What’s the Plural of Analysis: Understanding the Correct Form
Quick Answer
The plural of analysis is analyses. The word “analysises” is not correct in English.
One: The teacher did a careful analysis of the test results.
More than one: The team did three analyses before making a decision.
Analysis Becomes Analyses — See the Pattern
Look at these words. Can you see what happens?
- one analysis → two analyses
- one crisis → two crises
- one thesis → two theses
- one basis → two bases
Did you see the pattern? The -is at the end changes to -es. This rule works for many English words that come from Greek.
| One (singular) | More than one (plural) |
|---|---|
| analysis | analyses |
| crisis | crises |
| thesis | theses |
| basis | bases |
| hypothesis | hypotheses |
Why It Is Analyses and Not Analysises
In English, many words that end in -sis come from the Greek language. These words do not follow the normal plural rule. Instead of adding -s or -es to the end, the -is changes to -es:
- analysis → analyses (not “analysises”)
- diagnosis → diagnoses (not “diagnosises”)
- parenthesis → parentheses (not “parenthesises”)
An analysis is when you look at something carefully to understand it better. For example, a doctor does an analysis of your blood to check your health. You say it like “uh-NAL-uh-sis” for one, and “uh-NAL-uh-seez” for more than one.
Easy way to remember: Think of crisis → crises. Most people know that one. The word analysis works the same way: analysis → analyses.
The Rule in One Line: Analysis ends in -is, so the plural is analyses (-is → -es).
How to Use Analysis and Analyses in Everyday English
- The doctor did an analysis of the blood test. (one analysis)
- We need two more analyses before we can decide. (more than one)
- Her analysis of the problem was very clear. (one analysis)
- The company shared its analyses with the team. (more than one)
- This analysis shows that sales went up last month. (one analysis)
You are doing great. Now let us look at the mistake most learners make with this word.
The Most Common Mistake With Analysis
Many learners write “analysises” because most English plurals just add -s or -es to the end. That is a smart guess — but it does not work here. Even native speakers sometimes pause and think about this one. So if you get confused, you are not alone.
✗ The team did three analysises last week.
✓ The team did three analyses last week.
✗ Can you send me the analysises by Friday?
✓ Can you send me the analyses by Friday?
✗ Both analysises gave the same result.
✓ Both analyses gave the same result.
How to remember: Think of it like this — the word ends in -sis. If you see -sis at the end, change it to -ses. Analysis → analyses. Simple.
Other words like this: crisis → crises, thesis → theses, basis → bases, hypothesis → hypotheses, diagnosis → diagnoses.
Test Yourself: Analysis or Analyses?
Choose the correct answer for each sentence. Click Check to see if you are right.
1. The doctor did a careful _______ of the blood test.
2. We looked at several _______ before choosing the best plan.
3. Her _______ of the problem helped the team find the answer.
4. The company did two _______ to check the numbers.
5. Both _______ showed the same result.
Keep Going — You Are Building Something
You just learned that analysis becomes analyses. That is one more plural you will never get wrong again.
But here is something interesting. You know that words ending in -sis change to -ses. But what about the word synopsis? It ends in -sis too. Does it follow the same rule — or is there a surprise? And when would you actually use this word?
Next lesson: What Is the Plural of Synopsis?
Sources
Wordsinasentence.com, analyses
My name is Khamis Maiouf. I am the creator of the English Teacher Site, dedicated to providing valuable resources and insights for students around the world. With a passion for education and a commitment to helping students enhance their skills, I aim to make English teaching more effective and enjoyable for both educators and students.
