Although many people are unsure if a tomato is a fruit or a vegetable, they are very similar to this delicious red food. However, it is clear that people do NOT widely understand the correct plural form of tomato. Is it tomatos? Or, is it tomatoes? Lucky for you this post will directly answer that question. Read on to learn the correct plural spelling of a tomato plant!
Which Is the Correct Plural Spelling: Tomatos or Tomatoes?
Takeaway: Tomatoes is the correct spelling. Tomatos is not a word.
It is a very common word choice mistake that many writers have made before. What is the correct plural spelling for “tomato”?
The correct answer is “tomatoes,” with the suffix “-es” at the end. As a general rule of thumb, whenever “o” is followed by a consonant, the plural form is “-oes.” Here are some examples.
- Potatoes
- Mangoes
- Heroes
How To Use Tomatoes
As we just discussed, tomatoes is the proper spelling and ends in the suffix -es. This is very similar to the spelling rule with the words parents’ & parent’s! But what are tomatoes?
Tomatoes are a delicious fruit that has been used in many different cultures for hundreds of years. In fact, they are one of the most versatile ingredients that can add flavor and color to your meals.
Most common uses of tomatoes:
- Snack
- Pizza Sauce
- Pasta Sauce
- Salsa
- Salads
When a writer uses the word “tomatoes”, they are referring to more than one tomato.
- “I ate tomatoes“
- “I picked four tomatoes from the vine this afternoon that I will use for dinner”
Most of the world’s tomatoes are produced in China & South America countries like Brazil, Chile, and Argentina.
Sentence Examples
Here are some examples sentences that demonstrate how to use the word “tomatoes” correctly in your writing.
- I love fresh tomatoes so much that I put them on my pizza and in my soup.
- I grow tomatoes in my garden every spring.
- I eat tomatoes every day for lunch!
- I can’t stand the taste of tomatoes so I would prefer to not order pizza with tomato paste.
- My uncle thinks that tomatoes are gross when eaten raw!
We saw in our comparison of the words programing vs programming just how important spelling can be in your writing!
How To Use Tomatos
As we have already discussed, tomatoes is not a word and should NOT be used in your writing! In fact, tomatos is just a common misspelling of the word tomatoes.
Correct: Let’s compare tomatoes to see whose is better to eat.
Incorrect: Let’s compare tomatos to see whose is better to eat.
Remember to always pay close attention to spelling! We saw in our post about how do you spell using that many writers make mistakes even on simple terms!
Popularity Analysis
By reviewing Google’s Ngram data you can see that the spelling “tomatoes” is far more popular. This is for one main reason, “tomatos” is NOT a word!
However, just like we saw in our comparison of the words Spelled & Spelt, spelling mistakes can become popular. We also learned that words can come in and out of popularity. As time passes, the vocabulary of authors also changes dramatically.
British vs American English
One of the challenges that may arise when studying different English words is understanding the difference between British and American grammar rules.
While the two dialects share many commonalities, there are notable differences in grammar, spelling and pronunciation that can trip you up. In fact, there are many words that are not spelled the same in the UK as they are in the USA!
However, tomatoes is not one of those words! The proper spelling is tomatoes in both American and English grammar rules!
Frequently Asked Questions
The plural of tomato is tomatoes. For example, I bought tomatoes from the corner store that I will use in my salad tomorrow.
The phrase tomatoes tomatos is a popular American phrase that is used to indicate that two things are essentially the same thing.
In British grammar the correct spelling is tomatoes. For example you might say that tomatoes are great because they have many essential nutrients.
The plural form of potato is potatoes. For example, I bought 7 potatoes from the grocery store this afternoon.
The Bottom Line
By now you should be an expert on the difference between tomatoes vs tomatos! You may have heard the common phrase in America “tomatoes tomatos”. However, only tomatoes is the only correct spelling when referring to more than one tomato. The word tomato is actually not a word at all! If you need some extra help with this spelling rule, consider using our grammar checker free tool to proofread your work!