What Is the Plural of Cliff?
The Quick Answer
The plural of "cliff" is "cliffs."- Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, in escarpments, and along rivers.
- Some of the largest cliffs on Earth are found underwater.
Are You Good at Plurals?
Here's a quick test.The Standard Rules for Forming the Plurals
The table below shows the standard rules for forming the plurals of nouns in English.Type | Example of Type | Forming the Plural | Plural |
---|---|---|---|
Most Nouns | ![]() ![]() |
add s | ![]() ![]() |
Noun Ending s, sh, ch, x or z | ![]() ![]() |
add es | ![]() ![]() |
Nouns ending [consonant] o | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
add either s or es (There are no rules for this - you have to know.) |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
Nouns ending [vowel] o | ![]() ![]() |
add s | ![]() ![]() |
Nouns ending [consonant] y | ![]() ![]() |
change the y to an i and add es | ![]() ![]() |
Nouns ending [vowel] y | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
add s | ![]() ![]() |
Nouns ending f or fe | ![]() ![]() |
ves and/or s (There are no rules - you have to know.) |
![]() ![]() |
Nouns ending ff or ffe | ![]() ![]() |
add s |
![]() ![]() |
Exceptions | ![]() ![]() |
some nouns undergo a vowel or letters change | ![]() ![]() |
More exceptions | ![]() ![]() |
some nouns do not change at all | ![]() ![]() |
Why Is There Confusion over the Plural of Cliff?
All nouns ending "ff" or "ffe" (e.g., cliff, giraffe) just add an "s." Some writers confuse these nouns with nouns ending "f" or "fe" (e.g., wolf, knife), whose rules for forming the plurals are not straightforward.You might also like...
Unusual pluralsPlural forming table
Quirks with forming plurals
Forming the plurals of abbreviations
Forming the plurals of compound nouns
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