerly believed to cause disease. Most words have a single plural form, while others feel the need to have two. Others are more gluttonous still (such as octopus, the plural of which may be octopi, octopuses, or octopodes), and require three different ways of pluralizing.Miasma is one of those triplets. So if you have more than one of these vaporous ...
Synonyms for ESSAY: article, paper, dissertation, theme, thesis, composition, treatise, editorial; Antonyms of ESSAY: quit, drop, give up
The Plural Names Formula. Plural names combine two of Americans' favorite name styles: word names and last names as first names. To make a plural name, you simply add an S to the end of a singular noun, making it both a plural noun and a surname. Many English last names — along with some surnames in other languages such as Spanish — were originally derived this way.
But what elevates this name is that Hailey and Justin accomplished the difficult feat of creating a brand-new, one-of-a-kind, — and actually pretty cool — name that fits into one of the hottest new trends of today — Plural Names. Our featured blog this week — Plural Names: The Best New Baby Name Formula — explores this newfound phenomenon where parents are reaching for the plural ...