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Plural of Mongoose
The Quick Answer
The plural of "mongoose" is "mongooses" or "mongeese."The Plural of Mongoose
The plural of "mongoose" is "mongooses" or "mongeese."- Mongooses live in southern Asia, Africa, and southern Europe.
- Mongeese mostly feed on insects, crabs, earthworms, lizards, birds, and rodents.
("Mongeese" is not a common plural but is cited as an alternative plural in many leading dictionaries.)
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 |  mongoose scythe |
add s | mongooses scythes |
| Noun Ending s, sh, ch, x or z | bus dress |
add es | buses 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 | mongoose louse
|
some nouns undergo a vowel or letters change |
mongeese lice |
| More exceptions | salmon sheep
|
some nouns do not change at all | salmon sheep |
Why Is There Confusion over the Plural of Mongoose?
Confusion arises over the plural of "mongoose" because many believe that "mongeese" (formed using the plural of "goose") is an error.Both "mongooses" and "mongeese" are acceptable. Of note, "mongooses" is by far the more common plural. (See the evidence in Google's Ngram Viewer.)
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Suitable for: Teachers, advanced students, and business writers.
Description: Published by London's Octopus Publishing, "Smashing Grammar" is the third, and most comprehensive, grammar reference book written by Craig Shrives (the founder of the Grammar-Monster.com). It is divided into three sections:
Description: Published by London's Octopus Publishing, "Smashing Grammar" is the third, and most comprehensive, grammar reference book written by Craig Shrives (the founder of the Grammar-Monster.com). It is divided into three sections:
- A-Z Grammar Glossary (This section explains grammar terminology, from the basics to advanced terms. It is especially useful because every entry concludes with a valuable and succinct explanation of why the grammar term matters for a writer.)
- A-Z of Punctuation (Packed with entertaining examples, this section provides definitive, well-explained rules for using all the principal punctuation marks. Punctuation should not be guesswork. There are rules.)
- A-Z of Easily Confused Words (This section covers all the homonyms and near homonyms that plague writers and offers tips on how to remember which to use.)
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