A child learns the word feet, but several months later stops saying "feet" and instead uses "foots." What seems to be the primary cause (or best explanation) of this change?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The change from "feet" to "foots" suggests an attempt by the child to apply a grammatical rule. In English, adding "-s" is a common way to produce the plural form of a noun, and it's possible that the child generalized this rule beyond the irregular plural "feet."

A Child Learns the Word Feet, but Several Months Later