Plural of Jellyfish
The Quick Answer
The plural of "jellyfish" is "jellyfish" or "jellyfishes." (If you're talking about the number of jellyfish (possibly of the same type), use "jellyfish." If you're talking about the number of different types, use "jellyfishes.")The Plural of Jellyfish
The first thing to note about "jellyfish" is that it is one word, not two. Forming the plural of "jellyfish" follows the same rules as for fish, which can be "fish" or "fishes." Similarly, the plural of "jellyfish" is "jellyfish" or "jellyfishes."- There are five jellyfish in the tank. (This is correct if there are five of them, either of the same type or different types.)
- The aquarium has five jellyfishes at the moment. (In this example, there are five different types of jellyfishes. There might be hundreds of jellyfish.)
Table of Contents
- Are You Good at Plurals?
- The Standard Rules for Forming the Plurals
- Why Is There Confusion over the Plural of Jellyfish?
- Ready for the Test?
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 | cat scythe |
add s | cats scythes |
Noun Ending s, sh, ch, x or z | jellyfish dress |
add es | jellyfishes dresses |
Nouns ending [consonant] o | mango zero tomato |
add either s or es (There are no rules for this - you have to know.) |
mangoes or mangos 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 knife |
ves and/or s (There are no rules - you have to know.) |
dwarfs knives |
Exceptions | goose louse |
some nouns undergo a vowel or letters change | geese lice |
More exceptions | salmon jellyfish |
some nouns do not change at all | salmon jellyfish |
Why Is There Confusion over the Plural of Jellyfish?
Confusion arises because people encounter both "jellyfish" and "jellyfishes" but fail to recognize the context in which each word is used. Remember that it is the same as for "fish."Learning Resources
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