The Wug Test – Part 1

Just add s. Or is it that simple? 

*Moderate   *Not messy   *30 minutes   

What is a Wug Test? 

Language is full of patterns. Without even being aware of it, we follow a set of rules which allow us to understand each other when we speak. In the field of linguistics,  wug tests are used to find patterns. A wug test uses made-up creatures (a wug is one such made-up creature) to figure out what some of the rules are that people follow when they speak that they probably don’t even know they follow. 

One of the areas where we follow specific rules is in plural formation. Singular means that there is only one of a thing. Plural means that there is more than one of a thing, for example 1 cat (singular) vs. 2 cats (plural).
So in English spelling we add an -s to a word to make the word mean more than one of that thing. But do we always make an s-sound when we say these words?

 

Materials: 

 

Directions:

  • Print out the tally sheet and the wug test pdfs (listed in the materials above)
  • Have 2-4 participants take the test by answering the questions
  • Pay close attention to which sounds they make when they fill in the blanks
  • Use the tally sheet to record their answers

Pay especially close attention to the plural ending of the word and record your participants’ answers on the tally sheet. 

How do your participants know when they should use -s, -z, or -iz? They have never heard these words before but they follow certain rules when they choose which ending to use. Try to figure out the pattern. After you have given this your best shot, click on the How it Works sheet below for an explanation about what is going on here. See the Key Words list at the bottom if there are any terms you don’t understand. 

 

Discovery questions 

Before the experiment: 

What is the difference between singular and plural?  

    • A singular is a noun where there is only one. A plural is a noun where there is more than one, for example 1 cat (singular) vs. 2 cats (plural).

 

What is a plural ending?

    • A plural ending is what is added to a noun to make it more than one (like the -s in cats).

 

What are the ways that the plural ending -s in English can be pronounced? 

    • There are three:
      • -s as in cats
      • -z as in dogs 
      • -iz as in horses

 

What is the difference between voiced and voiceless sounds? 

    • Voiced sounds make your vocal cords move when you say them.  Voiceless sounds do not. If you put your hand on your throat (like in the picture below) you can feel the vibration of your vocal cords when you make a voiced sound but not when you make a voiceless sound. Try it with a b (voiced) vs. a p (voiceless) sound.

 

      • All vowels are voiced. 

 
After the experiment:

Why aren’t the plural endings always the same even though there is always an s in the spelling? 

How do people know which sound they should make if they have never heard these words before?

 

Key Words

Consonants

All the sounds that are not vowels

Linguistics

The scientific study of how language works

Morpheme

The smallest unit of language that contains meaning. This can be a whole word like cat or just one sound like the -s in cats which makes the word plural.

Noun

A person, place, thing, or idea

Plural

When there is more than one of something like 2 cats (plural) instead of just 1 cat (singular)

Voiced vs. Voiceless Sounds

Voiced sounds make your vocal cords vibrate (e.g., d) while voiceless sounds do not (e.g., t)

Vowels

a, e, i, o, u

Wug Test

Wug tests use made-up creatures to help us figure out which grammar rules we follow when we speak

 

“The Wug Test – Nouns” by Rose Fisher

 

Reference

Gleason, J. B. (1958). The Wug Test. Larchwood Press.