Four dogs or four dogs - which is correct? - briefly
The correct phrase is "four dogs." The word "four" is an adjective modifying the noun "dogs," and it does not require an additional "s" at the end.
The confusion may arise from the plural form of the noun, but the number itself remains invariant. For example, one would say "three cats" or "five birds," not "threes cats" or "fives birds." This rule applies universally to all numbers when they are used as adjectives to modify nouns.
Four dogs or four dogs - which is correct? - in detail
The question of whether to use "four dogs" or "four dogs" is a common point of confusion in English grammar. The correct form is "four dogs." The use of the plural form "dogs" is appropriate because it correctly matches the numerical quantity specified by "four." This adherence to grammatical rules ensures clarity and precision in communication.
In English, when specifying a quantity, the noun that follows should be in its plural form if the quantity is more than one. For example, "two cats," "three books," and "five cars" are all correct because "cats," "books," and "cars" are plural nouns that accurately reflect the quantities given. This rule applies universally to countable nouns, making "four dogs" the grammatically correct phrase.
It is essential to understand that the singular form of the noun should only be used when the quantity is one. For instance, "one dog" is correct because "dog" is singular and matches the quantity "one." However, when the quantity increases to two or more, the noun must be pluralized to maintain grammatical accuracy.
In summary, the correct phrase is "four dogs." This adherence to grammatical rules ensures that the quantity and the noun agree in number, making the sentence clear and grammatically sound. Proper use of plural nouns in such instances is fundamental to effective communication in English.