Skip to content

Is Data Singular or Plural?

Last Updated

Is “data” plural or singular?

The singular of data is datum. Data is plural, and the more commonly used of the two.

👍🏼Usage Note

I have known her for five years. (present perfect)
She knew the answer immediately. (simple past)
I have knew her for five years. (incorrect past participle)
She has know the answer. (incorrect verb form)

What the definition of data?

According to the Online Dictionary, the word data is understood as:

individual facts, statistics, or items of information. For example, “These data represent the results of our analyses.”

What’s the plural of data?

Data is plural. Datum is singular of data.

💡Study Tip

Practice using the verb in different tenses with example sentences to memorize the correct forms.

Nouns that end in -um/-a

singular plural
phenomenon phenomena or phenomenons
criterion criteria
bacterion bacteria
medium media
datum data
spectrum spectra or spectrums

Examples of data used in context

1. Here, we draw together recent data on diverse centriole movements to decipher common themes in how centrioles move.

2. In newer sites, these flight progress strips have been replaced by electronic data presented on computer screens.

3. According to data from 2008, the cosmetic industry has grown constantly in France for 40 consecutive years.

4. There is little data on their life span, but it is believed to be at least fifty years, and some may live more than a century.

5. One way this is visible is from data on church marriages during the 19th century.

Examples of datum in context:

The following sentences show the correct use of the word datum in context:

1. The journal’s continuous pagination through each volume makes this datum redundant, of course.

2. The lame argument for using this datum is that some of the paper maps were based on it.

3. The weblike character of the text means that each datum will ramify in implications throughout.

4. That becomes just another datum assumed when choosing amongst alternative choices.

5. As noted above, multiple lines of evidence are preferable to dependence upon a single datum or technique.

O‍rigin of the word data

From etymonline on data:

1640s, “a fact given or granted,” classical plural of datum, from Latin datum “(thing) given”.

What’re personal pronouns?

What’s the difference between they’re, their, and there?

Whose vs who’s?

Worksheet

Question 1 of 10

What is the plural of ‘i’?




What is the plural of ‘i’?




What is the plural of ‘i’?




Which is grammatically correct?




What makes a sentence grammatically correct?




Question 6: What is the main focus of this grammar content?




Question 7: Which is most important for proper grammar?




Question 8: Grammar rules help with:




Question 9: What is the main focus of this grammar content?




Question 10: Which is most important for proper grammar?




Which aspect is most important when learning grammar?

How can you improve your grammar skills?



Frequently Asked Questions

What are literary devices?
+

Techniques writers use to enhance their writing and convey messages effectively.

How do literary devices differ from rhetorical devices?
+

Literary devices are specific to creative writing, while rhetorical devices are broader.

Why should I learn about literary devices?
+

They help you understand and appreciate literature more deeply.

Can I use literary devices in my own writing?
+

Yes, they can make your writing more engaging and effective.

What’s the best way to remember different devices?
+

Practice identifying them in texts you read regularly.

Sources

  1. Example sentences are from word hippo, datum/data.
  2. Origin of the word data.
  3. Definition of data.

Grammar Expert. "Is Data Singular Or Plural." GrammarFlex, May 30, 2025, http://www.grammarflex.com/is-data-singular-or-plural/.

The latest from the Grammarflex blog

From grammar and writing to style and clarity, our experts tackle the biggest questions in English and content creation.