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Plural of Embargo
The Quick Answer
The plural of embargo is embargoes.The Plural of Embargo
The plural of embargo is embargoes.- Trade embargoes are typically motivated by political, economic, moral, or environmental reasons.
- The US embargo on Cuba remains one of the longest-standing embargoes.
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.) |
![]() ![]() |
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 Embargo?
There is confusion because the rule for forming plurals with nouns ending in o isn't straightforward. Most nouns will just add an s. For example:- Solo becomes solos.
- Piano becomes pianos.
- Tomato becomes tomatoes.
- Potato becomes potatoes.
- Volcano becomes volcanoes or volcanos.
- Buffalo becomes buffaloes or buffalos.
Beware
Don't Use an Apostrophe to Form a Plural
Adding 's is never an option when forming the plural of a noun. Despite this simple rule, inexperienced writers often feel compelled to add an apostrophe, especially when the noun ends with a vowel (e.g., piano, tomato, emu). For example:- The emu's were hungry.
- The emus were hungry.
Read more about using apostrophes.
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