Can You Pluralize These Words?

Can You Pluralize These Words?

by Berris
(Ontario, Canada)

My questions are:

1) Can you pluralize (make plural) the word "Money"?

For example:

"All the monies are paid," or "All the money is paid."

Which of these is proper English?

2) Can you pluralize the word "Land"?

For example:

"Did the document mention all the lands?" or "Did the document mention all the land?"

Thanks!

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Mar 15, 2013
Answer
by: Chelsey

The correct way to say your examples:

"All the monies are paid," or "All the money is paid."

It depends on the context.

1. All the monies are paid.

Use this sentence if you are talking about separate amounts of money being deposited by several people into one account. This is not very common but is used in financial contexts. It is more formal.

2. All the money is paid.

Use this sentence and form of “money” if you are generally talking about money being paid by one person. For example, maybe you were making payments on a car and have paid it off.

"Did the document mention all the lands?" or "Did the document mention all the land?"

1. Did the document mention all the lands.

This would be used to refer to separate sections of land, probably owned by different people. This is not very common, but is correct.

2. Did the document mention all the land.

This sentence is correct and is more common. It would probably refer to all pieces of land owned by one person or company.

Mar 15, 2013
Some More
by: Chelsey

Yes, you can make “money” and “land” plural.

The plural of money is monies or moneys.

The plural form of money is not a commonly used word.

It is mostly used in financial contexts to refer to separate amounts of money that are combined to make a larger fund.

Examples using “monies”
1. The contributors deposited their monies into a joint account.
2. The company will use monies to invest in the business.

In everyday speech and writing, you should probably use money as both a singular and plural word.

Examples
1. Do you have any money for the trip?
2. I deposited the money into your bank account.
3. Can you loan me some money?

The plural of land is lands.

Lands refers to multiple sections of land.

This is not a commonly used word.

Examples using “lands”
1. The American people came here from many different lands.
(They moved here from different countries.)
2. The King’s lands extended as far as I could see.

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