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Plural of Phenomenon
The Quick Answer
The plural of "phenomenon" is "phenomena."The Plural of Phenomenon
The plural of "phenomenon" is "phenomena."- The phenomena of light refraction and reflection are still being studied.
- The phenomena observed in this study were significant.
Table of Contents
- Are You Good at Plurals?
- The Standard Rules for Forming the Plurals
- Why Is There Confusion over the Plural of Phenomenon?
- 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 | ![]() ![]() |
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 | ![]() ![]() |
Foreign rulings | ![]() ![]() |
some nouns adopt foreign rulings | ![]() ![]() |
Why Is There Confusion over the Plural of Phenomenon?
Confusion arises over the plural of "phenomenon" because its original plural form ("phenomena") derives from Greek, and native English speakers are drawn to "phenomenons," which adheres to the standard ruling for forming plurals.While many will consider "phenomenons" a spelling error, the situation is more complicated than that because "phenomenons" is gradually creeping into the language as an acceptable plural. The confusion is compounded by the following guidance, which is offered by a number of sources (most notably the Merriam-Webster's Dictionary): "Phenomenon" has two possible plurals, depending on the meaning of "phenomenon":
- "Phenomena" is the far more common plural. It is used when "phenomenon" means "an observable fact or event."
- "Phenomenons" is a rare plural. It is used when "phenomenon" means "an exceptional, unusual, or abnormal person, things, or occurrence."
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