What Is the Plural of Sheep?
The Quick Answer
The plural of "sheep" is "sheep."- Sheep are raised for fleece, meat, and milk.
- In both ancient and modern religious ritual, sheep are used as sacrificial animals.
Table of Contents
- Are You Good at Plurals?
- The Standard Rules for Forming the Plurals
- Why Is There Confusion over the Plural of Sheep?
- 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 | 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 | goose louse |
some nouns undergo a vowel or letters change | geese lice |
More exceptions | salmon sheep |
some nouns do not change at all | salmon sheep |
Why Is There Confusion over the Plural of Sheep?
"Sheep" is the only way to make the noun "sheep" plural.Confusion arises because "sheep" remains unchanged in its plural form. Unfortunately, there is no clever way of knowing which nouns follow this rule. You have to know.
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