As a learner of English, you may be wondering about the plural of monkey. In this article, we’ll explore the rules of forming plurals in English and specifically apply them to the word “monkey.”
Understanding plurals in English is an essential part of learning the language. In English, most nouns change form when they are pluralized. The rules for forming plurals can be straightforward, but there are also some exceptions and irregularities that can make things a bit more complicated. The good news is that once you understand the basic rules, you’ll be able to form plurals with confidence and clarity. Now let’s explore the world of plural nouns in English!
Plural of Monkey
Definition and Plural of Monkey
When it comes to the definition of monkey, it refers to a non-human primate mammal, excluding lemurs and tarsiers. These primates are known for their long-tailed and small size compared to apes. The word monkey can also refer to a person who resembles a monkey or a ludicrous figure.
Now, let’s talk about the plural of monkey. As per the rules of English grammar, the plural of monkey is simply monkeys. This means that if you see more than one monkey, you would say, “There are monkeys.”
For example:
- You can see monkeys swinging from tree to tree.
- There are monkeys playing in the park.
- The zoo has many monkeys in their exhibit.
It’s important to note that the plural form of monkey follows the standard rule of adding an “s” to the end of the noun.
Examples of Monkey and Plural of Monkey in Sentences
The only way to make the noun “monkey” plural is to add an “s” to the end of the word. Therefore, the plural of “monkey” is “monkeys.”
Here are some examples of “monkey” and “monkeys” used in sentences:
- You can see monkeys at the zoo.
- The monkeys in the jungle are very noisy.
- There are many different species of monkeys in the world.
- The monkeys in the trees were eating bananas.
- The monkey’s tail was very long and curly.
- There were several monkeys swinging from the vines.
It’s important to note that “monkies” is not a recognized plural form of “monkey” in standard English usage. Therefore, it’s essential to use the correct plural form when referring to more than one monkey.
Plural Noun Rules for Regular Nouns
When it comes to forming the plural of regular nouns, there are a few rules to keep in mind. Here are some of the most common plural noun rules:
Add -s to the Singular Noun
The most common way to form the plural of regular nouns is by adding -s to the end of the singular noun. For example:
- One monkey, two monkeys
- One car, two cars
- One book, two books
Add -es to Singular Nouns Ending in -s, -x, -z, -ch, or -sh
If a singular noun ends in -s, -x, -z, -ch, or -sh, you need to add -es to form the plural. For example:
- One bus, two buses
- One box, two boxes
- One quiz, two quizzes
- One church, two churches
- One brush, two brushes
Change -y to -ies for Nouns Ending in a Consonant + -y
If a singular noun ends in a consonant + -y, you need to change the -y to -ies to form the plural. For example:
- One baby, two babies
- One city, two cities
- One party, two parties
Add -s or -es to Nouns Ending in -o
For nouns ending in -o, you need to add either -s or -es to form the plural. There is no hard and fast rule here, so you need to use your judgment. For example:
- One potato, two potatoes
- One tomato, two tomatoes
- One hero, two heroes
Irregular Plural Nouns
Some nouns have irregular plural forms that don’t follow any of the rules above. For example:
- One child, two children
- One foot, two feet
- One mouse, two mice
By following these simple rules, you can form the plural of regular nouns with ease.
Plural Noun Rules for Irregular Nouns
When it comes to forming plurals in English, most nouns simply add an “s” at the end. However, there are some nouns that do not follow this rule and are called irregular plural nouns. In this section, we will discuss the rules for forming the plural of irregular nouns.
List of Common Irregular Plural Nouns
Here are some of the most common irregular plural nouns in English:
Singular | Plural |
---|---|
child | children |
foot | feet |
person | people |
tooth | teeth |
mouse | mice |
goose | geese |
man | men |
woman | women |
Nouns that End in Us
Nouns that end in “us” often have a plural form that ends in “i”. Here are some examples:
Singular | Plural |
---|---|
cactus | cacti |
fungus | fungi |
nucleus | nuclei |
syllabus | syllabi |
Nouns that End in Is
Nouns that end in “is” often have a plural form that ends in “es”. Here are some examples:
Singular | Plural |
---|---|
analysis | analyses |
basis | bases |
crisis | crises |
diagnosis | diagnoses |
Nouns that End in On and Um
Nouns that end in “on” often have a plural form that ends in “a”. Nouns that end in “um” often have a plural form that ends in “a” or “ums”. Here are some examples:
Singular | Plural |
---|---|
criterion | criteria |
phenomenon | phenomena |
bacterium | bacteria |
curriculum | curricula |
forum | fora or forums |
medium | media or mediums |
Common Mistakes When Using Plural Nouns
When it comes to pluralizing nouns, it can be easy to make mistakes. Here are some common mistakes to avoid when using plural nouns:
Forgetting to add “s” or “es”
The most common way to form a plural noun is by adding “s” or “es” to the end of the singular form. For example, “monkey” becomes “monkeys” and “box” becomes “boxes.” However, it’s easy to forget to add the “s” or “es” and accidentally use the singular form instead of the plural.
Using irregular plurals incorrectly
Some nouns have irregular plural forms that don’t follow the standard “s” or “es” rule. For example, “child” becomes “children” and “tooth” becomes “teeth.” It’s important to learn the irregular plural forms and use them correctly to avoid confusion.
Using apostrophes incorrectly
Apostrophes are not used to form plurals. For example, it’s incorrect to write “monkey’s” to indicate more than one monkey. Apostrophes are only used to indicate possession or contraction.
Using incorrect spelling
It’s important to spell plurals correctly to avoid confusion. For example, “monkeys” is the correct plural form of “monkey,” while “monkies” is an incorrect spelling. Make sure to double-check your spelling when using plural nouns.
Understanding Collective Nouns
When talking about a group of animals, we often use collective nouns to refer to them. A collective noun is a word used to represent a group of people, animals, or things. It is a singular noun that represents a group of individuals or objects. In the case of monkeys, the collective noun is “troop.”
It is important to note that collective nouns can be either singular or plural, depending on the context. For example, if we are talking about a group of monkeys as a single entity, we would use the singular form of the collective noun. However, if we are talking about the individual monkeys within the group, we would use the plural form.
Here are some examples of how collective nouns can be used:
- The troop of monkeys is moving through the forest.
- The monkeys in the troop are playing in the trees.
In the first sentence, we are referring to the group of monkeys as a single entity, so we use the singular form of the collective noun. In the second sentence, we are referring to the individual monkeys within the group, so we use the plural form.
It is also important to note that some collective nouns have more than one plural form. For example, the plural of “sheep” can be either “sheep” or “sheep” depending on the context. However, in the case of monkeys, the plural form is always “monkeys.”
Nouns that Always Come in Plural
Some nouns in the English language always come in pairs and do not have a singular form. These nouns are referred to as plural-only nouns. Here are some examples of plural-only nouns:
- jeans
- scissors
- trousers
- glasses
- binoculars
- pliers
When using these nouns, it is important to remember that they always take plural verbs and pronouns. For example, you would say “these scissors are sharp” instead of “this scissor is sharp.”
Some of these nouns are often used with the expression “a pair of,” as they refer to things made up of two parts. For example, you would say “a pair of jeans” or “a pair of glasses.”
Plural Nouns that Look the Same as Singulars
In English, most nouns are made plural by simply adding an “s” to the end of the singular form. However, there are some nouns that look the same in both singular and plural forms. These are called “plural nouns that look the same as singulars.”
Here are some examples of plural nouns that look the same as singulars:
Singular | Plural |
---|---|
deer | deer |
fish | fish |
moose | moose |
sheep | sheep |
series | series |
species | species |
As you can see, these nouns do not change their form when they become plural. This can sometimes cause confusion, especially for non-native speakers of English.
It’s important to note that not all nouns that end in “s” are plural nouns that look the same as singulars. For example, “bus” is a singular noun, and its plural form is “buses.”
When using plural nouns that look the same as singulars, it’s important to pay attention to the context of the sentence to determine whether it is singular or plural. For example, “I saw a deer” refers to a single deer, while “I saw some deer” refers to multiple deer.
Singular Nouns that Look Like Plural Nouns
English is a tricky language, and one of the confusing aspects is the use of singular nouns that look like plural nouns. These are nouns that end in ‘s’ or ‘es’ but are still singular. Here are some examples:
- Mathematics: Although this word ends in ‘s,’ it is still a singular noun. You would say, “Mathematics is my favorite subject,” not “Mathematics are my favorite subjects.”
- Physics: Similar to Mathematics, Physics is also a singular noun that ends in ‘s.’ For example, “Physics is a challenging subject.”
- News: News is a singular noun that ends in ‘s.’ You would say, “The news is good today,” not “The news are good today.”
It is important to remember that these nouns are singular and require singular verbs. Using plural verbs with these nouns is a common mistake.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the plural of monkey?
The plural of monkey is “monkeys”. This is a regular plural form, where we add “s” to the end of the noun to indicate more than one monkey.
Why is the plural of monkey monkeys and not monkies?
The plural of monkey is “monkeys” because it follows the regular plural form for nouns ending in “y”. When a noun ends in a consonant + “y”, we change the “y” to “i” and add “es” to the end to form the plural. However, when a noun ends in a vowel + “y”, we simply add “s” to the end to form the plural. Therefore, the correct plural form of monkey is “monkeys”.
Is it donkeys or donkies?
The correct spelling is “donkeys”. This is the plural form of the noun “donkey”, which refers to a domesticated hoofed animal.
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