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Plural of Halo
The Quick Answer
The plural of halo is halos or haloes.The Plural of Halo
The plural of halo is halos or haloes.- Halos are most often depicted as golden, yellow, white, or red when flames are depicted.
- Plain round haloes are typically used to signify saints.
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 Halo?
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:- Kangaroo becomes kangaroos.
- Piano becomes pianos.
- Embargo becomes embargoes.
- Torpedo becomes torpedoes.
- Volcano becomes volcanoes or volcanos.
- Echo becomes echoes or echos.
Though halos and haloes are both accepted plurals, halos is the more common of the two. (See the difference in Google's Ngram Viewer.)
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:- Sweet potatoe's are a good source of magnesium.
- Sweet potatoes are a good source of magnesium.
Read more about using apostrophes.
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