Writing Tips
http://www.btb.termiumplus.gc.ca
Common menu bar links
Institutional Links
-
Translation Bureau
Language Portal of Canada
-
TERMIUM Plus®
-
Index E
- each (1)
- each (2)
- earth
- Earth
- Easter
- Eastern Daylight Time
- Eastern Standard Time
- eco
- eco-
- ecological
- ecology
- economic
- economical
- editors and decision makers
- Edmonton
- Edmontonian
- EDT
- effect (1)
- effect (2)
- effective
- efficient
- effusive
- e.g.
- Egypto-
- either … or
- elaborate
- elaborate on
- elapsed time
- elder
- elegy
- elicit
- eligible
- elite
- elitist
- elude
- em-
- email: advantages of email
- email: disadvantages of email
- email: email presentation
- email: introduction
- email: organizational guidelines
- emails
- embark for
- embark on
- embark upon
- em dash
- emigrate
- eminent
- en-
- enamoured of
- enamoured with
- en dash
- endow
- endow with
- energize
- enervate
- enforceable
- enormity
- enormous
- enormousness
- enough
- ensure
- envelop
- envelope
- environment
- epi-
- equally
- equally as
- equinox
- EST
- etc.
- etcetera
- et cetera
- eulogy
- EUR
- euro
- Euro-
- every
- evident
- ex-
- example
- except in the case of
- excessive number of
- exclamation point
- excuse for
- excuse from
- expatriate
- ex-patriot
- expertise
- expertize
- extra-
- extractable
- extractible
- extranet
Proactive Disclosure
Important notice
Writing Tips has been archived and won’t be updated before it is permanently deleted.
For the most up-to-date content, please consult Writing Tips Plus, which combines content from Writing Tips and The Canadian Style. And don’t forget to update your bookmarks!
Search and Functionalities Area
email, emails
When the noun email means “a message sent by email,” the plural form is emails:
- I received 10 emails (or messages) yesterday.
When there is no mention of number, email is used in the singular form as a mass (or uncountable) noun:
- I received email yesterday.
The confusion about the use of the plural form emails likely arises because mail (delivered by Canada Post) is a mass noun and thus has no plural form:
- Jack received mail—one magazine, two bills and one postcard.
OR
- Jack received four pieces of mail.
© Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2024
TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank
Writing tools – Writing Tips
A product of the Translation Bureau
