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Is "maths" (yes, with an S) a verb or even a word?

I have a friend who is arguing with a 20+ year English person that maths is a verb. I have already goolged this have not come across anything that says that math is a verb or that maths (yes, with an “S”) is a verb or even a word. I’m also seeking the knowledge of another friend who also studied English in college and did so a bit more recently than me. She just graduated with the degree. Now I’m seeking the knowledge of you out there. My friend is who is claiming that maths is a word and a verb has never studied English or grammar and actually used it as a verb in his examples.

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Answer #1

“Maths”, just like “Math”, is a short form for “Mathematics”. It’s a subject, therefore it’s a noun.

The whole issue of maths vs. math is really mostly a geographical concern. We say “math” without the “s”, but I believe many people in the UK add the “s”. After all if “mathematics” is plural, why shouldn’t the short form be plural … right? It’s still the same word.

You might shorten “schoolhouses” to “schools”, but it wouldn’t make sense to drop the “s” … it’s still plural.

Both versions are acceptable.

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