Have you ever wondered whether to write “what kind of” or “what kinds of”? Both expressions are common in English, but choosing between them can be confusing. The difference depends mainly on whether you are referring to one category or multiple categories.
Understanding what kind of vs what kinds of will help you write clearer sentences, ask more precise questions, and avoid common grammar mistakes. Although the difference may seem small, the singular and plural forms can change the emphasis of your question.
In this guide, you will learn the meanings, grammar rules, examples, and common mistakes associated with both expressions. You will also discover how to use them with plural nouns and uncountable nouns.
What Is the Difference Between What Kind Of and What Kinds Of?
The main difference between “what kind of” and “what kinds of” is the number of categories being discussed. “What kind of” uses the singular noun kind, while “what kinds of” uses the plural noun kinds.
What Does “What Kind Of” Mean?
“What kind of” asks about a particular type, category, or variety. It is useful when you want to identify something or learn about a general category.
Examples:
- What kind of food do you enjoy?
- What kind of car does she drive?
- What kind of book are you reading?
- What kind of work do you do?
- What kind of exercise helps you relax?
In these examples, the speaker wants to identify a category. For instance, “What kind of food do you enjoy?” could lead to an answer such as Italian food, Mexican food, or Indian food.
What Does “What Kinds Of” Mean?
“What kinds of” asks about different types or varieties. It is especially useful when you want to explore multiple categories.
Examples:
- What kinds of food are available at the restaurant?
- What kinds of cars are popular in your country?
- What kinds of books do you recommend?
- What kinds of jobs can students apply for?
- What kinds of exercise do you enjoy?
The plural word “kinds” emphasizes variety. For example, someone answering “What kinds of books do you recommend?” might suggest biographies, mystery novels, historical fiction, and science fiction.
Quick Comparison Table
| Feature | What Kind Of | What Kinds Of |
|---|---|---|
| Form | Singular | Plural |
| Main emphasis | One category or general type | Multiple categories or varieties |
| Example | What kind of movie do you like? | What kinds of movies do you like? |
| Common purpose | Identifying a type | Exploring variety |
| Correctness | Grammatically correct | Grammatically correct |
Quick rule: Use “what kind of” when focusing on one category and “what kinds of” when emphasizing several categories. The context determines which expression fits best.
Grammar Rules for What Kind Of
Using “what kind of” correctly requires understanding how the phrase relates to the noun that follows it. The word “kind” is singular, but the noun after “of” does not always have to be singular.
Use “What Kind Of” Before Singular Nouns
When asking about one item or category, you can use “what kind of” before a singular countable noun.
Examples:
- What kind of animal is that?
- What kind of computer do you need?
- What kind of restaurant is nearby?
- What kind of movie should we watch?
- What kind of language is English?
These sentences ask about the category or identity of one thing.
For instance, “What kind of animal is that?” might receive the answer “It is a fox.” The question focuses on identifying the animal’s type.
Can “What Kind Of” Be Used With Plural Nouns?
Yes. “What kind of” can be followed by a plural noun, particularly when the speaker is asking about a general category of several items.
Examples:
- What kind of books do you read?
- What kind of shoes are comfortable for walking?
- What kind of movies does your brother enjoy?
- What kind of plants grow well indoors?
These sentences are understandable and commonly used. However, some formal style guides prefer “what kinds of books” when the question explicitly concerns several different categories.
Compare these examples:
- What kind of books do you read? This asks about your general reading preference.
- What kinds of books do you read? This places more emphasis on the different categories of books you read.
Both forms can be appropriate, depending on the intended meaning and writing style.
Use “What Kind Of” With Uncountable Nouns
Uncountable nouns refer to things that are not normally counted as individual units. Examples include water, advice, information, and music.
“What kind of” works naturally with these nouns.
Examples:
- What kind of music do you listen to?
- What kind of water should we use?
- What kind of advice do you need?
- What kind of information is required?
- What kind of equipment should we purchase?
The word “kind” remains singular because the question focuses on a general category.
Grammar Rules for What Kinds Of
Use “what kinds of” when you want to ask about several varieties or categories. The plural form is especially helpful when different options are possible.
Use “What Kinds Of” With Plural Countable Nouns
Plural countable nouns refer to items that can be counted, such as books, cars, flowers, and animals.
Examples:
- What kinds of books are available?
- What kinds of cars do you prefer?
- What kinds of flowers grow in spring?
- What kinds of animals live in the forest?
- What kinds of restaurants serve vegetarian food?
In each example, the question emphasizes different types rather than one general category.
For instance, “What kinds of flowers grow in spring?” could include roses, tulips, daffodils, and other varieties.
Use “What Kinds Of” With Uncountable Nouns
Although “kinds” is plural, the noun after “of” can remain uncountable.
Examples:
- What kinds of music do you enjoy?
- What kinds of information are useful for this project?
- What kinds of advice have you received?
- What kinds of research are needed?
- What kinds of furniture are suitable for a small apartment?
Notice that words such as “music,” “information,” “advice,” “research,” and “furniture” do not become plural in these examples.
The plural form belongs to “kinds,” not necessarily to the noun that follows it.
Avoid Mixing Singular and Plural Forms Incorrectly
When using demonstratives such as “this,” “that,” “these,” and “those,” make sure they agree with “kind” or “kinds.”
Correct examples:
- This kind of book is useful.
- That kind of behavior is unacceptable.
- These kinds of books are useful.
- Those kinds of problems are common.
Incorrect or nonstandard examples:
- These kind of books are useful.
- Those kind of problems are common.
In standard English, use “these kinds of” and “those kinds of” when the demonstrative is plural. The singular forms are “this kind of” and “that kind of.”
What Kind Of vs What Kinds Of: Real-Life Examples
Understanding the rule is easier when you see how both expressions work in everyday conversations.
Example 1: Choosing Food
Imagine that you are visiting a restaurant for the first time.
Customer: What kind of soup do you recommend?
Waiter: I recommend the tomato soup.
The customer asks for a recommendation about a particular type of food.
Now consider a different question:
Customer: What kinds of soup do you serve?
Waiter: We serve tomato soup, chicken soup, mushroom soup, and vegetable soup.
Here, the customer wants to know about several varieties. Therefore, “what kinds of soup” emphasizes the range of available choices.
Example 2: Discussing Books
Suppose a teacher wants to understand a student’s reading preferences.
Teacher: What kind of book are you reading?
Student: I am reading a mystery novel.
The teacher asks about one book’s category.
However, if the teacher asks, “What kinds of books do you enjoy reading?” the student might answer, “I enjoy mystery novels, biographies, and historical fiction.”
Both questions are correct, but they focus on different aspects of reading.
Example 3: Asking About Work
Consider a job interview.
Interviewer: What kind of work do you enjoy?
Candidate: I enjoy work that involves writing, research, and communication.
The interviewer asks about the general type of work the candidate prefers.
If the interviewer asks, “What kinds of jobs have you applied for?” the candidate may list several positions, such as content writer, editor, and communications assistant.
Case Study: A Student Improves Her English Questions
Maya is an English learner who often writes questions for classroom discussions. Initially, she uses “what kind of” for almost every question because she assumes it is the only correct expression.
During a lesson about grammar, her teacher asks her to prepare questions about books, music, food, and hobbies. Maya writes, “What kind of books do you like?” and “What kind of music do you listen to?” Both sentences are understandable and acceptable in everyday English.
Next, the teacher asks Maya to create questions that encourage classmates to share several different preferences. Maya changes her first question to “What kinds of books do you like?” and asks, “What kinds of music do you listen to?” These versions make the variety of possible answers more explicit.
The teacher also explains that the plural expression does not require every following noun to be plural. For example, “What kinds of music do you enjoy?” is correct because “music” is an uncountable noun.
After practicing these examples, Maya learns to choose the phrase according to her intended meaning rather than following a rigid rule. She understands that both expressions can be correct, but one may communicate her question more precisely.
The lesson helps Maya write more natural questions in assignments, conversations, and emails. Her main takeaway is simple: understand the category you are asking about, then choose “kind” or “kinds” accordingly.
Common Mistakes and How to Correct Them
Many English learners confuse these expressions because the difference is only one letter. However, the singular and plural forms serve different purposes.
Mistake 1: Assuming “What Kind Of” Must Always Have a Singular Noun
Incorrect assumption: “What kind of” can only be followed by singular nouns.
Examples such as “What kind of books do you read?” are acceptable. The phrase can refer to the general category of multiple items.
However, if you specifically want to emphasize several categories, “what kinds of books” may communicate your meaning more clearly.
Mistake 2: Using “These Kind Of”
Incorrect: These kind of questions are difficult.
Correct: These kinds of questions are difficult.
The demonstrative “these” is plural, so “kinds” is the appropriate form in standard English.
Mistake 3: Forgetting Subject-Verb Agreement
Incorrect: What kinds of books is available?
Correct: What kinds of books are available?
The subject “books” is plural, so the verb “are” is appropriate.
However, the verb depends on the actual subject of the sentence. For example, “What kinds of music is available?” can be correct because “music” is treated as an uncountable singular noun.
Mistake 4: Treating Uncountable Nouns as Plural
Incorrect: What kinds of advices do you need?
Correct: What kinds of advice do you need?
“Advice” is uncountable in standard English. Use “pieces of advice” when you need to count individual recommendations.
Similarly, write “kinds of information,” not “kinds of informations.”
What Do Grammar References Say? Recent Evidence and Usage
Reliable grammar resources explain that “kind,” “sort,” and “type” refer to categories of people or things that share characteristics. They also distinguish singular and plural forms according to the surrounding words.
What Established Grammar Guides Recommend
The Cambridge Dictionary’s English Grammar Today explains how “sort,” “type,” and “kind” refer to groups of things with shared characteristics. Its examples include the plural expression “many kinds of birds.”
Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries provides a more specific grammar point: singular forms such as “kind of” generally precede singular or uncountable nouns, while plural forms such as “kinds of” generally precede plural or uncountable nouns. It also acknowledges that some less common variations occur.
The Government of Canada’s Language Portal, in guidance available in 2026, recommends forms such as “this kind of” and “these kinds of.” It cautions writers against mismatching singular and plural demonstratives, such as “these kind of.”
Is There a Verified 2025–2026 Usage Statistic?
As of October 2026, the grammar references consulted for this article provide usage explanations and examples, but they do not establish a specific 2025–2026 statistic measuring how often people use “what kind of” compared with “what kinds of.”
Therefore, it would be misleading to claim that one expression is a certain percentage more common without a reliable dataset.
For practical writing, the evidence supports a clear recommendation: choose the singular or plural form according to the meaning you intend, and follow standard agreement rules in formal writing.
Mini Quiz:What Kind of vs What Kinds of
Test your understanding of “what kind of” and “what kinds of” with these grammar questions. Answers are provided directly under each question for easy practice.
Questions 1–20
1. Which phrase emphasizes multiple categories?
A. What kind of B. What kinds of C. What kind is D. What kind are
Answer: B. What kinds of
2. Fill in the blank: “_____ music do you enjoy?”
A. What kinds of B. What kind of C. What kinds is D. What kind are
Answer: B. What kind of
3. Which sentence is grammatically correct?
A. These kind of books are useful. B. These kinds of books are useful. C. These kinds books is useful. D. These kind books are useful.
Answer: B. These kinds of books are useful.
4. Fill in the blank: “_____ animals live in the jungle?”
A. What kinds of B. What kind are C. What kinds is D. What kind does
Answer: A. What kinds of
5. Which phrase uses a singular noun?
A. What kinds of B. What kind of C. These kinds of D. Those kinds of
Answer: B. What kind of
6. Complete the sentence: “What kind of book _____ she reading?”
A. are B. do C. is D. have
Answer: C. is
7. Which sentence emphasizes different varieties of books?
A. What kind of book is this? B. What kinds of books do you read? C. What book kind do you read? D. What kind books do you read?
Answer: B. What kinds of books do you read?
8. Fill in the blank: “What kinds of advice _____ you received?”
A. has B. have C. is D. does
Answer: B. have
9. Which expression can be used before an uncountable noun?
A. Only what kind of B. Only what kinds of C. Both what kind of and what kinds of D. Neither expression
Answer: C. Both what kind of and what kinds of
10. Choose the correct sentence.
A. What kinds of music do you likes? B. What kinds of music does you like? C. What kinds of music do you like? D. What kinds music do you like?
Answer: C. What kinds of music do you like?
11. Fill in the blank: “_____ computer do you need?”
A. What kind of B. What kinds of C. What kinds are D. What kind are
Answer: A. What kind of
12. Which sentence correctly uses a plural demonstrative?
A. Those kind of problems are common. B. Those kinds of problems are common. C. Those kinds problem is common. D. Those kind problems are common.
Answer: B. Those kinds of problems are common.
13. Fill in the blank: “What kind of information _____ required?”
A. are B. do C. is D. have
Answer: C. is
14. Which phrase usually emphasizes one general category?
A. What kinds of B. What kind of C. These kinds of D. Those kinds of
Answer: B. What kind of
15. Choose the correct sentence.
A. What kinds of flowers grows here? B. What kinds of flowers grow here? C. What kind of flowers grows here? D. What kinds flowers grow here?
Answer: B. What kinds of flowers grow here?
16. Fill in the blank: “_____ shoes are comfortable for walking?”
A. What kind of B. What kinds of C. What kind is D. What kinds is
Answer: B. What kinds of
17. Which sentence is correct?
A. This kinds of exercise is helpful. B. This kind of exercise is helpful. C. This kinds exercise are helpful. D. This kind exercise are helpful.
Answer: B. This kind of exercise is helpful.
18. Complete the question: “What kinds of jobs _____ available?”
A. is B. does C. are D. has
Answer: C. are
19. Which noun is uncountable in standard English?
A. Books B. Cars C. Advice D. Flowers
Answer: C. Advice
20. Which sentence is acceptable in everyday English?
A. What kind of books do you read? B. What kind books do you read? C. What kinds book do you read? D. What kind of book do you reads?
Answer: A. What kind of books do you read?
21. True or False: “What kinds of music do you enjoy?” is grammatically correct.
Answer: True.
22. True or False: “These kind of questions are difficult” follows standard demonstrative agreement.
Answer: False. The standard form is “These kinds of questions are difficult.”
23. Which question is best when asking someone about several different movie genres?
A. What kind of movie is this? B. What kinds of movies do you enjoy? C. What movie kind do you enjoy? D. What kinds movie do you enjoy?
Answer: B. What kinds of movies do you enjoy?
24. Fill in the blank: “What kind of furniture _____ suitable for this room?”
A. are B. do C. is D. have
Answer: C. is
25. Which statement best explains the difference between “what kind of” and “what kinds of”?
A. The first is always wrong before plural nouns. B. The second can only be followed by plural countable nouns. C. The first uses singular “kind,” while the second uses plural “kinds.” D. Both expressions always mean exactly the same thing.
Answer: C. The first uses singular “kind,” while the second uses plural “kinds.”
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is “What Kind Of” Grammatically Correct?
Yes. “What kind of” is grammatically correct when asking about a particular type or category.
Example: What kind of book are you reading?
2. Is “What Kinds Of” Grammatically Correct?
Yes. “What kinds of” is correct when asking about multiple types or varieties.
Example: What kinds of books do you recommend?
3. Can “What Kind Of” Be Followed by a Plural Noun?
Yes. For example, “What kind of books do you read?” is acceptable in everyday English. The expression focuses on the general category, although “what kinds of books” emphasizes multiple categories more explicitly.
4. Should I Say “What Kind Of Music” or “What Kinds Of Music”?
Both are correct. “What kind of music” often asks about a general musical preference, while “what kinds of music” emphasizes different styles or varieties.
5. Is “These Kind Of” Correct?
In standard English, use “these kinds of,” not “these kind of.”
Correct: These kinds of questions require careful answers.
6. Does “What Kinds Of” Always Require a Plural Noun?
No. It can precede uncountable nouns such as music, advice, information, and research.
Example: What kinds of information do you need?
7. What Is the Difference Between “What Kind Of” and “What Type Of”?
Both expressions usually ask about a category or classification. “What kind of” is common in everyday conversation, while “what type of” can sound slightly more technical in some contexts.
8. Which Expression Is Better for Formal Writing?
Both expressions are appropriate in formal writing. Choose “what kind of” for a general category and “what kinds of” when emphasizing multiple categories. Also, ensure that demonstratives and verbs agree with their subjects.
Conclusion
The difference between what kind of vs what kinds of comes down to the singular and plural forms of “kind.” Use “what kind of” when asking about a general category, and use “what kinds of” when emphasizing different categories or varieties.
Remember that both expressions can appear before uncountable nouns, and “what kind of” can also be followed by a plural noun in appropriate contexts. In formal writing, pay attention to subject-verb agreement and avoid mismatched expressions such as “these kind of.”
With a little practice, you can use both phrases confidently in conversations, emails, school assignments, and professional writing.
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References
Maimoona Mughal is an English grammar enthusiast dedicated to simplifying confusing words, grammar rules, and vocabulary through clear, accurate, and learner-friendly content that helps readers write and communicate with confidence.
