pencils
The plural of "pencil" is pencils.
Most English nouns form the plural by adding -s, and pencil follows this rule.
Meaning: a tool for writing or drawing, with a lead in the middle (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
Use a plural verb with pencils: the pencils are. The possessive plural adds only an apostrophe: pencils'.
How do you pronounce it?
pencil is pronounced /ˈpɛnsəl/. The plural ending sounds like /z/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use an apostrophe to make a plural. pencils means more than one, while an apostrophe shows that something belongs to someone.
Did you know?
- The -s plural goes back to the Old English ending -as, which belonged to only one group of nouns, as in stānas, "stones". By the end of the Middle Ages it had spread to almost every noun.
Examples in context
- I need two pencils.Singular: I need a pencil.
- Colored pencils are good for drawing.Singular: A colored pencil is good for drawing.
