shies
The plural of "shy" is shies.
When a noun ends in a consonant followed by y, the y changes to i and -es is added: shies.
Meaning: a quick throw, or a sudden jump made by a frightened horse (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
Use a plural verb with shies: the shies are. The possessive plural adds only an apostrophe: shies'.
How do you pronounce it?
shy is pronounced /ʃaɪ/. The plural ending sounds like /z/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
As a noun, shy is rare. Most people know it as an adjective, which has no plural.
Did you know?
- The y changes to ies only after a consonant. After a vowel the y stays: days, keys, boys.
Examples in context
- The horse gave two shies at the noise.Singular: The horse gave a shy at the noise.
- He had three shies at the coconuts.Singular: He had a shy at the coconuts.
