Do you spell the plural of roof as “rooves” or “roofs”?

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ElusiveDoodle@reddit

Most writers easily avoid this by saying "rooftops". Crisis averted and nobodies spelling is offended.

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Active_Definition_57@reddit

I'm 58 and it has always been "roofs" as far as I am aware.

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I wsa taught it's hooves but roofs, quite specifically to be able to remember they 'disagree' in plural. I've never known it spelled rooves, & my autocorrect needs some persuasion too, to even type it.

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Glittering_Vast938@reddit (OP)

Rooves is still correct. https://preview.redd.it/2mib7pe8ma4h1.jpeg?width=1164&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d2b1b50010632b525be085b7f8475a3b44aed91e

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NortonBurns@reddit

Both rooves & hoofs are given as alternatives in some \[but not all\] dictionaries. In usage terms, rooves is almost nonexistent, and has been for over 200 years - [https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=Roofs%2Crooves&year\_start=1800&year\_end=2022&corpus=en&smoothing=3](https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=Roofs%2Crooves&year_start=1800&year_end=2022&corpus=en&smoothing=3) I have no idea why they would teach you that as the 'correct' spelling.

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Liambill@reddit

Roofs is generally accepted at the correct spelling but rooves is listed as an alternate spelling in the Oxford English Dictionary, so it's not wrong, it's just not the primary spelling.

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travelingwhilestupid@reddit

yes, TIL! "While *rooves* was once an acceptable alternative in the past, it is now considered archaic and incorrect in standard English." [https://www.reddit.com/r/grammar/comments/18agilq/plural\_of\_hoof\_hooves\_plural\_of\_roof\_roofs/](https://www.reddit.com/r/grammar/comments/18agilq/plural_of_hoof_hooves_plural_of_roof_roofs/)

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Ophiochos@reddit

I was taught either is ok at school in the 80s and now I’m ‘archaic’! That can FRO

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travelingwhilestupid@reddit

like.. the 80s .. from last millennium?

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Glittering_Vast938@reddit (OP)

Hoofs is also correct apparently though I’ve never seen that used! This is a 2008 Collins: https://preview.redd.it/ts0p9r61494h1.jpeg?width=2602&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2e3abface5f737ad66eb22cef731e9f9c3f7657d My old 80s Collins dictionary doesn’t mention the plural of roof at all.

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DisorderOfLeitbur@reddit

I would spell the plural roofs, but "He *rooves* his buildings with slate." Both pronounced the same

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Glittering_Vast938@reddit (OP)

Not “roofed”?

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Eclectika@reddit

Since we're here - how about the plurals of leaf or hoof?

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Glittering_Vast938@reddit (OP)

*Hoofs* or *Hooves* https://preview.redd.it/97ki3gz0694h1.jpeg?width=2602&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e2ed45548772ec8191ecae87d2abf7da68a70618

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shazhazel@reddit

what moron thinks rooves is corrrect lmzo

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dDtaK@reddit

Probably the same type of moron who uses alot, aswell, doesn’t know the difference between whose and who’s etc. Unfortunately a lot of people leave school with poor standards of literacy.

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Glittering_Vast938@reddit (OP)

I was taught the difference between *there*, *their* and *they’re* at school too. Also *too* and *to*.

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taknyos@reddit

Do you also say leafs, knifes, wolfs? Joking aside, I was also taught "rooves" as the plural.

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Glittering_Vast938@reddit (OP)

It is actually correct .

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Low-Captain1721@reddit

Uhmmm.. Roofs would be considered the correct plural spelling. Rooves did have usage however has drastically declined as 'correct' usage since the 18th century.

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Glittering_Vast938@reddit (OP)

I would say much later than that.

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tobotic@reddit

Ngrams suggests "rooves" has never been common. https://preview.redd.it/xonbf5cvo74h1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=99ba1fb7f4d8457db03d8d81bf5781564e85bb36

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LittleSadRufus@reddit

I wonder if it's a time period and regional thing. I'm 50s and was taught "rooves" in Yorkshire

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Glittering_Vast938@reddit (OP)

Seems we are getting ages 30-50 on this thread though and various parts of the UK.

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Low-Captain1721@reddit

Possibly yes. I think educational establishment possibly a factor too. More traditional education 40 years ago and Rooves maybe got a look in. My sister older than me & late forties. Private school and was taught both alternatives with Roofs as favourable.

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tobotic@reddit

Assuming you're referring to the 1750s, that seems to roughly correspond with my graph.

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Low-Captain1721@reddit

This is entirely correct. Rooves never been common however now virtually obselete

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Low-Captain1721@reddit

It's been a gradual decline in usage since to effectively zero now. I'm early forties & was taught Roofs.

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taknyos@reddit

I'm early 30s and was taught rooves. A few other people younger than me have commented the same.

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dDtaK@reddit

Some people may be getting confused with hoof -> hooves (which is correct), but rooves is not commonly used.

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Glittering_Vast938@reddit (OP)

Also “hoofs” is correct… https://preview.redd.it/duj8fl3s494h1.jpeg?width=2602&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1335f27fd99f2d36b1488c48f3537e712359b5fa (My Collins English dictionary- 2008)

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Glittering_Vast938@reddit (OP)

Definitely not.

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GaryJM@reddit

I was taught *rooves* at school in the 1980s. Fascinating that it seems to have abruptly been killed off by *roofs* but we still have *hooves, calves, elves, wolves, halves, leaves, knives,* etc.

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Glittering_Vast938@reddit (OP)

“Hoofs” is also correct according to my old dictionary though it looks comical!

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nffc_simon@reddit

Same. Seeing it written as “roofs” just looks wrong. Like an American simplification.

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Gloomy_Pastry@reddit

Radio 2 listener then as they were discussing this the other morning

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Glittering_Vast938@reddit (OP)

Which show was it please?

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Gloomy_Pastry@reddit

chat between vern and jeremy probably around 1130ish [https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002wfgl](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002wfgl) and then the main show, dont know if this was part of the discussion though [https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002wfgn](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002wfgn)

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Glittering_Vast938@reddit (OP)

Yes it’s 2:02:06 Vernan thought “rooves” too!

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Glittering_Vast938@reddit (OP)

Thanks - will see if I can find it.

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WavryWimos@reddit

Spelling: roofs Pronunciation: rooves Never even heard of it ever being spelled "rooves".

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Veegermind@reddit

Roofs is the uneducated version of rooves. Just feel sorry for the newly educated masses. They just don't know any better.

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nffc_simon@reddit

Yep. Lazy spelling imported from the septics unfortunately.

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tobotic@reddit

https://preview.redd.it/cwxqb9o2p74h1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8a2293009aaddb6df52ec840e8a9567d710e438b

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Veegermind@reddit

Sceptics?

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nffc_simon@reddit

Septic tanks

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Veegermind@reddit

Yanks!

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Ennochie@reddit

I'd never trust a native English speaker who spelled it "roofs".

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dDtaK@reddit

Strange statement when roofs is by far the more commonly used form in British English.

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Independent-Mine6668@reddit

And that's exactly the problem... " Common usage" has made people lazy with language and it dilutes standards leading us to the nonsense we see these days.

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MassivePaper3842@reddit

I cannot fathom why your comment was harshly downvoted. Standards are important and there’s certainly no excuse for indolent effort.

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Kanebass98@reddit

Rooves

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T_raltixx@reddit

This was on the radio recently. It's roofs.

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Glittering_Vast938@reddit (OP)

Oh was it? I was on another post and went to write “solar panels on rooves” but it flagged the spelling! “Roofs” to me looks so wrong!

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T_raltixx@reddit

I get it. English can be a nightmare at times.

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Glittering_Vast938@reddit (OP)

“Rooves” is still technically correct and having a bit of a Google, it seems many people were taught to use it at school.

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Puzzleheaded-Lynx204@reddit

I was taught roofs (UK, olllllld millennial). Had it in the same spelling list as hooves to prove the point.

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GoochBlender@reddit

Roofs but pronounced rooves.

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Glittering_Vast938@reddit (OP)

Were you taught “roofs” at school?

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Low-Captain1721@reddit

How old are you OP ? Rooves did have a correct usage however has now drastically declined to non standard - many would consider it incorrect

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Sir-Chris-Finch@reddit

Id always say rooves and im 29

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taknyos@reddit

Yeah 31 and I remember being taught to spell as "rooves" in primary school.

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Low-Captain1721@reddit

Cripes - I'm early forties & was taught Roofs. I'm aware of Rooves only as I teach English

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Spanner1401@reddit

Everyone was

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Glittering_Vast938@reddit (OP)

I wasn’t.

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beeurd@reddit

I'm in my 40s and I knew it to be an acceptable, but archaic, spelling.

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Fine-Night-243@reddit

Roofs bloody roofs

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TheRealJustSean@reddit

Rooves, but then I also say beeves

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Geezer-McGeezer@reddit

Roi

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MountainMuffin1980@reddit

I'm 41 and until today have never seen the word "rooves" written down, and would assume it was an incorrect spelling. So... Roofs.

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Cult-Film-Fan-999@reddit

Never seen rooves before. It's archaic and some sites suggest it was old fashioned back even in the time of Dr Johnson. I think if you use rooves, you'll be considered incorrect or very old fashioned.

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Glittering_Vast938@reddit (OP)

Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows, the plural of "roof" is spelled as "rooves".

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Confudled_Contractor@reddit

Taught rooves at school but it’s generally considered antiquated now, and the the prevalence of Amerislop just contributes to this.

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SilyLavage@reddit

Either spelling is fine. It's a bit like spelled and spelt or -ise and -ize

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nffc_simon@reddit

Born early ‘80s. I was always taught “rooves”.

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Lowermains@reddit

I use rooves

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taknyos@reddit

I was taught "rooves" as well, I remember being quizzed on spelling it in primary school.

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Soggy_Detective_4737@reddit

I was taught 'rooves' in junior school and say it that way. However, when i moved counties and went to secondary school, I was told to switch to 'roofs'.

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these_metal_hands@reddit

I think it's actually roofi

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skinpixel@reddit

I add an extra word and stick the s on that. Roof = singular Roof tops = plural

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Glittering_Vast938@reddit (OP)

Safer!

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MattyJMP@reddit

I'd always write it as "roofs" but pronounce it as "rooves".

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spoo4brains@reddit

Same, have never seen it written as rooves until this thread.

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Andries89@reddit

It's not a well known fact but a house is always dormant upside down, so it's roof is actually its hoof. So yeah it's definitely rooves

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Disastrous_Yak_1990@reddit

Sheep.

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Asleep-Software-4160@reddit

Rooftops (though I'm pretty happy with roofs).

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Glittering_Vast938@reddit (OP)

Yes I guess you could avoid it using that word!

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Leucurus@reddit

Roofs.

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snarkycrumpet@reddit

same as you. I just reword the sentence to avoid dealing with it "it ran away across every roof"

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Electrical_Bet_9699@reddit

This is the way.

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Glittering_Vast938@reddit (OP)

Isn’t it weird?! I’ve had to do exactly the same and reword my whole sentence on another post!

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