Plural Form of “Résumé”: Rules, Usage, Examples, and Common Mistakes

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The word “résumé” is a common term in English, especially within professional and academic circles. It refers to a summarized document outlining a person’s education, qualifications, and work experience, and is vital for job applications, internships, and academic submissions. Because “résumé” is often used in contexts where multiple documents or applicants are discussed, mastering its plural forms is essential for clear and professional communication.

Using the correct plural can impact your credibility, whether you are a student submitting applications, a job seeker preparing documents, an HR professional reviewing candidates, an English learner aiming for fluency, a teacher instructing students, or an editor ensuring grammatical accuracy. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about the plural forms of “résumé”: definitions, pluralization rules, style variations, examples, common mistakes, advanced points, practice exercises, and frequently asked questions.

Table of Contents

3. Definition Section

3.1. What Is a “Résumé”?

A “résumé” (noun) is a concise document that lists a person’s education, work experience, skills, and other qualifications. It is essential for job applications and professional introductions.

Etymology: The word comes from the French verb résumer, meaning “to summarize.” In French, “résumé” literally means “summary.”

Grammar: In English, “résumé” is a countable noun (you can have one résumé, two résumés, etc.).

3.2. Pluralization in English Nouns

In English, most nouns form the plural by adding -s or -es (cat/cats, box/boxes). However, words borrowed from other languages, such as French or Latin, sometimes retain their original plural forms or adapt to English conventions.

Borrowed words: English frequently borrows terms from French, keeping some original spellings or accents, especially in formal contexts.

3.3. Function and Usage Contexts

You need the plural form when discussing multiple job applications, several candidates’ documents, or comparing different versions of a résumé.

  • Formal contexts: Academic writing, professional HR communication, job postings.
  • Informal contexts: Email exchanges, conversations between colleagues or students.

4. Structural Breakdown

4.1. Regular English Pluralization Patterns

Most English nouns form the plural by adding -s or -es.

Singular Plural Example Sentence
cat cats I see three cats.
box boxes She carried two boxes.
student students The students arrived early.
résumé résumés We reviewed several résumés.

4.2. Plural Forms of Words Borrowed From French

French loanwords often use the English -s plural, but sometimes keep the original French pattern. For “résumé,” the standard English plural is “résumés.”

Singular Plural Notes
café cafés English plural
fiancé fiancés English plural (with accent)
protégé protégés English plural
résumé résumés Standard plural

4.3. Diacritics and Their Pluralization

The accents (diacritics) in “résumé” – specifically the acute accent (´) on both “e”s – distinguish it from the English word “resume” (verb).

  • “résumé” (with both accents): Preferred in formal writing.
  • “resumé” (one accent): Less common.
  • “resume” (no accent): Common in US informal contexts, but can be confused with the verb.

Pluralization is not affected by the accents, but consistency in your writing is important.

4.4. Pluralization Patterns for “Résumé”

Different plural forms appear in real-world usage:

  • résumés: Most widely accepted, especially in formal and academic writing.
  • resumes: Acceptable in informal American English; common on websites and in emails.
  • resumés: Rare, occurs due to partial retention of accents.

Other forms such as “résumées” or “résumé’s” are incorrect.

5. Types or Categories (of Pluralization for “Résumé”)

5.1. Standard English Plural: “Résumés”

“Résumés” is the most widely accepted plural form in English, featured in major dictionaries (Oxford, Merriam-Webster, Cambridge) and recommended by style guides (APA, Chicago Manual of Style). It preserves both accents and follows the regular English pattern of adding -s for plurals.

5.2. Anglicized Plural: “Resumes”

“Resumes” omits the accents. This form is common in American English, especially in informal writing, emails, and on websites where typing accents may be inconvenient. It is generally accepted in less formal contexts but should be avoided in formal documents.

5.3. Less Common/French-Influenced Plural: “Resumés”

“Resumés” (with only one accent) is less common and results from partial retention of the original French spelling. While it appears in some texts, it is not standard or widely accepted.

5.4. Incorrect/Non-Standard Forms (for comparison)

  • “Résumé’s” or “Resumé’s”: Incorrect use of apostrophe for plurals.
  • “Résumées” or “Résumees”: Incorrect pluralization pattern.
Form Acceptable? Notes
résumés Yes Standard plural with accents
resumes Yes (US, informal) Anglicized, informal
resumés Rare Non-standard, avoid
résumé’s No Incorrect (apostrophe error)
résumées No Incorrect (wrong ending)

6. Examples Section

6.1. Simple Example Sentences

Here are example sentences using each plural form in context:

  • We received over fifty résumés for the open position.
  • The HR manager sorted through all the résumés yesterday.
  • Students should submit their résumés before the deadline.
  • He compared two résumés to decide which candidate to interview.
  • Many résumés were impressive, but only a few made the shortlist.
  • All applicants must send their résumés electronically.
  • The website allows you to upload multiple résumés.
  • Most résumés included a cover letter.
  • Reviewers noticed several spelling errors in the résumés.
  • We will keep your résumés on file for future reference.
  • Some companies accept resumes without cover letters.
  • Our database contains thousands of resumes.
  • I printed out three resumes for the interview panel.
  • Please attach your resumes to the application form.
  • Most job boards let you store several resumes online.
  • These resumes need to be updated.
  • We checked the resumes for relevant experience.
  • The recruiter reviewed all the resumes this morning.
  • Her resumes reflect a diverse skill set.
  • Upload your resumes in PDF format only.
  • Only a few resumés have the correct formatting.
  • All the resumés submitted were carefully read.
  • Some resumés missed key information.

6.2. Comparative Usage Examples

Form Example Sentence
résumés We received dozens of résumés for the internship program.
resumes Applicants should upload their resumes online.
resumés He reviewed all the resumés before making a decision.

6.3. Sentence Transformation Examples

  • Singular: I wrote a résumé. → Plural: I wrote several résumés.
  • Singular: She submitted her résumé. → Plural: They submitted their résumés.
  • Singular: The résumé is impressive. → Plural: The résumés are impressive.
  • Singular: This résumé stands out. → Plural: These résumés stand out.
  • Singular: Please review my résumé. → Plural: Please review my résumés.
  • Singular: A résumé is necessary. → Plural: Résumés are necessary.
  • Singular: The résumé was long. → Plural: The résumés were long.
  • Singular: I received your résumé. → Plural: I received your résumés.
  • Singular: Your résumé was excellent. → Plural: Your résumés were excellent.
  • Singular: This résumé is outdated. → Plural: These résumés are outdated.

6.4. Real-World Usage Examples

  • Job posting: “Please submit your résumés and cover letters by email.”
  • HR website: “Upload up to three resumes for different job categories.”
  • Academic article: “The study compared the formats of 200 résumés submitted by applicants.”
  • Career center: “All résumés should be tailored to the position.”
  • Company policy: “We keep all applicants’ résumés on file for six months.”
  • LinkedIn help page: “You can upload multiple resumes to your profile.”
  • Recruitment blog: “Common mistakes found in resumes include typos and inconsistent formatting.”
  • University HR guidelines: “Applicants must submit separate résumés for each position.”
  • Job fair announcement: “Bring several printed résumés for employers.”

6.5. Sample Table 1: Singular vs. Plural in Context

Singular Plural Form Example Sentence
résumé résumés I have reviewed all the résumés.
resume resumes We accept resumes in PDF format.
resumé resumés Few resumés were received.

6.6. Sample Table 2: Plural Forms in Different Registers

Context Preferred Plural Example Sentence
Formal letter résumés Please send your résumés.
Professional email (US) resumes All resumes must be uploaded by Friday.
Academic paper résumés The study analyzes 50 résumés.
Casual message resumes Who has extra resumes for the fair?

6.7. Sample Table 3: Accent Usage in Plurals

Spelling Plural Form Acceptable? Example
résumé résumés Yes We received five résumés.
resume resumes Yes (US) All resumes are confidential.
resumé resumés Rare Few resumés were updated.

6.8. Sample Table 4: Pluralization of Other Borrowed Words

Singular Plural Example
café cafés The city has many cafés.
fiancé fiancés Several fiancés attended the party.
protégé protégés The professor’s protégés achieved great things.
résumé résumés We collected résumés from all applicants.

6.9. Sample Table 5: Correct vs. Incorrect Plurals

Incorrect Correct Example (Corrected)
résumé’s résumés I collected all the résumés.
résumées résumés Three résumés were selected.
resume’s resumes All resumes are reviewed.
résumees résumés We received many résumés.

7. Usage Rules

7.1. General Rule for Pluralizing “Résumé”

Rule: To make “résumé” plural, add -s to the end: “résumés”.

  • Retain both accents in formal writing: résumés.
  • In informal American English, resumes (no accents) is acceptable.

7.2. Regional and Style Variations

  • American English: “resumes” (without accents) widely used in informal and online contexts.
  • British English: “résumés” is preferred, but “CVs” (curriculum vitaes) is more common for job applications.
  • Canadian/Australian English: Both “résumés” and “resumes” are found, with a slight preference for the accented form in formal contexts.

7.3. Guidelines from Style Manuals and Dictionaries

  • MLA, APA, Chicago Manual of Style: Recommend “résumés” (with accents) as the formal plural.
  • Merriam-Webster, Oxford, Cambridge: List “résumé” as the headword, and “résumés” as the plural; acknowledge “resume(s)” as a variant in US usage.

7.4. Special Cases

  • Use the plural when referring to multiple documents or applicants: “We reviewed the résumés.”
  • Do not pluralize when referring to the general concept: “Résumé writing is important.”
  • Collective or uncountable usage: No plural needed (“Résumé content should be clear.”).

7.5. Table: Usage Rules by Register and Region

Register/Region Plural Recommended Form Example
Formal US/UK/CA/AU résumés Yes Please enclose your résumés.
Informal US/CA/AU resumes Acceptable Upload your resumes here.
British English (job applications) CVs Preferred Send your CVs to the HR department.
Academic writing résumés Yes The paper compares 100 résumés.

8. Common Mistakes

8.1. Using Apostrophes for Plurals

  • Incorrect: résumé’s, resume’s
  • Correct: résumés, resumes

Apostrophes are never used for regular plurals in English.

8.2. Incorrect Plural Endings

  • Incorrect: résumées, résumees
  • Correct: résumés

Do not add an extra e before the s.

8.3. Inconsistent Accent Usage

Avoid mixing accented and unaccented forms in the same text (e.g., using “résumé” and “resume” interchangeably).

  • Consistent: “All résumés were reviewed.”
  • Inconsistent: “Some resumes were better than other résumés.”

8.4. Confusing “Résumé” with “Resume” (Verb)

Résumé (noun) and resume (verb: to begin again) are pronounced differently and have different meanings. Context and accents help clarify.

  • Noun: “résumé” (document)
  • Verb: “resume” (to continue)

8.5. Table: Common Errors and Corrections

Error Correction Explanation
résumé’s résumés Apostrophe not for plural
résumées résumés Extra ‘e’ is incorrect
resume’s resumes Apostrophe not for plural
résumees résumés Wrong ending
a résumés some résumés Wrong article for plural

8.6. Incorrect Article Usage with Plural

  • Incorrect: a résumés
  • Correct: some résumés, the résumés

9. Practice Exercises

9.1. Fill-in-the-Blank (10-15 sentences)

  1. Please submit your _______ by Friday.
  2. The hiring manager reviewed all the _______ this morning.
  3. Both applicants attached their _______ to the email.
  4. Many _______ included references.
  5. All _______ must be formatted as PDFs.
  6. We received several _______ for the position.
  7. Don’t forget to update your _______ before applying.
  8. The company stores _______ for future opportunities.
  9. Some _______ were missing contact information.
  10. She read through dozens of _______ during the week.
  11. These _______ are very impressive.
  12. Most _______ follow a similar template.
  13. The recruiter asked for three _______.
  14. My friends and I compared our _______.
  15. The conference collected _______ from all attendees.

9.2. Correction Exercise (10 sentences)

  1. I have read all the résumé’s you sent.
  2. She received five resume’s today.
  3. Several résumées were submitted late.
  4. Upload your resumés to the website.
  5. Only a few résumé’s were selected.
  6. The interviewer reviewed many résumé’s.
  7. We need a résumés for each applicant.
  8. Some résumé’s were missing dates.
  9. There were many resumees in the stack.
  10. He compared the resumés carefully.

9.3. Identification Exercise (5-10 items)

Choose the correct plural form:

  1. a) résumé’s    b) résumés    c) résumées
  2. a) resumes    b) resume’s    c) resumées
  3. a) résumé’s    b) resumes    c) résumees
  4. a) résumés    b) resumé’s    c) résumées
  5. a) résumé’s    b) resumés    c) résumés

9.4. Sentence Construction (5-10 prompts)

Write original sentences using “résumé” in both singular and plural forms:

  1. Singular: (Write a sentence about one résumé.)
  2. Plural: (Write a sentence about several résumés.)
  3. Singular: (Describe a résumé’s format.)
  4. Plural: (Mention résumés in a hiring context.)
  5. Singular: (Talk about updating a résumé.)
  6. Plural: (Refer to résumés in a classroom activity.)

9.5. Table: Exercise Answers and Explanations

Exercise Answer Explanation
Fill-in-the-Blank #1 résumés / resumes Plural form needed for multiple documents.
Correction #1 résumés Apostrophe not used for plural.
Identification #1 b) résumés Standard plural with accents.
Sentence Construction #1 My résumé highlights my skills. Singular form for one document.
Sentence Construction #2 The employer reviewed all the résumés. Plural form for multiple documents.

10. Advanced Topics

10.1. Pluralization in Academic and Technical Writing

Formal papers require consistency of accent use. Use “résumés” throughout, not “résumés” in one section and “resumes” in another.

10.2. Corpus-Based Frequency Analysis

Analysis of published sources (e.g., COCA, Google Books) shows “résumés” is dominant in formal writing, while “resumes” is more common online and in American business communication.

  • “résumés”: ~65% in academic/professional texts
  • “resumes”: ~35% in informal/online texts

10.3. Pluralization and Gendered/Inclusive Language

The plural “résumés” is inherently gender-neutral, supporting inclusive hiring practices. Use it when referring to applicants of any or all genders.

  • “Review all résumés regardless of gender or background.”

10.4. Pluralization Across Varieties of English

  • US English: Both “résumés” (formal) and “resumes” (informal) are common.
  • UK English: “résumés” exists, but “CVs” is more common.
  • Canadian/Australian English: Mixture of both forms, depending on formality.

10.5. Pluralization in Multilingual or Bilingual Contexts

In code-mixed communication (e.g., bilingual job postings), the English plural “résumés” is used, even alongside other languages.

  • “Envoyez vos résumés / Please send your résumés.”

11. FAQ Section

  1. What is the correct plural form of “résumé”?
    The standard plural is “résumés”.
  2. Is “resumes” acceptable as a plural spelling?
    Yes, especially in informal American English, though “résumés” is preferred in formal writing.
  3. Can I use “resumés” as the plural?
    “Resumés” appears in some texts but is non-standard. Use “résumés” or “resumes.”
  4. Do I have to use the accents in “résumés”?
    In formal contexts, yes. In informal or US writing, omitting them (“resumes”) is acceptable.
  5. What is the difference between “résumé” and “resume”?
    “Résumé” is the noun (document); “resume” without accents can be the noun (in US English) or the verb “to continue.”
  6. How do style guides recommend pluralizing “résumé”?
    Most recommend “résumés” with both accents for formal writing.
  7. Is “résumé’s” ever correct for plural?
    No. Apostrophes are not used for regular plurals.
  8. Are there regional differences in using “résumés” vs. “resumes”?
    Yes. “Resumes” is common in the US (informal); “résumés” is standard elsewhere and in formal writing.
  9. How should I pluralize “résumé” in a formal document?
    Use “résumés.”
  10. Which plural form should I use on a website or business communication?
    “Resumes” is acceptable for informal/business web content; “résumés” for formal or academic sites.
  11. Are there other words borrowed from French with similar pluralization?
    Yes: café/cafés, fiancé/fiancés, protégé/protégés.
  12. How do I avoid confusion with the verb “to resume”?
    Use accents (“résumé”) for the noun; check context and pronunciation.

12. Conclusion

Mastering the plural forms of “résumé” is crucial for clear, professional, and error-free communication, particularly in job searching, HR, and academic settings. The most accepted plural is “résumés”, especially in formal and academic writing. In US informal contexts and online, “resumes” is also common. The form “resumés” is rare and generally not recommended.

Always strive for consistency and correctness. Consult style guides and dictionaries as needed, and use the examples, tables, and exercises in this article to reinforce your understanding. By mastering these forms, you ensure your writing remains clear, professional, and accurate in all contexts.

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