Goose, Geese and Moose: Irregular Plurals
In short: “Geese” is an old vowel-change plural, like “feet” and “teeth.” “Moose” came into English much later, and its plural is just “moose.”
English plurals are strange! “Goose” becomes “geese,” but “moose” stays “moose.” Why? Goose is a very old word that followed a vowel-change rule (like foot → feet). Moose, however, comes from Native American languages, which don’t follow that rule. So next time you see two moose, just say “two moose”—not “meese”!
How to use it
A few very old English words make the plural by changing the vowel: foot/feet, tooth/teeth, goose/geese, mouse/mice, man/men, woman/women. Some animal words don’t change at all: sheep, deer, moose and, usually, fish. “Moose” was borrowed from an Algonquian (Native American) language in the 1600s, long after the vowel-change pattern had stopped making new plurals.
Examples
- We saw two moose near the road in Canada.
- A group of geese was blocking the bike path.
- There are mice in the garage again.
A common mistake
Don’t add s to these words. Say two moose, geese and sheep, not “mooses,” “gooses” or “sheeps.” And “meese” is only a joke, not a real word.
Say it out loud
Tabbi Daily gives you one short lesson like this every day. Listen, record yourself and hear how you sound. Free, no account needed.
Source: Proofed