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Plural of Volcano
The Quick Answer
The plural of "volcano" is "volcanoes" or "volcanos."The Plural of Volcano
The plural of "volcano" is "volcanoes" or "volcanos."- The study of volcanoes is called volcanology.
- Volcanos are often considered to be extinct if there are no written records of its activity.
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 Volcano?
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."
- "Halo" becomes "haloes" or "halos."
- "Echo" becomes "echoes" or "echos."
Even though "volcanoes" and "volcanos" are both accepted plurals, "volcanoes" is by far 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:- The tomato's were ripe.
- The tomatoes were ripe.
Read more about using apostrophes.
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