Monkeys or Monkies: Correct Spelling, Plural Rule & Examples

Is it “monkeys” or “monkies”? The correct spelling is monkeys. It’s an easy mistake to make because many words ending in -y change to -ies when they become plural. But monkey follows a different pattern. Since the letter before the y is a vowel, you simply add s.

Quick Answer:

✅ Monkeys = correct plural
❌ Monkies = incorrect

We saw several monkeys at the zoo.

Monkeys vs. Monkies

Why Is It “Monkeys” Not “Monkies”?

The easiest way to get this right is to look at the letter before the final y.

Vowel + y → add s

• monkey → monkeys
• key → keys
• donkey → donkeys

Consonant + y → change y to ies

• baby → babies
• city → cities
• party → parties

Because e is a vowel, monkey becomes monkeys, not monkies.

The spelling monkies has appeared in older texts, but it is not the standard spelling used today.

British vs. American English

There is no spelling difference here. Both British and American English use monkeys.

When to Use Each Form

Use monkeys when you mean more than one monkey:

The zoo has six monkeys.

Use monkey’s when something belongs to one monkey:

The monkey’s tail was injured.

Use monkeys’ when something belongs to several monkeys:

The monkeys’ enclosure was cleaned.

Monkies is not the standard plural form.

Common Mistakes

❌ Two monkies were playing.
✅ Two monkeys were playing.

❌ The monkies’ habitat was closed.
✅ The monkeys’ habitat was closed.

The usual mistake is applying the -ies rule without checking the letter before y.

Pronunciation

Monkeys is pronounced roughly like “MUNG-keez,” with a z sound at the end.

6 Examples

1. The monkeys were swinging through the trees.
2. We watched several monkeys at the wildlife park.
3. Researchers observed a troop of monkeys.
4. The monkey’s tail was wrapped around a branch.
5. The monkeys’ enclosure was cleaned early.
6. The children enjoyed watching the monkeys play.

Memory Trick

Vowel + y → s
Consonant + y → ies

monkey → monkeys
baby → babies

Mini Quiz

1. Which spelling is correct?
A. Monkies
B. Monkeys
C. Monkeyes
D. Monkeies

2. Why is the plural “monkeys”?
A. Y always changes to ies
B. The letter before y is a vowel
C. Monkey is irregular
D. All plurals take s

3. Which sentence is correct?
A. We saw three monkies.
B. We saw three monkeys.
C. We saw three monkeyes.
D. We saw three monkeies.

4. Which form shows possession by several monkeys?
A. Monkey’s
B. Monkeys
C. Monkeys’
D. Monkies’

5. Which word follows the same vowel + y pattern?
A. Baby
B. City
C. Donkey
D. Party

Answers: 1-B, 2-B, 3-B, 4-C, 5-C

FAQs

Is “monkies” ever correct?

Not in standard modern English. Use monkeys.

Do British and American English use the same spelling?

Yes. Both use monkeys.

Is monkey an irregular noun?

No. Monkey is a regular noun that follows the vowel + y plural rule.

What is the plural possessive of monkey?

The plural possessive is monkeys’.

Conclusion

Monkeys is the correct plural, while monkies is not. The rule is simple: when a word ends in vowel + y, keep the y and add s. So monkey → monkeys, just like key → keys and donkey → donkeys.

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Mignon Fogarty

Mignon Fogarty is an experienced English grammar and writing expert specializing in grammar, word usage, and clear American English. At EduNexxt, her focus is making grammar simple, accurate, and practical.