I always thought "roof" becomes "rooves", the way "hoof" becomes "hooves"...
But MS Word doesn't even recognise "rooves", and it likes "roofs".
I've tried it in English (United Kingdom) and English (New Zealand) - I usually use the latter. I pronouce the plural "rooves" to rhyme with "hooves". But what is the correct spelling in British English?
My novel is set in 1890 England, so the characters would use the traditional, not modern, word.
ETA: there is lot of discussion of this online, and there are several sources which list "rooves" as a plural of "roof" - but far more which list "roofs" as the plural. I suppose my main question is, what would they have used in 1890 England? Is "roofs" a modern usage?
But MS Word doesn't even recognise "rooves", and it likes "roofs".
I've tried it in English (United Kingdom) and English (New Zealand) - I usually use the latter. I pronouce the plural "rooves" to rhyme with "hooves". But what is the correct spelling in British English?
My novel is set in 1890 England, so the characters would use the traditional, not modern, word.
ETA: there is lot of discussion of this online, and there are several sources which list "rooves" as a plural of "roof" - but far more which list "roofs" as the plural. I suppose my main question is, what would they have used in 1890 England? Is "roofs" a modern usage?
Last edited: