Plural of Cliff

The Quick Answer

The plural of "cliff" is "cliffs."

The Plural of Cliff

The plural of "cliff" is "cliffs."
  • Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, in escarpments, and along rivers. correct tick
  • Some of the largest cliffs on Earth are found underwater. correct tick
The noun "cliff" adheres to the standard rules for forming the plurals of nouns in English (shown in the table below).

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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 (small British flag)
donkey
add s storeys
donkeys
Nouns ending f or fe leaf
safe
ves and/or s
(There are no rules - you have to know.)
leaves
safes
Nouns ending ff or ffe giraffe
cliff
add s
giraffes
cliffs
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
Read more about English spelling rules.

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.
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This page was written by Craig Shrives.