Plural of Bus
The Quick Answer
The plural of "bus" is "buses." ("Busses" is an archaic plural now considered a spelling mistake.)The Plural of Bus
The plural of "bus" is "buses."- Business opportunities are like buses, there's always another one coming. (Richard Branson)
- People who want to understand democracy should spend less time in the library and more time on the buses. (Simeon Strunsky)
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 | lamp scythe |
add s | lamps scythes |
Noun Ending s, sh, ch, x or z | bus dress |
add es | buses dresses |
Nouns ending [consonant] o | hero zero tomato |
add either s or es (There are no rules for this - you have to know.) |
heroes zeros tomatoes |
Nouns ending [vowel] o | patio ratio |
add s | patios ratios |
Nouns ending [consonant] y | story penny |
change the y to an i and add es | stories pennies |
Nouns ending [vowel] y | storey () donkey |
add s | storeys donkeys |
Nouns ending f or fe | dwarf hoof |
ves and/or s (There are no rules - you have to know.) |
dwarfs hooves or hoofs |
Exceptions | man louse |
some nouns undergo a vowel or letters change |
men lice |
More exceptions | salmon sheep |
some nouns do not change at all | salmon sheep |
Buses or Busses?
"Busses" has not been widely accepted as the plural of "bus" since the 1900s. In modern-day English, "buses" is the accepted plural of "bus."Confusion arises not only because of the historical plural "busses" but also because "buses" could feasibly be pronounced "booses" and so some writers, knowing how "buses" should be pronounced, opt for "busses."
Of note, "busses" is the plural of "buss" (a North American term for a kiss).
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