Analyses or Analysis: Which One Is Correct?

Have you ever written “analysis” and wondered if “analyses” would be more correct? 

You are not alone. These two words look almost the same, but they do not have the same meaning or grammatical use. 

The confusion often appears in academic writing, business reports, research papers, news articles, and professional emails.

The simple rule is clear: analysis is singular, while analyses is plural. You use analysis when you mean one detailed study, review, or examination. 

You use analyses when you mean two or more studies, reviews, or examinations. The word analyses is also used as a verb in British English, which creates another source of confusion.

This guide explains analyses or analysis in simple terms. You will learn their meanings, origins, pronunciation, grammar, spelling, common mistakes, and everyday uses. 

You will also see how British and American English treat the related verb forms and how to choose the right word for professional writing.

Analyses or Analysis Quick Answer

Analysis is the singular form.

Analyses is the plural form.

Word	Meaning	Example
Analysis	One examination or study	The analysis shows a clear pattern.
Analyses	Two or more examinations or studies	The analyses show several patterns.

Use “analysis” for one

• The report contains an analysis of the survey
• Her analysis was detailed and clear
• The analysis of the data took two weeks

Use “analyses” for more than one

• The researchers completed several analyses
• The report includes three analyses of the results
• These analyses reveal different trends.

The plural is not “analysises.” The correct plural is analyses. It follows an older Greek-derived plural pattern in which the ending -is changes to -es.

There is also an important pronunciation difference:

• Analysis: uh-NAL-uh-sis
• Analyses: uh-NAL-uh-seez

The Origin of Analyses or Analysis

The word analysis has a long history. It comes from the Ancient Greek word analusis, meaning a breaking up, loosening, or unravelling. 

The idea was to separate something into parts so it could be understood more clearly.

The word entered English through Medieval Latin and was established in English by the late 16th century. Its meaning developed around the idea of examining something by separating it into smaller parts.

The plural analyses also comes from this Greek pattern. Instead of adding a normal English -s, the ending changes from -is to -es.

This same pattern appears in several other words:

• analysis → analyses
• basis → bases
• crisis → crises
• thesis → theses
• hypothesis → hypotheses
• diagnosis → diagnoses

This is why analysises is not the standard plural form.

The related verb also has two common spellings:

• American English: analyze
• British English: analyse

The noun spellings analysis and analyses, however, are used in both major varieties of English.

British English vs American English Spelling

The nouns analysis and analyses are spelled the same in British and American English.

The main spelling difference appears in the related verb.

Form	American English	British English
Singular noun	analysis	analysis
Plural noun	analyses	analyses
Verb	analyze	analyse
Third-person verb	analyzes	analyses
Past verb	analyzed	analysed
Past participle	analyzed	analysed
Adjective	analytical	analytical

For example:

American English:

The researcher analyzes the data carefully.

British English:

The researcher analyses the data carefully.

This can cause a special problem with the word analyses. In American English, it is normally the plural noun. 

In British English, it can be either the plural noun or the third-person singular form of analyse, depending on the sentence.

For example:

The researchers completed several analyses.

Here, analyses is a plural noun.

She analyses the results every Friday.

Here, analyses is a British English verb.

The noun forms themselves do not change between British and American English.

Which Spelling Should You Use?

Your choice depends mainly on what you mean and which variety of English you are using.

For US English

Use:

• analysis for one study
• analyses for multiple studies
• analyze as the verb

Example:

The team analyzed the results and prepared two analyses.

For UK English

Use:

• analysis for one study
• analyses for multiple studies
• analyse as the verb

Example:

The team analysed the results and prepared two analyses.

For Commonwealth English

Many Commonwealth varieties, including British-influenced forms, commonly use analyse and analysed as verb spellings. However, analysis and analyses remain the standard noun forms.

For global or international writing

Choose one English style and use it consistently. If your audience is international, clarity matters more than choosing between British and American spelling.

For academic, business, or professional writing, check the style guide required by your school, employer, publisher, or client.

Common Mistakes with Analyses or Analysis

1. Writing “analysises”

Incorrect:

The report contains three analysises.

Correct:

The report contains three analyses.

The plural is analyses, not analysises.

2. Using “analyses” for one study

Incorrect:

The analyses of the report was useful.

Correct:

The analysis of the report was useful.

One study or examination requires analysis.

3. Using “analysis” for several studies

Incorrect:

The researchers completed five analysis.

Correct:

The researchers completed five analyses.

A number greater than one normally requires the plural analyses.

4. Confusing the noun with the verb

In American English:

She analyzes the results.

In British English:

She analyses the results.

The spelling analyses can therefore be a noun or a verb in British English.

5. Pronouncing both words the same

The two forms have different endings:

• analysis → “uh-NAL-uh-sis”
• analyses → “uh-NAL-uh-seez”

Learning the pronunciation can make the difference easier to remember.

Analyses or Analysis in Everyday Examples

In emails

Singular:

I have attached the analysis of last month’s sales.

Plural:

I have attached the analyses of the three sales regions.

In news writing

Singular:

The report includes an analysis of the latest economic figures.

Plural:

Several analyses of the election results appeared after the announcement.

The plural is useful when different experts, reports, or methods provide separate examinations.

On social media

Singular:

My analysis of the new update is simple: it works better than the old version.

Plural:

I read several analyses before making my decision.

In formal writing

Singular:

This analysis examines the causes of the problem.

Plural:

These analyses examine the problem from different perspectives.

In academic writing

Singular:

The analysis supports the original hypothesis.

Plural:

The analyses produced different results.

In business writing

Singular:

Our analysis shows that customer demand has increased.

Plural:

Our analyses of regional sales show different buying patterns.

Analyses or Analysis Google Trends & Usage Data

Search interest for analysis is generally broader because it is the basic singular noun and is used across many fields, including education, science, business, mathematics, journalism, technology, and everyday discussion.

Analyses is more specialized. It is most common when writers discuss multiple studies, reports, methods, or examinations. 

Academic papers, research reports, scientific writing, and technical documents therefore use the plural form frequently.

The word also appears in different ways across English-speaking countries. 

The noun analysis and its plural analyses are standard in both American and British English, so country-based spelling differences do not determine which noun form is correct. 

The larger regional difference is found in the related verb: analyze in American English and analyse in British English.

Search popularity can also change according to context. 

A general reader is more likely to search for analysis, while someone working with research, statistics, academic studies, or multiple reports may encounter analyses more often.

Google Trends measures relative search interest rather than the total number of times a word is used. 

Therefore, search interest should be treated as an indicator of what people search for, not as a complete measure of language use.

Analysis vs Analyses: Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	Analysis	Analyses
Number	Singular	Plural
Meaning	One examination or study	Two or more examinations or studies
Pronunciation	uh-NAL-uh-sis	uh-NAL-uh-seez
Example	One analysis was completed.	Several analyses were completed.
Correct plural	—	analyses
Incorrect form	—	analysises
American verb	analyze	analyzes
British verb	analyse	analyses

A simple memory rule is:

One analysis, several analyses.

FAQs About Analyses or Analysis

Is “analysis” singular or plural?

Analysis is singular. It refers to one examination, study, or detailed review.

Example:

The analysis was completed yesterday.

What is the plural of analysis?

The plural of analysis is analyses.

Example:

The researchers completed several analyses.

Is “analysises” correct?

No. Analysises is not the standard plural form. The correct plural is analyses.

What is the difference between analysis and analyses?

Analysis means one examination or study. Analyses means two or more examinations or studies.

Example:

One analysis was published.

Three analyses were published.

How do you pronounce analyses?

Analyses is commonly pronounced approximately uh-NAL-uh-seez. Its ending sounds like “sees,” rather than the “sis” sound at the end of analysis.

Is analyses a verb?

Yes, but this depends on the English variety. In British English, analyses can be the third-person singular form of analyse.

Example:

She analyses the data carefully.

In American English, the equivalent is:

She analyzes the data carefully.

Should I write “analysis” or “analyses”?

Use analysis when referring to one examination. Use analyses when referring to more than one.

The analysis is complete.

The analyses are complete.

Is the spelling different in British and American English?

The nouns analysis and analyses are spelled the same in both varieties. The related verb differs:

• American English: analyze
• British English: analyse

Conclusion

Understanding analyses or analysis is simple once you focus on number. Analysis is the singular noun, while analyses is the plural noun. 

Use analysis when discussing one study, examination, report, or detailed review. Use analyses when discussing two or more.

Remember that analysises is not the standard plural form. 

The unusual spelling comes from the Greek-based plural pattern in which -is changes to -es. The same type of change appears in words such as crisis → crises and thesis → theses.

British and American English use the same noun spellings. 

The main regional difference appears in the related verb: American English uses analyze, while British English uses analyse. In British English, analyses can also function as a verb.

For professional writing, always match the word to the number and keep your English style consistent. 

If you mean one examination, choose analysis. If you mean several, choose analyses. This simple rule will keep your writing accurate and clear.