What’s the Plural of Shorts?

The word shorts is a common term in English, especially when referring to comfortable, casual clothing worn in warm weather or during physical activities. However, its plural form can sometimes cause confusion, particularly when considering how it is used in both singular and plural contexts. In this article, we will explore the nature of the word shorts, why it is considered plural, how to use it correctly in sentences, and answer common questions about its pluralization. We will also provide examples and practice questions with answers to help you master its usage.

---

What Are “Shorts”?

Before discussing the pluralization of shorts, it’s important to understand what we mean by the term. Shorts refer to a type of clothing that covers the lower part of the body but does not extend beyond the knees. They are typically worn in warm weather or during activities that require ease of movement, such as sports or exercise. Shorts come in various styles, lengths, and fabrics, and they can be casual, athletic, or even formal, such as Bermuda shorts or cargo shorts.

Examples of Shorts in Context:

• He wore a pair of shorts to the beach because it was a hot day.
  (Here, shorts refer to a single pair of clothing worn on the lower body.)
• She bought three new pairs of shorts for her summer vacation.
  (In this sentence, shorts refers to multiple pairs of the garment.)
• Athletes often prefer to wear lightweight shorts during training sessions.
  (Here, shorts refers to the type of clothing athletes wear for physical activity.)

---

What’s the Plural of “Shorts”?

The word shorts is unique because it is plural in form but can refer to a single item. This means that even when referring to one pair of shorts, we use the plural form “shorts.” In English, some clothing items, particularly those that cover both legs (like pants, jeans, or trousers), exist only in the plural form. These types of nouns are called pluralia tantum—nouns that only have a plural form and are used with plural verbs.

Why Is “Shorts” Always Plural?

The reason shorts are always plural is that the garment consists of two separate leg coverings, one for each leg, which are connected at the waist. This duality makes it similar to other items like pants or glasses, which also have separate parts but are connected to form a single item. English treats these items as inherently plural, even though they refer to a single object.

If you need to refer to one specific item of clothing, you would say “a pair of shorts.” The phrase “a pair of” makes it clear that you are talking about one item. If you want to refer to more than one of these items, you would say “pairs of shorts.”

Examples of Singular and Plural Usage of “Shorts”:

• Singular:
• I bought a new pair of shorts for the summer.
  (Here, shorts refers to one item of clothing, but we use “a pair of” to specify one.)
• Plural:
• She packed three pairs of shorts for her vacation.
  (In this sentence, shorts refers to multiple items, and “pairs of” indicates more than one.)

---

How to Use “Shorts” in Sentences

Because shorts is always plural, it should be used with plural verbs and plural determiners like these, those, many, or several. Let’s look at some examples to show how shorts is used in both singular and plural contexts.

Singular Context (“A Pair of Shorts”):

• He is wearing a pair of shorts today.
  (In this sentence, shorts refer to one piece of clothing, but the verb is agrees with the singular subject a pair.)
• I need to buy a new pair of shorts for my hiking trip.
  (Here, a new pair of shorts refers to one item, but shorts remains plural.)

Plural Context (“Shorts” or “Pairs of Shorts”):

• Those shorts are perfect for running.
  (Here, shorts is plural, and the plural determiner those is used.)
• She bought three pairs of shorts for the summer.
  (In this sentence, pairs of shorts indicates multiple items of clothing.)

Using “Shorts” in Different Tenses:

• Present Tense:
• He is wearing a pair of shorts.
  (Singular: The verb is agrees with a pair of shorts.)
• They are wearing matching shorts.
  (Plural: The verb are agrees with shorts.)
• Past Tense:
• She was wearing a pair of shorts during the hike.
  (Singular: The verb was agrees with a pair of shorts.)
• They were wearing shorts at the beach.
  (Plural: The verb were agrees with shorts.)

---

Common Questions About “Shorts”

Let’s address some frequently asked questions regarding the word shorts and its usage.

Question 1:

Can I say “a short” to refer to one item of clothing?

Answer:
No, you cannot use “a short” to refer to one item of clothing. Shorts is always plural, even when referring to a single item. To specify a single garment, you would say “a pair of shorts.”

Example:

• Incorrect: I bought a short for my vacation.
• Correct: I bought a pair of shorts for my vacation.

---

Question 2:

What is the correct way to refer to more than one pair of shorts?

Answer:
The correct way to refer to more than one pair of shorts is “pairs of shorts.” This phrase makes it clear that you are talking about multiple items of clothing.

Example:

• Incorrect: I bought three shorts for the trip.
• Correct: I bought three pairs of shorts for the trip.

---

Question 3:

Why is “shorts” always plural, even when it refers to one item?

Answer:
Shorts is always plural because the garment consists of two parts—one for each leg. This duality makes it similar to other clothing items like pants or jeans, which are also treated as plural nouns in English. To refer to one item, we use the phrase “a pair of shorts.”

---

Question 4:

Can “shorts” be used in non-clothing contexts?

Answer:
Yes, the word shorts can also refer to other things outside of clothing. For example, shorts can refer to short films or brief written works. In finance, shorts refers to short positions taken in the stock market. However, in these contexts, the word is still used in the plural form.

Example (Film Context):

• The festival screened several animated shorts last night.
  (Here, shorts refers to short films.)

Example (Finance Context):

• He made a profit by taking several stock shorts during the market downturn.
  (In this sentence, shorts refers to short-selling positions in the stock market.)

---

Practice Questions: Using “Shorts” Correctly

Let’s test your understanding of how to use shorts in both singular and plural contexts with the following practice questions.

Question 1:

Fill in the blank with the correct form:

I packed two _ of shorts for my vacation.

a) pair
b) pairs
c) short

Answer:
b) pairs

Explanation: The correct form is “pairs of shorts,” as the sentence refers to more than one pair.

---

Question 2:

Which sentence is grammatically correct?

a) He bought a short for the summer.
b) He bought a pair of shorts for the summer.
c) He bought two shorts for the summer.

Answer:
*b) He bought a pair of shorts for the summer.

Explanation: “A pair of shorts” is the correct way to refer to one item of clothing. “A short” is incorrect because shorts is always plural, and “two shorts” is incorrect because you need to say “pairs of shorts” when referring to multiple items.

---

Question 3:

True or False:
“Shorts” can be used in non-clothing contexts.

Answer:
True

Explanation: Shorts can refer to short films, brief written works, or short positions in the stock market, among other things.

---

Question 4:

Which verb should be used with “shorts” in the following sentence?

Those shorts __ perfect for hiking.

a) is
b) are

Answer:
b) are

Explanation: Because shorts is plural, the plural verb are should be used.

---

Conclusion

To summarize, the word shorts is always plural, regardless of whether it refers to one item or multiple items. If you need to specify one item, you should use the phrase “a pair of shorts.” If you’re referring to more than one item, you can say “pairs of shorts.” Like other plural nouns in English that describe dual-part clothing (such as pants or glasses), shorts remains plural and takes plural verbs.

Key Takeaways:

• “Shorts” is always plural, even when referring to a single item of clothing.
• To refer to one item of shorts, use the phrase “a pair of shorts.”
• To refer to more than one item, use the phrase “pairs of shorts.”
• “Shorts” can also be used in non-clothing contexts, such as short films or financial terms.

By understanding the correct usage of shorts, you can avoid common mistakes and use the word confidently in both singular and plural contexts.