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Ask for help > Can "believes" be the plural form of belief?
Can "believes" be the plural form of belief?
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Zsuzsapszi
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Can "believes" be the plural form of belief?
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Hi again,
This time I need your kind help again. Hope you have some time to answer my question.
As I learnt all nouns ending with -f or -fe get -ves endings in plural.
But I came across this example belief - beliefs.
I can �t understand why it is right. And can believes be the plural form as well?
Hope you can give me a good explanation to my question.
Thanks in advance.
Hugs,
Susan |
18 Jan 2011
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viccxx
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Dear Susan,
the plural of belief is beliefs. The rule is correct, but it has some exceptions, like roof-roofs, chief-chiefs, and belief -beliefs....
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18 Jan 2011
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erikaandel
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Hello, I believe some words just don �t follow the rules, they �re just exceptions.
The plural of the noun belief is beliefs.
Some nouns that end in �f � are exceptions to the rule that states that �f � needs to be changed
to a �ve � and add �s � (e.g. chief - chiefs).
The word believes is used as a verb, e.g. "He has many beliefs in which he believes."
More examples: cliff cliffs , roof roofs
I hope it helps  Erika
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18 Jan 2011
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ldthemagicman
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Dear Susan,
"As I learnt all nouns ending with -f or -fe get -ves endings in plural".
Susan, THEY DO NOT!
Quirk (and 5 other Professors), 2010, "A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language" list the Rules.
Nouns which take a Plural ending in �ves �, calf: calves; elf: elves; half: halves; knife: knives; leaf: leaves; life: lives; loaf: loaves; self: selves; sheaf: sheaves; shelf: shelves; thief: thieves; wife: wives; wolf: wolves.
Nouns which take 2 possible Plurals, ending in �s � and �ves �, dwarf: dwarfs/dwarves; hoof: hoofs/hooves; scarf: scarfs/scarves; wharf: wharfs/wharves.
Other nouns ending in f(e), take regular plural �s �, belief: beliefs; chief: chiefs; cliff: cliffs; proof: proofs; roof: roofs; safe: safes.
The answer from VICCXX is perfectly correct!
I hope that this helps you.
LES |
18 Jan 2011
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pilarmham
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Les, your explanations are definitely the most thorough, rigorous and credible of all. You �re one in 1,000 million! |
19 Jan 2011
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PhilipR
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English is indeed a language that has plenty of exceptions. Think about this:
leaf -> leaves, BUT the Toronto Maple Leafs (a hockey team) life -> lives, BUT a lowlife -> lowlifes |
19 Jan 2011
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cheezels
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Do you know in NZ we say rooves not roofs? I didn �t know we were different until I moved to Europe!
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19 Jan 2011
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magneto
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Yep, it �s beliefs.
@Les: Your answers are always the best!
Needless to say, I try to keep an archive of them...You never know when they might come in handy: Students never seize to ask and we never seize to wonder
@Philip and Cheezels: Interesting info! Thanks for sharing!
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19 Jan 2011
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