39 plural forms that might confuse writers
There are some weird rules about making certain words plural. Take note so you never mistake them.
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Some of the most maddening exceptions occur with spelling rules. For instance, it’s “i before e except after c”—unless it’s the fourth Thursday and there’s a full moon, right?
So, let’s look at “weird” plurals. And I say “weird” because pluralization is not always about adding an “s.”
With the singular form listed first, here are some words you can’t make plural just by adding an “s”:
• syllabus
• syllabi
• diagnosis
• diagnoses
• radius
• radii
• stratum
• strati
• nucleus
• nuclei
• focus
• foci
• fungus
• fungi
• crisis
• crises
• criterion
• criteria
• index
• indices
• appendix
• appendices
• ox
• oxen
• schema
• schemata
• seraph
• seraphim
• tableau
• tableaux
• die
• dice
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