“What kind of” is correct when it’s followed by a singular or uncountable noun, and “what kinds of” is correct when it’s followed by a plural noun. Both phrases are grammatically correct — the difference is about number, not spelling. “What kind of car do you drive?” asks about one category; “What kinds of cars do you like?” asks about several. Most confusion starts when the noun after “of” doesn’t match “kind” or “kinds.”
Quick Answer
Use what kind of before a singular or uncountable noun. Use what kinds of before a plural noun.
- ✅ Correct: These kinds of mistakes are easy to avoid.
- ❌ Incorrect: These kind of mistakes are easy to avoid.
| What kind of | What kinds of | |
|---|---|---|
| Asks about | one category or type | more than one category or type |
| Noun that follows | singular or uncountable | plural |
| Example | What kind of coffee do you drink? | What kinds of coffee does the shop sell? |
| Typical answer | one thing (“Dark roast.”) | a list (“Dark roast, espresso, and decaf.”) |
What Does “What Kind Of” Mean? (And When to Use It)
“What kind of” asks the listener to name one category, type, or variety of something. It pairs with a singular noun (“car,” “movie,” “job”) or an uncountable noun (“music,” “coffee,” “advice”) because the question expects one class of answer — even if many individual examples exist inside that class.
Use it when:
- You expect one type as the answer: What kind of car did you buy? → “A hybrid.”
- The noun is uncountable: What kind of coffee do you like? → “Dark roast.”
- You’re asking about character or quality: What kind of person says that?
More examples: What kind of job are you looking for? What kind of weather do you expect tomorrow? What kind of phone does she have?
What Does “What Kinds Of” Mean? (And When to Use It)
“What kinds of” asks about more than one type, variety, or category at once. It takes a plural noun because the question anticipates a range of possible answers rather than a single one.
Use it when:
- You expect a list: What kinds of books do you read? → “Mysteries, biographies, and sci-fi.”
- You’re asking someone to describe variety: What kinds of customers shop here?
- The context implies several instances: What kinds of exercises help with back pain?
More examples: What kinds of movies make you cry? What kinds of skills does this job require? What kinds of animals live in that forest?
The Key Rule: Singular vs. Plural Nouns
The short version: “kind” pairs with one category, “kinds” pairs with more than one.
For countable nouns, the noun itself switches form to match:
- What kind of car do you drive? (one type, singular noun)
- What kinds of cars do you like? (several types, plural noun)
Uncountable nouns like music, coffee, homework, and advice don’t have a plural form, so the noun won’t visibly change. But “kind” and “kinds” still shift depending on whether you mean one category or several:
- What kind of music do you like? (one genre, e.g., “jazz”)
- What kinds of music do you like? (a range of genres, e.g., “jazz, rock, and classical”)
Both are correct. The noun just doesn’t change shape because it can’t — the number is carried by “kind” or “kinds” instead.
Subject-Verb Agreement With “What Kind Of” and “What Kinds Of”
The verb should agree with the noun that follows “of” — not with the word “kind” itself.
- What kind of soup is in the fridge? (soup → is)
- What kinds of soups are on the menu? (soups → are)
In casual speech, people often keep “kind of” with a plural noun and a plural verb — What kind of cookies are these? — even though What kinds of cookies are these? is the more formally consistent version. Both are widely understood; the second is the safer choice in careful writing.
Is a Plural Noun Ever Acceptable After “Kind Of”? (Formal vs. Casual English)
Yes, in everyday spoken English — but it’s best avoided in formal writing. Native speakers frequently say things like What kind of shoes do you like? even though “shoes” is plural, and this rarely draws attention in conversation. In academic or professional writing, the more precise and consistent choice is What kinds of shoes do you like?
Rule of thumb:
- Casual conversation, texting, informal writing: “kind of” with a plural noun is common and generally accepted.
- Essays, reports, professional writing, grammar tests: match “kinds” with plural nouns for full consistency.
Common Mistakes: “These Kind Of,” Mismatched Nouns, and More
“These Kind Of” vs. “These Kinds Of”
- Correct: These kinds of mistakes are easy to avoid.
- Incorrect (informal only): These kind of mistakes are easy to avoid.
- Explanation: “These” signals more than one, so “kind” should switch to “kinds” to match. This exact mismatch is one of the most common errors flagged by usage guides — including Washington State University’s guide to English usage errors — even though it’s extremely common in casual speech.
Mismatching the Demonstrative (This/That vs. These/Those)
- Correct: That kind of joke never lands well.
- Incorrect: Those kind of jokes never land well.
- Explanation: “Those” is plural, so it needs “kinds,” not “kind.” The whole phrase — demonstrative, kind/kinds, and noun — has to agree in number together.
A Simple Memory Trick
Learning aid, not an official grammar rule: Kind = one. Kinds = a bunch. If your answer could be a single word (“jazz”), use “kind.” If your answer could be a list (“jazz, rock, and blues”), use “kinds.” Pair “this/that” with “kind” and “these/those” with “kinds,” and the mix-up mostly disappears.
Does American vs. British English Change the Rule?
No — the singular/plural rule for “what kind of” and “what kinds of” is identical in American and British English. British speakers reach for “what sort of” a little more often as their default phrasing, but “sort” follows the exact same singular/plural pattern as “kind.”
There is one real regional split, but it involves a different use of the word entirely: as a casual hedge (e.g., “I’m kind of tired”), Cambridge Dictionary’s grammar reference notes that American English favors “kind of” for this softening effect, while British English leans toward “sort of” instead. That’s a difference in word choice, not in the grammar rule covered in this article.
What Kind Of vs. What Kinds Of vs. What Type(s) Of vs. What Sort(s) Of
“Kind,” “type,” and “sort” are near-synonyms that all follow the identical singular/plural pattern, so once you know the “kind” rule, you already know the other two.
- What kind of car / What type of car / What sort of car — all singular, all correct, interchangeable.
- What kinds of cars / What types of cars / What sorts of cars — all plural, all correct, interchangeable.
Small differences in tone:
- Type tends to sound slightly more technical or formal: What type of file format do you need?
- Sort is more common in British English and carries a mildly conversational tone.
- Kind is the most neutral, all-purpose choice, especially in American English.
They aren’t identical in every idiom, though — “kind of” is the one that also works as a casual hedge word, which is worth keeping separate from this grammar rule.
“Kind Of” as a Hedge Word — A Different Use You Shouldn’t Confuse This With
Outside of questions, “kind of” can also mean “somewhat” or “rather,” softening a statement instead of asking about a category. This is a completely different job from the “what kind of” pattern above.
- I’m kind of tired means “I’m somewhat tired” — no category is being asked about at all.
- Cambridge Dictionary’s grammar reference confirms this softening use is especially common in American English, with British speakers favoring “sort of” for the same purpose.
- This hedge use is informal and generally avoided in formal writing, regardless of the singular/plural rule discussed above. It’s simply a different word job wearing the same two words.
Example Sentences & Practice
Example Sentences
- What kind of internship are you hoping to get?
- What kinds of internships does the company offer?
- She didn’t say what kind of dessert she wanted.
- The survey asked what kinds of exercise people do each week.
- What kind of feedback did the reviewer give?
- I’ve never seen those kinds of clouds before.
Practice Exercise (With Answer Key)
- Fill in the blank: What ______ of movie do you want to watch tonight? (kind / kinds)
- Choose the correct sentence: (a) These kind of shoes are on sale. (b) These kinds of shoes are on sale.
- Correct the sentence if needed: “What kind of books does she collect?”
- Fill in the blank: What ______ of coffee is this? (kind / kinds)
- Choose the correct word form: What (kind / kinds) of animals live in the Arctic?
- Correct the sentence: “That kind of excuses won’t work anymore.”
- Identify which noun the verb should agree with: “What kind of paperwork is/are required?”
- Fill in the blank: I don’t know what ______ of job I want yet. (kind / kinds)
- Choose the correct sentence: (a) What sort of car is that? (b) What sorts of car is that?
- Correct the sentence: “Those kind of decisions take courage.”
Answer Key
- kind — “movie” is singular.
- (b) These kinds of shoes are on sale — “these” is plural, so “kind” must become “kinds.”
- Incorrect as written. Corrected: “What kinds of books does she collect?” — “books” is plural.
- kind — “coffee” is uncountable and the question expects one type.
- kinds — “animals” is plural.
- Corrected: “That kind of excuse won’t work anymore.” — “kind” is singular, so “excuse” should stay singular too.
- “Paperwork” is uncountable, so the correct sentence is “What kind of paperwork is required?”
- kind
- (a) What sort of car is that? — “sort” (singular) matches “car” (singular).
- Corrected: “Those kinds of decisions take courage.” — “those” is plural, so “kind” must become “kinds.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it “what kind of” or “what kinds of”?
Both are correct, depending on what you mean. Use “what kind of” when asking about a single category (“What kind of tea do you drink?”) and “what kinds of” when asking about several (“What kinds of tea does the shop sell?”). The choice comes down to whether you expect one answer or a list.
Is “kind of” singular or plural?
“Kind” is a singular noun on its own and should be followed by a singular or uncountable noun in careful writing. “Kinds” is its plural form and should be followed by a plural noun.
Can “kind of” be followed by a plural noun?
In casual speech, yes — people often say “what kind of shoes do you like?” without it sounding wrong. In formal or academic writing, “kinds of” is the more consistent choice when the following noun is plural.
Is “these kind of” grammatically correct?
Not in formal writing. “These” is plural, so it should pair with “kinds,” as in “these kinds of.” “These kind of” is common in speech but is considered a mismatch by usage guides.
What’s the actual difference in meaning between “kind of” and “kinds of”?
“Kind of” points to one type or category, while “kinds of” points to more than one. The words don’t change meaning on their own — only the number of categories being asked about changes.
Is it “what kind of people” or “what kinds of people”?
Either can be correct depending on intent. “What kind of people volunteer here?” expects one general description (e.g., “caring people”), while “What kinds of people volunteer here?” expects a range of different types (e.g., “students, retirees, and professionals”).
Do British and American English use “kind of” differently?
The singular/plural grammar rule is identical in both. The only real regional difference shows up when “kind of” is used as a casual hedge word meaning “somewhat” — Americans favor “kind of” for that job, while British speakers tend to say “sort of” instead.
Is “what kind of” or “what type of” more correct?
Neither is more correct — they’re interchangeable in meaning and follow the same singular/plural pattern. “Type” can sound slightly more formal or technical, but the grammar works exactly the same way.
Why does “what kind of music” sound fine even though “music” never becomes plural?
Because “music” is uncountable and has no plural form, “kind” or “kinds” carries the number information instead of the noun. “What kind of music” asks about one genre; “what kinds of music” asks about several — “music” itself doesn’t change either way.
What verb should follow “what kind of ___” — “is” or “are”?
Match the verb to the noun that follows “of,” not to the word “kind.” “What kind of soup is this?” uses “is” because “soup” is singular; “What kinds of soups are these?” uses “are” because “soups” is plural.
The Bottom Line
“Kind” and “kinds” both work — the only question is how many categories you mean. Use “what kind of” before a singular or uncountable noun when you expect one answer, and “what kinds of” before a plural noun when you expect several. Watch the demonstrative pronoun too: “these” and “those” call for “kinds,” never “kind.” Keep that one rule in mind, and the mix-up disappears for good.
