What’s the plural of “tongs”?
Please hand me the tongs.
I need a pair of tongs for the barbecue.
I need a tong.
The tongs is on the counter.
Tongs are a plural-only noun in English. Because tongs are comprised of parts or pieces, English reflects this by keeping tongs plural only.
What’s the singular of tongs?
Tongs are made up of parts, and are only a plural noun with no singular noun form. To refer to tongs as a singular noun, however, you might say ‘hand me a pair of tongs.’
What are tongs?
Merriam-Webster defines tongs as:
A device used for picking up objects, consisting of two long pieces joined at one end and pressed together at the other end in order to hold an object between them: coal tongs; a pair of tongs.
“tongs” is plural-only, visualize a pair of tongs—two parts joined—and associate it with other inherently paired items, like scissors or eyeglasses, which also lack singular forms.
Plural-only nouns
These nouns are, for the most part, plural-only nouns with no singular noun form. Similar to tongs, these objects and items are made up of parts/pieces:
Plural-only/non-singular nouns. By Gflex on Canva.
Plural-only noun, tongs, used in sentences:
1. He held tongs into the fire.
2. Use tongs to turn to cook the other side.
3. Use tongs to remove the can from the fire.
4. The smith used the tongs to pick up the horseshoe.
5. We were going hammer and tongs there for three hours.
Origin of the word tongs
From etymology online on tongs (n.):
Old English tange, tang “tongs, pincers, foreceps, instrument for holding and lifting,” from Proto-Germanic *tango.
Work Sheet
According to the blog post, the noun “tongs” is primarily used in what number?
Which of the following is the grammatically correct way to refer to a single tool used for picking up objects, as described in the post?
The blog post compares “tongs” to other nouns that are also typically plural-only. Which group includes such nouns?
According to the usage note, which sentence is grammatically INCORRECT?
If “tongs” is a plural noun, which verb form should agree with it?
Please hand me the from the drawer.
She used to pick up the hot coals.
The hanging by the fireplace.
We need for flipping the burgers.
The blacksmith uses heavy to handle the hot metal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the singular of tongs?
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Is ‘tongs’ singular or plural?
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Can I say “a tong”?
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How do I refer to one tongs?
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What verb goes with tongs?
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Yash, D. "What’s the Singular of Tongs?." Grammarflex, Jun 10, 2025, https://www.grammarflex.com/whats-the-singular-of-tongs/.
Sources
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Definition of tongs.
