How to pronounce scientific plurals
Practice analyses, criteria, appendices, and other plurals whose endings are easy to misread.
Practice goal: Hear the difference between the two singular–plural pairs and recognize the other listed plural endings.
Hear the change at the end
Compare one analysis with several analyses. Both stress NAL, but the plural ends in eez. Then compare one criterion with several criteria: criteria ends in a light uh vowel rather than n.
Do not add an extra plural sound
These words are already plural in the uses practiced here. Practice antennae as an-TEN-ee and cacti as KAK-ty, without adding a z at the end. For vertebrae, practice a final bray, rhyming with day. Other accepted endings are listed on the word pages.
Allow for dictionary variants
Borrowed plurals can have more than one accepted English pronunciation. Cacti and fungi are examples. Compare their vowel and consonant alternatives on the word pages; the quiz includes questions about these differences.
Your listening list
12 wordsChoose a word to hear it in an APG video.
Two singular–plural comparisons
Say each adjacent pair and listen to its ending. A change from singular to plural need not change the main stress.
analysis
/əˈnælɪsɪs/
Stress the second syllable.
Stress NAL. The singular ends with an s sound; compare analyses, whose ending sounds like eez.
Watch analysis →analyses
/əˈnæləˌsiz/
The plural ends with an “eez” sound.
Stress NAL and finish with eez. Compare the shorter ending of the singular analysis.
Watch analyses →criterion
/kɹaɪˈtɪɹiən/
Stress the second syllable and keep the final “n.”
Use four vowel beats, with the second strongest. Its ending includes a light vowel before n, which distinguishes it from the final vowel of criteria.
Watch criterion →criteria
/kɹaɪˈtɪɹiə/
Give “tir” the strongest beat.
Keep the opening long i lighter, then move through ee into a light final uh.
Watch criteria →
An eez, ee, or eye ending
Appendices and phalanges end with a voiced z. Practice antennae with an ee ending and alveoli with an eye ending, without adding a final z.
appendices
/əˈpɛndɪˌsiz/
uh-PEN-dih-seez: end with a voiced z.
The c sounds like s, followed by a long ee vowel. Keep the main stress on PEN while allowing the plural ending to remain audible.
Watch appendices →phalanges
/fəˈlæn.d͡ʒiz/
fuh-LAN-jeez: end the plural with a voiced z.
The ph sounds like f, and the g sounds like j. Keep the main stress on LAN and the final ee lighter.
Watch phalanges →antennae
/ænˈtɛni/
an-TEN-ee: the plural ending sounds like ee.
The middle syllable takes the main stress and has the short e of “pen.” The final ae does not sound like a separate a followed by e.
Watch antennae →alveoli
/ælˈvi.əl.aɪ/
al-VEE-uh-ly: stress VEE.
In al-VEE-uh-ly, keep a light uh before the final long i of “my.” The ending is ly, with no extra z after it.
Watch alveoli →
Three different final vowels
Practice cacti and fungi with endings that rhyme with my, vertebrae with an ending that rhymes with day, and automata with a light final uh. Cacti, fungi, and vertebrae also have other accepted pronunciations; compare the alternatives on their word pages.
cacti
/ˈkæktaɪ/
Stress CAK.
Keep k and t together. The final vowel can sound like my or see.
Watch cacti →vertebrae
/ˈvɝtəˌbɹeɪ/
Keep the primary stress on “ver.”
Use three syllables and a secondary beat on the final bray. Keep the middle vowel light, and pronounce the ending ae with the long a vowel of day.
Watch vertebrae →fungi
/ˈfʌndʒaɪ/
FUN-jy uses the j sound in jam.
Stress the first syllable and finish with the vowel in my. Other dictionary pronunciations are listed below.
Watch fungi →automata
/ɔˈtɑmətə/
aw-TAH-muh-tuh: this plural stresses TAH.
The ending has two light uh vowels. Keep the opening aw less prominent than the stressed ah that follows it.
Watch automata →
Test these pronunciations
Try 8 questions from this guide. Each answer includes an APG video, dictionary reference, and explanation.
Try this guide’s quiz →Sources & classroom use
Each listening tip follows the IPA shown beside its word. Other dictionary pronunciations appear on the word page; individual speakers may vary.
Practice phrases were written for these exercises; quoted book passages remain in the separate, sourced book sections. These guides and practice notes are available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Credit American Pronunciation Guide and retain the linked dictionary attributions. Videos and other reference material keep their own terms.
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