The_mystic_dude Posted 22 years ago
Grammar
Plural of shrimp
Hi everybody!
I was wondering if there is a plural of the word "shrimp", is it like "fish-fish" or is the plural shrimps? Do you say: 1 shrimp, 2 shrimp, 3 shrimp, or do make it "shrimps" out of it?
Do you say "shrimp cocktail" or "shrimps cocktail"?
Thanks,
Walter
I was wondering if there is a plural of the word "shrimp", is it like "fish-fish" or is the plural shrimps? Do you say: 1 shrimp, 2 shrimp, 3 shrimp, or do make it "shrimps" out of it?
Do you say "shrimp cocktail" or "shrimps cocktail"?
Thanks,
Walter
Top answer
Hello, Walter Shrimp is a countable noun and has a regular plural: 1 shrimp, 2 shrimps. At a restaurant, you can order one shrimp cocktail or two shrimp cocktails. It's like potato salad or apple pie.
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Hello, Walter 
Shrimp is a countable noun and has a regular plural: 1 shrimp, 2 shrimps.
At a restaurant, you ca
Shrimp is a countable noun and has a regular plural: 1 shrimp, 2 shrimps.
At a restaurant, you ca
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What Miriam said is correct, however there is another plural form of "shrimp" which is "shrimp". So yes, if using that form it is like "fish-fish", and you would say "1 shrimp", "2 shrimp", "100 shrimp".
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Ok, thanks a lot to both of you!
But now I am as clever as I was before. I understand that it's a word that one can count, but one can also count fish, can't one? E.g.: Yesterday I had fish for lunch and fish for dinner. So I had two fish yesterday. One doesn't say, so I had two fishes yesterday, does one?
So maybe the problem is easier to solve with an example. Would you say
But now I am as clever as I was before. I understand that it's a word that one can count, but one can also count fish, can't one? E.g.: Yesterday I had fish for lunch and fish for dinner. So I had two fish yesterday. One doesn't say, so I had two fishes yesterday, does one?
So maybe the problem is easier to solve with an example. Would you say
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Incidentally, "fishes" is the alternative plural form of "fish". But it's seldom used.
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I thought 'fishes' was used when referring to different species of fish.
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Yes, that would be the most common use. But it isn't required that "fishes" be used when talking about different species.
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As long as we're tutoring others in the language, let's make sure to be extra careful about spelling as well. Pealed refers to the sound a bell made (past tense). To peal is to ring -- as in "It is pleasant to hear the bells peal in the afternoon." The proper spelling for the word describing the act of removing an unwanted portion of a food (such as a shell or hard out
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Therefore: "This packet contains 25 peeled and salted shrimp."I'd be inclined to disagree. I would use 'shrimps' in this context.
MrP
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Maybe this is a British/American difference. I just checked several grocery ads, and all refer to "shrimp", not "shrimps." ("Large Cooked Tail-on Shrimp," "Easy Peel White Shrimp," "Freshwater Jumbo Shrimp," "Jumbo, Cooked, Peeled Cocktail Shrimp" and -- brace yourselves -- "Raw Shell On EZ Peel Shrimp." All of these packages contain more than one shrimp.
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