What’s the plural of “sheep”?
If you’ve been keeping up with your regularly scheduled grammar–flexing, you’d definitely know by now that if you’re saying sheeps, it’s because you’re using it the third-person present singular (and not as the plural of sheep). The consensus on the plural of sheep is as follows:
- The plural of sheep is sheep.
- Sheeps is incorrect, and a commonly mistaken plural for the sheep.
| Sentence examples with “sheep” | |
| singular | The disobedient sheep would not follow the shepherd. |
| plural | These leaves are toxic to cattle and sheep. |
This makes sheep an irregular noun; regular nouns add “s” or “es” to switch to plural; e.g., cats, tables, dresses.
Nouns that stay the same singular & plural
Some nouns show no change between their singular and plural noun forms, like sheep, deer and moose (to name a few).
With nouns that are identical singular and plural, we determine the subject’s count from other grammatical aspects in the sentence (such as verb forms, or collective noun terms). The chart below shows other irregular nouns that show no change between their singular and plural forms.
“Sheep”, used in sentences as a plural
Black sheep are much rarer than white sheep.
A a flock of sheep are in the field behind the house.
Expect to spot sheep, elk, deer, moose, coyote and many winter birds during your ski.
We ate yoghurt made from sheep’s milk.
My father works on a sheep farm.
Other examples of sentences with “sheep”
The majority of the species of Acacia are edible and serve as reserve fodder for sheep and cattle.
The failure of the crops was almost universal and large numbers of sheep and cattle perished for want of food.
It wasn’t necessary to count sheep.
Pigs, sheep and goats are also kept in considerable numbers.
Enormous flocks of sheep are kept in the deserts around Bukhara.
Phrases with “sheep”
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| a wolf in sheep’s clothing | said of something that appears harmless but is in fact dangerous or bad |
| black sheep of the family | one that’s different from the other family members, or feels like the odd one out |
| to make sheep’s eyes | to give someone a doting look |
| it’s a foolish sheep that makes the wolf his confessor | make sure you trust those you confide in |
| hanged for a sheep as a lamb | meaning the punishment will be the same regardless of the crime |
| if one sheep leaps over the ditch, all the rest will follow | if one person takes a dangerous risk others will follow |
Names for male, female, and baby sheep
Female sheep and goats are ewes (/juː/), an intact male is a ram, and sometimes a tup. Castrated male sheep are wethers, and young sheep are lambs.
What do you call a group of sheep?
The common term to refer to a group of sheep is flock. Less common is a “herd of sheep“. Typically, shepherds (sheep–herders) herds the flock of sheep back into their pens. This is the difference between a flock of sheep, and a herd of sheep (it’s a subtle difference, to be sure).
Read more on plural nouns
- What’s the plural of bison?
- What’s the plural of moose?
- What’s the plural of sheep?
- What’s the plural of ox?
- What’s the plural of cactus?
- What’s the plural of crisis?
- What’s the plural of hypothesis?
Sources
- The Elk House
- The difference between a flock of sheep and a herd of sheep?
- Plural of animals quiz
- “it’s a foolish sheep that makes the wolf his confessor.” Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. 2015. Farlex, Inc 18 Dec. 2023
