english spelling of thesis

• Daily Crossword
• Word Puzzle
• Word Finder
• Word of the Day
• Synonym of the Day
• Word of the Year
• Language stories
• All featured
• Gender and sexuality
• All pop culture
• Grammar Coach ™
• Writing hub
• Grammar essentials
• Commonly confused
• All writing tips
• Pop culture
• Writing tips

a proposition stated or put forward for consideration, especially one to be discussed and proved or to be maintained against objections: He vigorously defended his thesis on the causes of war.

a subject for a composition or essay.

a dissertation on a particular subject in which one has done original research, as one presented by a candidate for a diploma or degree.

Music . the downward stroke in conducting; downbeat. : Compare arsis (def. 1) .

a part of a metrical foot that does not bear the ictus or stress.

(less commonly) the part of a metrical foot that bears the ictus. : Compare arsis (def. 2) .

Philosophy . See under Hegelian dialectic .

Origin of thesis

Word story for thesis, other words for thesis, words that may be confused with thesis.

• 1. antithesis , synthesis , thesis
• 2. dissertation , thesis

Words Nearby thesis

• shit will hit the fan, the
• shoe is on the other foot, the
• short end of the stick, the
• The show must go on
• thesis play
• thesis statement
• Sketch Book, The
• Skin of Our Teeth, The
• sky's the limit, the

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use thesis in a sentence

“The Saudis have been proving the thesis of the film — they do in fact have an army,” said Thor Halvorssen, founder and chief executive of the nonprofit Human Rights Foundation, which funded the movie.

It’s a hypothesis that Bush pursued in her master’s thesis , and last year she began attending virtual Goth parties in a final round of field work before defending her doctoral thesis later this year.

While this partnership was planned prior to the coronavirus outbreak, co-founder Jordana Kier said the pandemic instantly proved out the expansion thesis .

They’ve had to defend that thesis for a very, very long time in front of a variety of different customers and different people.

Over the past decade, In-Q-Tel has been one of the most active investors in the commercial space sector, with a broad investment thesis that touches many aspects of the sector.

In “Back Home,” Gil also revisits the nostalgia for the South explored in his Johns Hopkins thesis , “Circle of Stone.”

At least father and son were in alignment on this central thesis : acting “gay”—bad; being thought of as gay—bad.

Her doctoral thesis , says Ramin Takloo at the University of Illinois, was simply outstanding.

Marshall McLuhan long ago argued the now accepted thesis that different mediums have different influences on thinking.

He wrote his Master's thesis  on the underrepresentation of young people in Congress.

And indeed for most young men a college thesis is but an exercise for sharpening the wits, rarely dangerous in its later effects.

It will be for the reader to determine whether the main thesis of the book has gained or lost by the new evidence.

But the word thesis , when applied to Systems, does not mean the 'position' of single notes, but of groups of notes.

This conclusion, it need hardly be said, is in entire agreement with the main thesis of the preceding pages.

Sundry outlying Indians, with ammunition to waste, took belly and knee rests and strengthened the thesis to the contrary.

British Dictionary definitions for thesis

/ ( ˈθiːsɪs ) /

a dissertation resulting from original research, esp when submitted by a candidate for a degree or diploma

a doctrine maintained or promoted in argument

a subject for a discussion or essay

an unproved statement, esp one put forward as a premise in an argument

music the downbeat of a bar, as indicated in conducting

(in classical prosody) the syllable or part of a metrical foot not receiving the ictus : Compare arsis

philosophy the first stage in the Hegelian dialectic, that is challenged by the antithesis

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for thesis

The central idea in a piece of writing, sometimes contained in a topic sentence .

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• Dictionaries home
• American English
• Collocations
• German-English
• Grammar home
• Practical English Usage
• Learn & Practise Grammar (Beta)
• Word Lists home
• My Word Lists
• Recent additions
• Resources home
• Text Checker

Definition of thesis noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• Students must submit a thesis on an agreed subject within four years.
• He presented this thesis for his PhD.
• a thesis for a master's degree
• He's doing a doctoral thesis on the early works of Shostakovich.
• Many departments require their students to do a thesis defense.
• She completed an MSc by thesis.
• her thesis adviser at MIT
• in a/​the thesis
• thesis about

Definitions on the go

Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.

paper-free learning

• conjunctions
• determiners
• interjections
• prepositions
• affect vs effect
• its vs it's
• your vs you're
• which vs that
• who vs whom
• who's vs whose
• averse vs adverse
• 250+ more...
• apostrophes
• quotation marks
• lots more...
• common writing errors
• FAQs by writers
• awkward plurals
• ESL vocabulary lists
• all our grammar videos
• idioms and proverbs
• Latin terms
• collective nouns for animals
• tattoo fails
• vocabulary categories
• most common verbs
• top 10 irregular verbs
• top 10 regular verbs
• top 10 spelling rules
• improve spelling
• common misspellings
• role-play scenarios
• favo(u)rite word lists
• multiple-choice test
• Tetris game
• grammar-themed memory game
• 100s more...

Plural of Thesis

The Quick Answer

The Plural of Thesis

Table of Contents

Are You Good at Plurals?

The standard rules for forming the plurals, why is there confusion over the plural of thesis.

• Ready for the Test?

This page was written by Craig Shrives .

Learning Resources

more actions:

This test is printable and sendable

Help Us Improve Grammar Monster

• Do you disagree with something on this page?
• Did you spot a typo?

Find Us Quicker!

• When using a search engine (e.g., Google, Bing), you will find Grammar Monster quicker if you add #gm to your search term.

You might also like...

Share This Page

If you like Grammar Monster (or this page in particular), please link to it or share it with others. If you do, please tell us . It helps us a lot!

Create a QR Code

Use our handy widget to create a QR code for this page...or any page.

< previous lesson

next lesson >

What is a Thesis? Definition, Examples of Theses in Literature

Home » The Writer’s Dictionary » What is a Thesis? Definition, Examples of Theses in Literature

Thesis definition: A thesis is a statement in which the writer conveys his position regarding a topic.

What is a Thesis?

A thesis statement refers to part of an essay where the writer establishes his position regarding a topic. This is the position that the writer will further explore throughout his paper.

Example of Thesis

• Topic : religious freedom.
• Thesis : All citizens of the United States should be allowed to exercise the religion of their choice freely without interference from government.
• Explanation : In this thesis statement, the writer has taken the position that all citizens should be free to worship and practice their religion as they see fit. The government should not pressure citizens into any religion, and it should not persecute members of any faith community.

The Importance of a Thesis Statement

Thesis statements are important in order to establish the writer’s position regarding a topic or idea. They help to introduce the essay and set a focus for the reader.

Narrative thesis statements are found in narrative essays or in literature. They set the scene for the lesson that will be explored or taught through the piece.

Famous opening lines that exemplify a narrative thesis:

• The following narrative thesis is found in A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens:

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

The Function of Thesis in Literature

Narrative thesis statements are important in literature in order to establish the purpose for the work or introduce the lesson that the novel will attempt to teach. This allows the reader to have a focus when beginning the novel in order to effectively engage them into the story.

Examples of Theses in Literature

In the memoir, I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai, a thesis statement can be found in the beginning pages of her story.

• “One year ago I left my home for school and never returned. I was shot by a Taliban bullet and was flown out of Pakistan unconscious. Some people say I will never return home, but I believe firmly in my heart that I will. To be torn from the country that you love is not something to wish on anyone.”

In this thesis statement, Yousafzai establishes the basis of her memoir, which is to tell the story of how she was forced to leave her home.

In Vladmir Nabokov’s Lolita , a thesis can be seen in the line, “Lolita, light of my life, the fire of my loins”.

Here the narrator establishes the identity of the young nymph that he is unhealthily obsessed with in the story. Lolita is a young child while he is a grown man; therefore, this statement creates the uneasy feeling about him that continues throughout the novel.

Summary: What Are Theses?

Define thesis in literature: In summation, a thesis statement establishes a purpose in the piece of writing. It may establish the lesson or story to be told, or in an essay it may establish the position the writer assumes when exploring a topic.

Either way, it is important for the thesis to be clear in order to effectively convey the writer’s message.

Final Example:

In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado,” the thesis statement can be found in the first line of the short story. Montresor immediately states his purpose, “the thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge.”

In this statement, Montresor states that he will be seeking revenge after being treated wrongly by Fortunato. By beginning the story with the narrative thesis establishes the purpose for the remainder of the piece.

Definition of 'thesis'

Video: pronunciation of thesis

thesis in American English

Thesis in british english, examples of 'thesis' in a sentence thesis, related word partners thesis, trends of thesis.

View usage over: Since Exist Last 10 years Last 50 years Last 100 years Last 300 years

In other languages thesis

• American English : thesis / ˈθisɪs /
• Brazilian Portuguese : tese
• Chinese : 论点
• European Spanish : tesis
• French : thèse
• German : These
• Italian : tesi
• Japanese : 主張
• Korean : 논지
• European Portuguese : tese
• Spanish : tesis
• Thai : ข้อสมมุติ, ข้อวินิจฉัย

Browse alphabetically thesis

• thesis play
• thesmothete
• All ENGLISH words that begin with 'T'

Related terms of thesis

• academic thesis
• central thesis
• doctoral thesis
• View more related words

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Score: 0 / 5

Wordle Helper

Scrabble Tools

Plural of Thesis: A Quick Guide for English Learners

By: Author ESLBUZZ

Posted on Last updated: October 11, 2023

Sharing is caring!

Do you know the plural of thesis? Understanding the correct plural of thesis is important not only for academic writing, but for general communication as well. Whether you’re discussing multiple research papers or simply trying to sound knowledgeable in a conversation, using the correct plural form can help you make a good impression and avoid any confusion or misunderstandings.

Plural of Thesis

Definition and Plural of Thesis

When writing a research paper or dissertation, the central argument or main point is known as a thesis. A thesis is a statement or proposition that is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved. It is a crucial element of academic writing and is often required for a degree or certification.

The plural of thesis is “theses.” In English, most nouns form the plural by adding an “s” at the end. However, “thesis” is one of the few exceptions to this rule. The word “thesis” has a Greek root, and “theses” is how it is pluralized in that original language.

It is important to note that “theses” is the only way to make the noun “thesis” plural. There is no alternative form of the plural for this word.

In academic writing, the plural form “theses” is commonly used when referring to multiple research papers or dissertations. For example, “I have read several theses on this topic, and they all have different viewpoints.”

When to Use Thesis and Its Plural Form

When writing academic papers or conducting research, it is important to understand when to use the word “thesis” and its plural form, “theses.” Here are some guidelines to help you use these words correctly:

• Use “thesis” when referring to a single research paper or dissertation that presents a specific argument or viewpoint.
• Use “theses” when referring to multiple research papers or dissertations.
• Remember that “thesis” is a singular noun and “theses” is its plural form.
• Be aware that “thesis” has a Greek root and follows the same pluralization rule as other Greek words ending in “-is,” such as “crisis” and “analysis.” They become “crises” and “analyses,” respectively.
• Keep in mind that “thesis” can also refer to a statement or proposition that is put forward for consideration or discussion. In this case, the plural form would be “theses.”
• When citing multiple theses in a paper, use “theses” to indicate the plurality. For example, “The theses presented in this paper all support the idea that…”

Examples of Thesis and Its Plural Form in Sentences

If you are wondering how to use the word “thesis” in a sentence, here are a few examples:

• Your thesis statement should be clear and concise.
• The professor asked us to submit our theses by the end of the semester.
• The thesis of the article is that climate change is caused by human activity.
• She spent months researching and writing her thesis on the history of feminism .
• The committee was impressed by the depth and originality of his thesis.

As you can see, “thesis” is used to refer to a statement or argument put forth by a writer or speaker, as well as a research paper written by a student to earn a degree.

Now, let’s take a look at the plural form of “thesis.” According to Grammar Monster, the only correct way to form the plural of “thesis” is “theses.” Here are some examples of how to use “theses” in a sentence:

• The library has a collection of theses written by graduate students.
• The professor asked us to read several theses on the topic before starting our own research.
• The theses presented at the conference covered a wide range of topics.
• The committee was impressed by the quality and originality of the theses submitted.

Plural Noun Rules for Regular Nouns

When forming the plural of regular nouns, there are some standard rules to follow. These rules apply to most English nouns, including “thesis.” Here are the basic guidelines:

• For most singular nouns, simply add an “-s” to the end to form the plural. For example, “book” becomes “books,” “car” becomes “cars,” and “house” becomes “houses.”
• If the singular noun ends in “-s,” “-x,” “-z,” “-ch,” or “-sh,” add “-es” to form the plural. For example, “bus” becomes “buses,” “box” becomes “boxes,” “buzz” becomes “buzzes,” “church” becomes “churches,” and “dish” becomes “dishes.”
• If the singular noun ends in a consonant followed by “-y,” change the “-y” to “-ies” to form the plural. For example, “city” becomes “cities,” “baby” becomes “babies,” and “story” becomes “stories.”
• If the singular noun ends in a vowel followed by “-y,” simply add an “-s” to form the plural. For example, “boy” becomes “boys,” “key” becomes “keys,” and “day” becomes “days.”

It’s important to note that there are some irregular nouns that don’t follow these rules. For example, “child” becomes “children,” “foot” becomes “feet,” and “tooth” becomes “teeth.” However, “thesis” is a regular noun, so it follows the standard rules for forming the plural.

Plural Noun Rules for Irregular Nouns

When it comes to forming the plural of nouns in English, there are some general rules that apply to most words. However, there are also many irregular nouns that don’t follow these rules and have unique plural forms. In this section, we’ll go over some common irregular plural nouns and the rules for forming their plurals.

List of Common Irregular Plural Nouns

Here are some examples of irregular plural nouns that you may come across:

Nouns that End in Us

Nouns that end in “us” often have a plural form that ends in “i”. For example:

Nouns that End in Is

Nouns that end in “is” may have a plural form that ends in “es”. For example:

Nouns that End in On

Nouns that end in “on” may have a plural form that ends in “a”. For example:

Plurals That Are the Same as Singulars

Some nouns have the same form for both the singular and plural. For example:

Words That Look Like Plural Nouns but Are Singular Nouns

Some words may look like plural nouns but are actually singular nouns. For example:

Collective Nouns and List

When it comes to forming the plural of nouns, collective nouns can be a bit tricky. A collective noun refers to a group of people or things as a single entity. For example, “team” is a collective noun because it refers to a group of individuals working together towards a common goal.

The challenge with collective nouns is deciding whether to treat them as singular or plural. In American English, collective nouns are usually treated as singular, while in British English, they can be treated as either singular or plural depending on the context.

Here are some examples of collective nouns and how they can be treated in different contexts:

As you can see, the choice of whether to use a singular or plural verb depends on whether you are referring to the group as a single entity or as individuals within the group.

When it comes to forming the plural of collective nouns, the same rules apply as for regular nouns. For example, the plural of “team” is “teams”, and the plural of “family” is “families”.

Plural Nouns vs. Possessive Nouns

When it comes to forming the plural of nouns, there are standard rules that apply to most words in the English language. However, there are some exceptions, such as the word “thesis.” The plural of “thesis” is “theses,” and this is the only correct way to form the plural of this word.

On the other hand, when it comes to forming possessive nouns, there are a few rules to keep in mind. Here are some key points to remember:

• For singular nouns, add an apostrophe and an “s” to show possession. For example, “the thesis’s conclusion” means the conclusion belonging to the thesis.
• For plural nouns that end in “s,” add only an apostrophe to show possession. For example, “the theses’ conclusions” means the conclusions belonging to the theses.
• For plural nouns that do not end in “s,” add an apostrophe and an “s” to show possession. For example, “women’s rights” means the rights belonging to women.

It’s important to note that possessive nouns should not be confused with plural nouns. While they may look similar, they serve different grammatical functions. Possessive nouns show ownership or possession, while plural nouns simply refer to more than one of something.

Common Mistakes with Plural Nouns

When it comes to forming the plural of nouns, there are some common mistakes that are made. Here are a few things to keep in mind when forming the plural of the word “thesis” and other nouns:

Adding an Apostrophe

One common mistake is adding an apostrophe to a noun to make it plural. For example, “the thesis’s” instead of “the theses.” This is incorrect and should be avoided.

Irregular Plurals

Some nouns have irregular plurals that do not follow the standard rules. For example, “child” becomes “children” and “goose” becomes “geese.” It is important to learn these irregular plurals to avoid mistakes.

Confusion over Plurals

Some nouns, like “thesis,” can cause confusion over their plural form. “Theses” is the only correct way to make “thesis” plural. Other words that end in “-is” may also have irregular plurals, such as “crisis” becoming “crises.”

Using Incorrect Count Nouns

It is important to use the correct count nouns when referring to multiple instances of something. For example, “studies” instead of “researches,” and “pieces of evidence” instead of “evidences.” Using the incorrect count noun can make your writing sound awkward or confusing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the correct plural form of ‘thesis’?

The correct plural form of ‘thesis’ is ‘theses.’ It is an irregular plural noun that does not follow the typical -s/-es suffix used for regular plural nouns.

How is ‘thesis’ used in a sentence?

‘Thesis’ refers to a statement or theory that is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved. An example sentence would be: “Her thesis on the effects of climate change was well-researched and presented.”

What is the origin of the word ‘thesis’?

The word ‘thesis’ comes from the Greek word ‘tithenai,’ which means ‘to place’ or ‘to put.’ In academia, it refers to a statement or theory that is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved.

What is the difference between ‘thesis’ and ‘theses’?

‘Thesis’ is the singular form of the word, while ‘theses’ is the plural form. ‘Thesis’ refers to a single statement or theory, while ‘theses’ refers to multiple statements or theories.

The plural of thesis is the word 'theses'.

"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How do you pluralize thesis?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

To pluralize 'thesis', you simply add 'es' to the end of the word. This is because 'thesis' ends in 'is', which is a singular noun ending.

"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Is the plural of thesis 'theses'?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

Yes, the plural of thesis is 'theses'.

"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is the irregular plural form of thesis?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

'Theses' is not an irregular plural form of thesis. It is a regular plural form.

"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What are some examples of irregular plural nouns?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

Some examples of irregular plural nouns include 'child' (children), 'tooth' (teeth), and 'foot' (feet).

"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How do you correctly pluralize nouns ending in -is?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

To correctly pluralize nouns ending in -is, you simply change the 'is' to 'es'. For example, the plural of 'thesis' is 'theses', and the plural of 'analysis' is 'analyses'.

• Recent Posts

• Mastering English Writing: Essential Transitional Words for Body Paragraphs - March 25, 2024
• 100+ Essential Contrast Transition Words for Exceptional English Writing - March 25, 2024
• Short E Words: Enhance Your Vocabulary with Easy Examples - March 23, 2024

Related posts:

• Plural of Advice: Master English Plural Forms Today!
• Plural of Apparatus: The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Plural Nouns
• Plural of Cactus: How to Use It Correctly in English Grammar
• Plural of Deer: Understanding the Correct Terminology

Grammarflex

What’s the Plural of Thesis? (Thesises? Theses?)

• November 13, 2022

What’s the plural of “thesis”?

Thesis , (and its plural theses ) is an example of one of the many common English words that has roots elsewhere. In this case, thesis is a word that has roots all the way back to Ancient Greek. Like other similarly structured words: diagnosis , synthesis , analysis , oasis , crisis , nemesis and the like, thesis is by no means the only frequently used Greek word that’s made it to Modern English.

What’s the singular of thesis?

Thesis is a singular noun and refers to one thing (or one thesis ).

What’s a thesis?

Merriam-Webster defines the noun thesis (plural theses ) as follows, “a dissertation embodying results of original research and especially substantiating a specific view especially : one written by a candidate for an academic degree.”

Nouns that end in -sis/ses

Thesis is an irregular plural noun that does not end in the typical -s / -es that regular plural noun forms take. This is so despite that theses plural does in fact end in the conventional -s/-es suffix. Why is it still considered irregular; then, given that it follows the regular plural form? Notice the following regular plural noun forms:

Thesis / theses operates differently. With these Greek words, the -ses does not simply  add onto the end of the singular form of the noun; instead, -ses replaces the singular noun’s suffixes, and effectively changes the entire spelling of the word (and arguably the word itself.)

Examples of “thesis” (singular) in sentences

His master thesis was on modal neural networks.

She wrote her thesis on Renaissance Nativity scenes.

We disagreed with the basic thesis of the report.

I’ve made a first draft of my thesis .

The student’s experiments helped her formulate a thesis to share with her professor and classmates.

Examples of “theses” (plural) in sentences

It must not be assumed that Luther’s ninety-five theses produced any considerable direct results.

The collection of theses are ready for publication.

Twenty years after Savonarola’s death Martin Luther made public his theses against indulgences.

Theses are generally examined by two or more specialists.

Theses is the plural form of the singular noun thesis.

Origin of the word “thesis”

Thesis / theses are of Greek origin.

Read about other irregular nouns

• What’s the plural of bison?
• What’s the plural of moose?
• What’s the plural of sheep?
• What’s the plural of ox?
• What’s the plural of cactus?
• What’s the plural of crisis?
• What’s the plural of hypothesis?

Read about other topics in grammar

• What’re personal pronouns?
• What’s the difference between they’re, their, and there?
• Whose vs who’s?
• Merriam-Webster, thesis/theses.

Recent Posts

Good vs. Well (Usage + Examples)

Is your day going good or well? And is it, I hope you’re ‘well’ or ‘good’? These words are some of the most common words

Moral vs. Morale (Meaning + Usage)

Moral and morale sound nearly the same, and are only a single letter apart. Still, they are not the same. Both words should be used

Your vs. You’re (Which Word is Correct?)

Your vs. You’re Your and you’re (with an apostrophe) sound the same, but they are not the same. Important differences between them to note are:

Alter vs. Altar (Definition, with Examples)

Alter vs. altar Alter and altar sound nearly the same, and are only a single letter apart. Still, they are not the same. Both words

How to Form Adverbs (An Overview)

Formation of adverbs Continue reading for the comprehensive breakdown on how to form adverbs, the main types of adverbs and an FAQ on (you guessed

Council or Counsel? (Meaning, Usage + Examples)

Council or counsel? Council and counsel are both nouns; though the latter has a verb form. Despite that these words sound the same, they are

What’s a Direct Object? (Direct vs. Indirect Objects)

“Let them eat cake“, said Marie Antoinette, when she was told that the people had no bread. In the iconic historical phrase, “cake” is the

Appraise or Apprise (What’s the Difference?)

When to use appraise vs. apprise incorrect: we’ve been appraised of all the relevant issues. correct: we’ve been apprised of all the relevant issues. *Example

Continually vs. Continuously (Definition, Usage + Examples)

Continually and continuously are indeed similar; in fact, they’re synonyms of each other. That said, there’s a distinction between them worth observing. Continually vs. continuously

Online Proofreader

Try our other writing services

Correct your document within 5 minutes

• Proofread on 100+ language issues
• Specialized in academic texts
• Corrections directly in your document

Instantly correct your entire document in minutes

Nobody's perfect all the time—and now, you don’t have to be!

There are times when you just want to write without worrying about every grammar or spelling convention. The online proofreader immediately finds all of your errors. This allows you to concentrate on the bigger picture. You’ll be 100% confident that your writing won’t affect your grade.

What does a proofreader do?

The proofreading process is your last chance to catch any errors in your writing before you submit it. A proofreader makes sure your spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors are reviewed and fixed. This can be done automatically by an AI-powered tool like the one at the top of this page or by a real human. Both options have their advantages, so pick the one that suits you most.

Fix mistakes that slip under your radar

✔ Fix problems with commonly confused words, like affect vs. effect, which vs. that and who vs. that.

✔ Catch words that sound similar but aren’t, like their vs. they’re, your vs. you’re.

✔ Check your punctuation to avoid errors with dashes and hyphens, commas, apostrophes, and more.

✔ Avoid sentence fragments, subject-verb agreement errors, and problems with parallelism.

How does the proofreader work?

The online proofreader.

It’s really straightforward. Just paste the text into the tool. All your errors will now be underlined in red. You can hover over these mistakes to see how they can be addressed. If you agree, just click on the button “Fix all errors,” and your mistakes will be fixed instantly! 

The professional proofreader

Upload your entire document first. Choose the pages you want proofread, the extra services you want to use, and the deadline. Then fill in some key details like your field of study so that we can find you the best proofreader. When you’re done, you pay for your order, and we make sure that your writing is checked by a proofreader. You’ll be contacted when the job is done!

Who should use this proofreader?

Avoid a bad grade and hand in your documents with absolute confidence.

Businesspeople

Look like a pro by writing error-free emails, reports, and more.

Ensure your work is clear and readable to increase the chance that it’ll get published.

Want your whole document checked and corrected in a matter of minutes?

Would you like to upload your entire document and check all your documents for 100+ language issues? Then Scribbr’s AI-powered proofreading is perfect for you.

With AI-powered proofreading, you can correct your text in no time.

• Upload document
• Wait briefly while all errors are corrected directly in your document
• Correct errors with one click

Proofread my document

Fantastic service!!

“Excellent review of a paper that was deciding my grade. I appreciate both the edits and the feedback to increase my knowledge of correct APA formatting and accurate citations. I needed the paper returned quickly, and the team worked hard to make sure I had what I needed. I just got my grade back, A+. I would 100% use this service again, it was worth every penny!!!!!!”

A proofreader for everyone

Don’t let typos and grammar keep you down. make your writing count, ask our team.

Want to contact us directly? No problem.  We  are always here for you.

• Email [email protected]
• Start live chat
• Call +1 (510) 822-8066
• WhatsApp +31 20 261 6040

Frequently asked questions

Our support team is here to help you daily via chat, WhatsApp, email, or phone between 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. CET.

Yes! Our personal statement editors can help you reduce your word count by up to 25%. You can choose to receive this feedback through direct edits or suggestions in comments – just select your choice when you upload your personal statement.

Our APA experts default to APA 7 for editing and formatting. For the Citation Editing Service you are able to choose between APA 6 and 7.

It is not necessary to reserve a time slot for your edit. As soon as your document is ready to be proofread, you can upload it at any time via our website . Based on your chosen deadline, our editor(s) will then proofread your document within 24 hours, 3 days, or 7 days.

If you are unsure about the availability of our services or are planning to upload a very large document (>13,000 words) with a 24 hour deadline, we recommend that you contact us beforehand via chat or email .

Scribbr is following the guidelines announced by the WHO (World Health Organization). As an online platform, all our services remain available, and we will continue to help students as usual.

Can I still place an order? Will my order be completed within the deadline? Yes, you can still place orders and orders will be delivered within the agreed upon deadline. Scribbr is an online platform – our proofreading & editing services are provided by editors working remotely from all over the world. This means Scribbr can guarantee that we will process your order with the same diligence and professionalism as always. The same holds true for our Plagiarism Checker .

Can I still contact customer support? Yes. Our support team is available from 09.00 to 23.00 CET and happy to answer any questions you might have!

Yes, if your document is longer than 20,000 words, you will get a sample of approximately 2,000 words. This sample edit gives you a first impression of the editor’s editing style and a chance to ask questions and give feedback.

How does the sample edit work?

You will receive the sample edit within 12 hours after placing your order. You then have 24 hours to let us know if you’re happy with the sample or if there’s something you would like the editor to do differently.

Read more about how the sample edit works

When you upload a large document (20,000+ words), we will ask your editor to send a sample edit of approximately 2,000 words as soon as possible. This sample edit gives you a first impression of your editor’s editing style and what you can expect from the service. You will receive it within 12 hours after uploading your order.

Why do we provide you with a sample edit?

We always aim to make you 100% happy, and Proofreading & Editing is a complex service. We want to make sure that our editing style meets your expectations before the editor improves your entire document.

Our editors are trained to follow Scribbr’s academic style . However, your preferences might deviate from our conventions. The sample edit gives you the chance to provide feedback – you can let us know if you’re happy with the sample or if there’s something you would like the editor to do differently.

Once your editor has completed your sample edit, you will receive a notification via email. You have 24 hours to reply to this email and provide us with feedback. If we receive your feedback in time, your editor will go the extra mile and adjust the edit according to your input.

What sort of feedback can you give?

Give us feedback that will help your editor meet your requirements. For example:

• “I am completely happy. The editor can continue editing like this.”
• “I forgot to mention that my school has the following rules for gendered pronouns.”
• “The editor changed the spelling of a technical term, but my professor spells it differently. Please keep the original spelling of this term.”

The  Structure  and Clarity Check can only be purchased in conjunction with Proofreading & Editing . Providing feedback on structure and clarity requires extensive knowledge of the text, which the editor acquires while proofreading and editing your text.

However, our Paper Formatting Service,   Citation Editing Service and Plagiarism Checker can be purchased separately.

Yes, Scribbr will proofread the summary in another language as well.

Who will proofread my summary?

If your document contains a summary in a different language, we will send this part to another editor who is a native speaker of that language. The editor will check your summary, applying our standard Proofreading & Editing service.

If you ordered any additional services, such as the Structure Check or Clarity Check, the editor will not apply them to your summary. This is because the summary is a translation of your abstract – you already receive Structure and Clarity feedback on the text in the original language. Therefore, when proofreading your summary, the editor will focus on making sure your language and style is correct.

How does it work?

We will create a new assignment within your order and send you a confirmation email. This also means that you will receive a separate email/SMS notification from us when the editor has finished proofreading your summary. Once your summary is proofread, you can download it via your Scribbr account and read the editor’s feedback.

Yes, we can provide a certificate of proofreading.

As soon as the editor delivers the edit, you can email us at [email protected] to request a certificate.

Please indicate the following in your email:

• Your order number
• Your full name
• The title of your work

We will create a PDF certificate and email it to you as soon as possible.

Scribbr specializes in editing study-related documents . We proofread:

• PhD dissertations
• Research proposals
• Personal statements
• Admission essays
• Motivation letters
• Reflection papers
• Journal articles
• Capstone projects

Yes, when you accept all changes and delete all comments your document is ready to be handed in.

How to accept all changes:

• Word for Mac 2011

How to remove all comments:

When you’ve finished this, others will no longer be able to see the changes made by the editor.

• Read your last version one last time to make sure everything is the way you want it.
• Save your document as a .pdf file to come across more professional and to ensure the format of your document doesn’t change.

Yes, in the order process you can indicate your preference for American, British, or Australian English .

If you don’t choose one, your editor will follow the style of English you currently use. If your editor has any questions about this, we will contact you.

Yes, you can upload your thesis in sections.

We try our best to ensure that the same editor checks all the different sections of your thesis. When you upload a new file, our system recognizes you as a returning customer, and we immediately contact the editor who helped you before.

However, we cannot guarantee that the same editor will be available. Your chances are higher if

• You send us your text as soon as possible and
• You can be flexible about the deadline.

Please note that the shorter your deadline is, the bigger the risk that your previous editor is not available.

If your previous editor isn’t available, then we will inform you immediately and look for another qualified editor. Fear not! Every Scribbr editor follows the  Scribbr Improvement Model  and will deliver high-quality work.

However, every editor has a slightly different editing style, so you may notice small inconsistencies in editing choices. As with every proofreading order, be sure to carefully review your editor’s changes and suggestions as you finalize your text to ensure that everything is as you want it.

The fastest turnaround time is 12 hours.

You can upload your document at any time and choose between three deadlines:

At Scribbr, we promise to make every customer 100% happy with the service we offer. Our philosophy: Your complaint is always justified – no denial, no doubts.

Our customer support team is here to find the solution that helps you the most, whether that’s a free new edit or a refund for the service.

Every Scribbr order comes with our award-winning Proofreading & Editing service , which combines two important stages of the revision process.

For a more comprehensive edit, you can add a Structure Check or Clarity Check to your order. With these building blocks, you can customize the kind of feedback you receive.

You might be familiar with a different set of editing terms. To help you understand what you can expect at Scribbr, we created this table:

View an example

Scribbr not only specializes in proofreading and editing texts in English , but also in several other languages . This way, we help out students from all over the world.

As a global academic writing proofreading service, we work with professional editors  – all native speakers – who edit in the following languages :

This way, you can also have your academic writing proofread and edited in your second language!

Please note that we do not offer Finnish proofreading, but students can still upload English papers on scribbr.fi .

Yes, regardless of the deadline you choose, our editors can proofread your document during weekends and holidays.

Example: If you select the 12-hour service on Saturday, you will receive your edited document back within 12 hours on Sunday.

The footnotes are not automatically included in the word count.

If you want the language errors in your footnotes to be corrected by the editor, you can indicate this in step 3 of the upload process . The words in the footnotes are then automatically added to the total word count.

Need help with your references?

• If you use the APA reference style, you can use our free APA Citation Generator or the articles about APA in our Knowledge Base.
• If you’d like us to check your references for consistency, you can use our Citation Editing Service .

To keep our prices competitive, we do not offer a free trial edit. However, if your document is longer than 30,000 words, we are happy to provide you with a sample edit of 2,000 words to ensure you are satisfied with the editor’s editing style.

Rest assured, our customers are very satisfied with our proofreading services. We’re proud that they have rated us with an excellent 4.6 on Trustpilot. In the unlikely event that you have a less positive experience, we’ll solve that with our 100% happiness guarantee !

After your thesis has been edited , you will receive an email with a link to download the edited document.

The editor has made changes to your document using ‘ Track Changes ’ in Word.  This means that you only have to accept or ignore the changes that are made in the text one by one.

It is also possible to accept all changes at once. However, we strongly advise you not to do so for the following reasons:

• You can learn much by looking at what mistakes you have made.
• The editors do not only change the text, they also place comments when sentences or sometimes even entire paragraphs are unclear. We therefore advise you to read through these comments and take into account your editor’s tips and suggestions.
• Because of the many changes, sometimes there may be double spaces, double periods, or other minor mistakes in a sentence. Checking the changes one by one, you can easily detect these minor errors.

We have written a manual in which we explain step by step how ‘Track Changes’ works.

Check out an example

Our editors are very experienced and will do their utmost to correct all errors in your thesis .

However, with our current rates, an editor can only check your thesis once. This may cause an editor to overlook an error. We can therefore not guarantee that your thesis is 100% error free after you have had your thesis edited.

The editor uses ‘Track Changes’ in Word when editing your thesis.

Don’t know how this works? Then read the following guide  in which we explain step by step how ‘Track Changes’ works.

No, we do not provide you with a clean copy. You will always receive a file edited with tracked changes .

We do this for two main reasons:

• In most papers, there are sentences that the editor cannot edit without additional information from the author. In these cases, your editor will provide guidance but leave you to implement the feedback. If we were to simply accept the changes for you, then these issues would be left unaddressed.
• We believe students should be accountable for their work. Our editors can correct language errors and coach you to be a better writer. However, the end product belongs to you and should reflect your ideas and decisions.

All Scribbr editors are language experts with interests in different subject areas.

You can indicate your field of study when you upload your document . We’ll make sure that the editor who proofreads your work is familiar with your discipline and its specialist vocabulary.

These are the fields of study you can choose from, and examples of the main subjects in each field:

• Business and Management: Business Administration, Hotel Management, Accountancy, Marketing
• Economics: Business Economics, Econometrics, Finance
• IT and Engineering: ICT, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Applied Mathematics, Civil Engineering, Industrial Design, Electrical Engineering
• Natural and Life Sciences: Biomedical Sciences, Biology, Chemistry
• Geography, Agriculture and Environment: Ecology, Earth Sciences, Environmental Studies, Urban Planning
• Health and Medical Sciences: Medicine, Obstetrics, Pharmacy, Nutrition, Dentistry
• Arts and Humanities: Philosophy, History, Literature, Cultural Studies, Theology
• Law and Policy: Law, Political Science, Public Policy, Human Rights
• Social and Behavioral Sciences: Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Communication Sciences

Editors don’t have to be experts in the content of your paper, but they do know how to present it in the best way possible! Our goal is to improve your writing and give you feedback on the readability, structure, logic, and clarity of your text. We know from experience that the most effective editors are specialists in language and academic writing.

We’ve carefully selected and trained all of our editors to proofread theses and other academic documents. Once they’re qualified, we continue to carefully monitor their work to make sure we always deliver the highest quality .

• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Meaning of theses in English

Examples of theses.

Word of the Day

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

something dangerous or serious, such as an accident, that happens suddenly or unexpectedly and needs fast action in order to avoid harmful results

Paying attention and listening intently: talking about concentration

Learn more with +Plus

• Recent and Recommended {{#preferredDictionaries}} {{name}} {{/preferredDictionaries}}
• Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English English Learner’s Dictionary Essential British English Essential American English
• Grammar and thesaurus Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English Grammar Thesaurus
• Pronunciation British and American pronunciations with audio English Pronunciation
• English–Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Simplified)–English
• English–Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Traditional)–English
• English–Dutch Dutch–English
• English–French French–English
• English–German German–English
• English–Indonesian Indonesian–English
• English–Italian Italian–English
• English–Japanese Japanese–English
• English–Norwegian Norwegian–English
• English–Polish Polish–English
• English–Portuguese Portuguese–English
• English–Spanish Spanish–English
• English–Swedish Swedish–English
• Dictionary +Plus Word Lists
• All translations

Add theses to one of your lists below, or create a new one.

{{message}}

Something went wrong.

There was a problem sending your report.

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

• We're Hiring!
• Help Center

Principles of English spelling formation (final PhD thesis)

Studies of English spelling have primarily focussed on correspondences between spelling and sound among core, standard spellings. Segmental-level correspondences have been examined in detail (Venezky 1970, Cummings 1988, Carney 1994, Rollings 2004), while recent work shows that English spellings also encode supra-segmental information (Evertz and Primus 2013, Evertz 2014). An outstanding problem is the degree to which morphemic spelling is applied across the system (c.f. Venezky 1970: 120; Carney 1994: 18). Berg et al. (2014) observe that the spelling of affixes is more stable than the spelling of bases, hence <profane> alternates with <profanity>, not *<profanety> or *<profaneity>. Yet none of these theories address in detail why certain spellings are chosen over others. This thesis examines how English spellings are formed, particularly where compromises are made in the representation of both morphological and phonological information. The primary focus is on the spelling of inflections, but also derivations, names and non-standard spellings. The study also examines how we know if a spelling is a good phonographic match for a word. Five principles of spelling formation are proposed. 1. Any-Spelling principle: All words must have some spelling. 2. Distinctiveness principle (DSTNCT): Different words should have different spellings. 3. Identity Preservation principle (IdP): Related words should have related spellings. Hence complex words take their spelling from the spellings of their subcomponents. 4. Phonographic Matching principle (PhM): A word's spelling should represent its phonological form. 5. Invariance principle (INVRNC): Established spellings cannot be changed. The principles are manifested differently according to the category of word being spelt. Compound words adhere strongly to IdP. Regular inflections follow IdP by default, <jump, jumped, jumping>, but may involve PhM amendments, hence <dope, doped, doping> not <dope, *dopeed, *dopeing>. Affixed derivatives show similar patterns, <mode, modal>, regardless of stress-shifting, <origin, original>, while etymological influences complicate the picture, <possible, probable>. DSTNCT sometimes differentiates lexical homophones. <flour>, <flower>, but it is common among certain names, <Webb>, <Blu Tac>, <OutKast>. Non-standard spellings violate INVRNC by definition, and the conditions for spelling variation arise in part due to phonological changes. Abbreviations frequently obey IdP, e.g. <a.k.a.>, but clippings may not, <telly>, <fridge>. Etymological spelling is deemed to be an example of IdP, either among unchanged base forms, <macchiato>, or adapted polymorphemic words, <philosophy>. This re-assessment helps to solve the long-standing problem of how to integrate etymological spelling into synchronic theories of spelling. A flexible unit of spelling, the complex pleremic unit, is identified and it accounts for IdP's various manifestations. Native, monomorphemic base forms are not examined in detail as the priority is how new and complex words are spelt. This method is taken from word-formation studies (Marchand 1969, Bauer 1983, Plag 2003). The initial model of spelling formation assumes that polymorphemic words obey IdP by default, but that PhM amendments can be made, where necessary, if possible. The second iteration builds on Evertz's (2014) graphematic hierarchy to show how unsatisfactory spellings can be identified by comparing spelling and phonology at all hierarchical levels, including phonemes, syllables, and feet. The third iteration shows how Optimality Theory can be used to explain how one imperfect spelling, e.g. <doped>, can be chosen over an even less perfect spelling, *<dopeed>. Two further applications arise from the model: the pronunciation of many polysyllabic words can be predicted from the spelling with greater accuracy; and a path is provided by which spelling pronunciation can be predicted from potential ambiguities in decoding.

Related Papers

This study provides a method for studying a wide range of English spellings. I argue that there are five basic principles of English spelling and that different kinds of words may be spelt in different ways, subject to different applications of these principles, which state: 1. Identity Preservation (IdP) A spelling takes its form from the spellings of its subcomponents. Hence related words have related spellings. 2. Phonographic Matching (PhM) The spelling must match the known phonological form and changes may be made, where necessary, if possible, by amending the spelling-to-sound correspondences 3. Distinctiveness (DSTNCT) Words with different meanings should have different spellings, if possible. 4. Invariant spelling Once a spelling has been settled upon, it is not changed. 5. Any spelling All words must have some spelling. It has long been known that polymorphemic words tend to keep the spelling of their constituent morphemes ‘as much as possible’ (Venezky 1970: 120), and I examine how much this is possible, by looking at how amendments are made, firstly in inflected forms, and then in affixed derivation, where the complicating factor of etymology often plays a part. It is argued here that morphemic spelling is fundamentally the same as etymological spelling, as both are different manifestations of IdP, one connecting the meaning of related English words, in spite of differences (electric, electricity, electrician) the other connecting English to other languages (e.g. psychology, courgette). English spellings are thus formed from ‘lengthwise’ units of spelling, which may be reduced but never broken (psychotherapist, psychedelic, psy trance). English spelling formation is modelled visually by constructing orthographic trees and comparing orthographic structure against phonological structure. Where conflicts arise in the application of IdP, draft spellings can amended where appropriate, hence <sin>+<ing>  <sinning> not *<sining>. A simple notation is introduced to show the main details, and this may be applicable in the classroom. The model also provides a viable path for the under-explained phenomenon of spelling pronunciation. It is also shown that new and creative spellings may be subject to users’ awareness of higher-level structures in the formation of spellings, and this explains why ‘constructed homophones’ are possible, where distinctive spellings are formed by altering units of spelling, at any phonological level, hence the band names OutKast, Altern-8, Xzibit, INXS, etc. These spellings require readers to reconstruct a known phonological form, from a new spelling. This logic can be extended to all spelling, and the argument here is that readers must map from spelling to sound at several phonological levels (phonemes, rhymes, syllables, feet), an extension of Venezky’s (1970) model. Another central argument of the thesis is that new spelling units arise due to changes in phonology that are not matched by changes in spelling. Hence old spelling units can be redeployed for new purposes in new spellings. The English writing system is thus characterised as being in permanent flux, as it accumulates new spellings over the centuries.

Kristian Berg

What determines consonant doubling in English? This question is pursued by using a large lexical database to establish systematic correlations between spelling, phonology and morphology. The main insights are: Consonant doubling is most regular at morpheme boundaries. It can be described in graphemic terms alone, i.e. without reference to phonology. In monomorphemic words, consonant doubling depends mostly on the word ending. Certain endings correlate with double consonants (e.g. <er> as in <summer>), while others correlate with single consonants (e.g. <it> as in <visit>). What is more, it is the graphemic form of the word ending that determines the presence or absence of double consonants: The word endings <-ic> and <-ick>, for example, are homophonous, but the former almost always occurs with single consonants (e.g. <panic>), the latter with double consonants (e.g. <derrick>). That makes graphemic word endings peculiar entities: Like suffixes, they are recurring and they have distributional properties—but unlike suffixes, they have no morphosyntactic or semantic function.

Terry Joyce

Revised AWLL11 programme + abstracts

Written Language & Literacy

Arvind Iyengar

The Sindhī language has been written in numerous scripts throughout its history. However, in the twentieth century, Perso-Arabic and Devanāgarī emerged as the dominant scripts for the language. Today, Perso-Arabic is the sole official script for Sindhī in Pakistan, while both Perso-Arabic and Devanāgarī are in concurrent use for the language in India. This paper identifies and analyses areas of orthographic standardisation and variation in the Perso-Arabic and Devanāgarī scripts for Sindhī , focusing primarily on practices in the Indian context. It first classifies orthographic variation into that stemming from phonological ambiguity, and that which is purely graphematic. The former includes the representation of reduced vowels, gemination, vocalic endings, loanwords, consonant clusters and sounds of unclear phonemic status. The latter includes the shapes and positioning of diacritics, allographs, derivative graphemes and collation orders. The paper concludes by summarising the possible pedagogical implications of such orthographic standardisation and variation.

Francisco Miguel Valada

UNITES DE LANGUE – UNITES D’ECRITURE 7ème atelier international sur les systèmes scripturaux et la littéracie 30 septembre 2010 – 1er octobre 2010 Paris

Portuguese Language Orthographic Agreement of 1990: homographs, prescription, opacity (poster presented at UNITES DE LANGUE – UNITES D’ECRITURE 7ème atelier international sur les systèmes scripturaux et la littéracie 30 septembre 2010 – 1er octobre 2010 Paris

Skase Journal of Theoretical Linguistics

This study of standard and non-standard English spelling patterns makes steps towards developing a theory of spelling which can explain both within the one model. The study explores the formal differences between standard English spelling and ‘constructed homophony’, a sub-branch of non-standard spelling, and some existing theories of standard spelling are updated to cover both. In the latter section, the goal is to provide the outline of a visual model which can be used to predict all possible well-formed English spellings of all possible well-formed English words, even allowing for the interchanging of phonograms, morphograms and syllabograms.

Sonja Häffner

English Language Teaching

Aslam Sipra

RELATED PAPERS

Szentgyörgyi Szilárd , Katalin Balogné Bérces

rita marquilhas

Hanna Rutkowska

Reading and Writing

Tiago Almeida

Andrea Sanchez

Rebecca Treiman

Damaris Ngorosho

Ahmed Badran

Applied Psycholinguistics

Bene Bassetti

haddad warda

Vince Connelly

Journal of Memory and Language

Brett Kessler

Véronique Pouillon

Evelyn Coronel

Katalin Balogné Bérces

Azizah Nur Rahmawati

eva eltaweel

Robert Papen

Stefania M Maci

Theo Iyere (PhD)

Jackie Masterson

ROSALINE MNGUHENEN SOKPO

Selbut Longtau

Leila L Schroeder

Petruta Ilie

Journal of psycholinguistic …

Hyeongsaeng Park

Chakkrit Snae

Erik Andvik

Kristian Berg , Mark Aronoff

Lian Blasse

In Garry, J. & C. Rubino (eds.) Facts about the world’s major languages: an encyclopedia of the world’s major languages, past and present

Alexander Coupe

RELATED TOPICS

•   We're Hiring!
•   Help Center
• Find new research papers in:
• Health Sciences
• Earth Sciences
• Cognitive Science
• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Academia ©2024