Meaning & use
pens
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“pens” is a form of “pen”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounplural
Plural of pen: writing tools that put ink on paper.
Grammar: Countable plural: two pens, a box of pens.
Patterns
- a box of pens
- write with pens
Please bring two black pens to the exam.
The shop sells pens in every color of the rainbow.
She keeps her pens in a cup on the desk.
nounplural
Plural of pen: small enclosed areas where farm animals are kept.
Grammar: Countable plural, often with an animal word: pig pens.
Patterns
- pens for animals
The farmer cleaned the pig pens before breakfast.
Sheep were herded into separate pens at the fair.
The zoo built larger pens for the young goats.
nounplural
Plural of pen: small enclosed spaces for babies or playing children, or areas where people or vehicles wait.
Grammar: Countable plural, often in compounds like playpens.
Patterns
- bullpens
- playpens
The baseball team's relief pitchers warm up in the bullpens.
Cars waited in holding pens near the port.
verbtransitiveformalliterary
Third person singular of pen: writes something, especially a letter, poem or article.
Grammar: Formal or literary: she pens a column.
Patterns
- someone pens something
She pens a weekly column for the local newspaper.
The poet pens verses at dawn.
Word forms
| singular | pen |
|---|
Common combinations
- ballpoint pens
- We buy ballpoint pens in bulk.
- felt-tip pens
- The children colored with felt-tip pens.
- pens and pencils
- Pens and pencils are on the second shelf.
- pig pens
- The pig pens needed new fencing.
- a pack of pens
- He bought a pack of pens for the office.
Synonyms and how they differ
- markers
- Markers have thick felt tips and are used for bold lines, while pens usually write finer lines.
- pencils
- Pencils use graphite and can be erased, unlike most pens.
- enclosures
- Enclosures is a general word for fenced spaces, while pens usually means small ones for animals.
- corrals
- Corrals is an American word for large fenced areas for horses or cattle.
Word family
- pen noun
- a writing tool or an animal enclosure
- pen verb
- to write, or to shut animals in
- penned verb
- written, or shut in
- penmanship noun
- the skill of handwriting
Commonly confused: pens or pans? pens or pence?
pens vs pans
Pans are cooking containers, and the vowel sound is different from pens.
pens vs pence
Pence is the British plural of penny, not the plural of pen.
Practice
Which sentence uses pens to mean places where animals are kept?
Choose one answer.
Only the second sentence is about enclosed areas for animals. The first and fourth are about writing tools, and the third uses pens as a verb meaning writes.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pens”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.