Is It Shoes Or Shoe?

Written ByKevin K. Shaw Last Updated on: Shoes
Is It Shoes Or Shoe?

Whether to use “shoes” or “shoe” depends on whether you are referring to one shoe or two or more shoes.

  • Shoe is singular and refers to one individual footwear item. For example:
    • I need to tie my shoe.
    • Can you please put on your shoe?
    • I bought a new shoe today.
  • Shoes is plural and refers to two or more footwear items. For example:
    • I need to buy new shoes.
    • Please put on your shoes.
    • There are a pair of shoes on the floor.

Some examples of how to use “shoes” and “shoe” in sentences:

  • I have a pair of black shoes that I wear for work.
  • I need to get my shoes repaired.
  • The shoe store is having a sale.
  • I lost one of my shoes on the bus.
  • Please take off your shoes before you come inside.
  • The child was wearing a pair of red shoes.

What is the correct plural form of “shoe”?

The correct plural form of “shoe” is shoes.

Here are some examples of how to use the plural form of “shoe” in a sentence:

  • I need to buy new shoes.
  • Please put on your shoes.
  • There are a pair of shoes on the floor.
  • The shoe store is having a sale.
  • I lost one of my shoes on the bus.
  • Please take off your shoes before you come inside.
  • The child was wearing a pair of red shoes.

The archaic plural form of “shoe” is shoon, but it is rarely used today.

Note: When referring to a pair of shoes, we still use the plural form “shoes”. For example:

  • I bought a new pair of shoes.
  • Please put on your shoes.
  • There are a pair of shoes on the floor.

This is because the word “pair” is grammatically singular, but semantically plural. It means two or more things, but it is treated as a single unit.

Also Read:

Can you explain the grammatical rule behind the pluralization of “shoe”?

The general rule for forming the plural of English nouns is to add an s to the end of the singular noun. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, and one of those exceptions is nouns that end in sh, ch, s, or x.

For nouns that end in sh, ch, s, or x, the plural is formed by adding es to the end of the singular noun. This is to make the pronunciation of the plural form easier.

For example:

  • fish → fishes
  • church → churches
  • bus → buses
  • fox → foxes

The noun “shoe” ends in sh, so the plural form is formed by adding es to the end of the singular noun, giving us “shoes”.

Note: There are a few nouns that end in sh, ch, s, or x that do not follow this rule. For example, the plural of “dish” is “dishes”, not “disheses”.

Are there any exceptions to the rule for pluralizing “shoe”?

There are a few exceptions to the rule for pluralizing “shoe”.

  • Pair of shoes: When referring to a pair of shoes, we still use the plural form “shoes”. This is because the word “pair” is grammatically singular, but semantically plural. It means two or more things, but it is treated as a single unit.

For example:

I bought a new pair of shoes. Please put on your shoes. There is a pair of shoes on the floor.

  • Shoeboxes: The plural of “shoebox” is “shoeboxes”, not “shoebixes”.
  • Shoe sizes: The plural of a shoe size is the same as the singular form. For example, the plural of “size 7” is “size 7”.
  • Shoe brands: The plural of a shoe brand is the same as the singular form. For example, the plural of “Nike” is “Nike”.
  • Shoe types: The plural of a shoe type is the same as the singular form. For example, the plural of “sneaker” is “sneaker”.

Other than these exceptions, the plural of “shoe” is always “shoes”.

Also Read:

How does the plural form of “shoe” differ in various English dialects?

The plural form of “shoe” in various English dialects remains the same, i.e. shoes. It is a regular noun that follows the general pluralization rule of adding an s to the end of the singular noun.

Here are some examples of how the plural form of “shoe” is used in various English dialects:

  • American English: I need to buy new shoes.
  • British English: I need to buy new shoes.
  • Australian English: I need to buy new shoes.
  • Canadian English: I need to buy new shoes.
  • Indian English: I need to buy new shoes.
  • New Zealand English: I need to buy new shoes.
  • Singapore English: I need to buy new shoes.
  • South African English: I need to buy new shoes.

Are there similar examples in English where the plural form doesn’t follow the typical rules?

There are many other examples in English where the plural form doesn’t follow the typical rules. Here are a few examples:

  • Irregular plural nouns: These are nouns that have a different plural form than the one formed by adding an s or es to the end of the singular form. Some common examples include:
    • child → children
    • man → men
    • woman → women
    • foot → feet
    • tooth → teeth
    • mouse → mice
  • Zero plural nouns: These are nouns that have the same plural form as the singular form. Some common examples include:
    • sheep
    • fish
    • deer
    • moose
    • aircraft
    • spouse
  • Compound plural nouns: These are nouns that are made up of two or more words, and the plural form is formed by pluralizing the last word in the compound noun. Some common examples include:
    • mothers-in-law
    • fathers-in-law
    • attorneys general
    • courts-martial
    • men and women

It is also important to note that there are some nouns that have two or more plural forms, each with a slightly different meaning. For example:

  • Medium: The plural form “mediums” is used when referring to people who claim to be able to communicate with the dead. The plural form “media” is used when referring to the various ways in which information is communicated to the public, such as newspapers, television, and the internet.
  • Appendix: The plural form “appendices” is used when referring to the parts of the body that project from the main trunk, such as the appendix and the vermiform appendix. The plural form “appendixes” is used when referring to the parts of a book or other document that are added at the end, such as the appendix and the glossary.

It can be tricky to remember all of the different rules and exceptions for pluralizing nouns in English, but it is important to try to use the correct plural forms in your writing and speech.

Resources

Also Read:

Kevin K. Shaw is a fashion blogger who loves all things related to style, beauty and culture. He has been blogging for years now and he takes pride in his work.