The short answer
In modern everyday English, data is treated as singular and uncountable — like “information”. Say “The data is ready.” In formal academic writing, some style guides still use the plural form “the data are”. And “datas” is never correct in any context.
The History: Why This Is Confusing
“Data” comes from Latin — it is the plural of datum (meaning “something given”). In strict Latin grammar, “data” is plural. Early scientists writing in English kept the Latin plural, which is why academic writing uses “data are”. But in everyday modern English, “data” has evolved to function like an uncountable mass noun — the same shift that happened to “agenda” (originally Latin plural of agendum).
Everyday / IELTS / SSC
“The data is ready.”
“This data shows a clear trend.”
Treat as singular uncountable noun.
Formal Academic / Scientific
“The data are inconclusive.”
“These data suggest a pattern.”
Treated as Latin plural. Check your style guide.
Wrong vs. Right
Wrong
The datas are not available.
Right
The data is not available.
Wrong
I need more datas.
Right
I need more data.
Wrong
He collected many datas.
Right
He collected a lot of data.
Wrong
The datas show a trend.
Right
The data shows a trend.
Data vs. Information — What Is the Difference?
| Feature | Data | Information |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Raw facts and figures | Processed, meaningful data |
| Example | 45, 67, 23, 89 | The average score is 56 |
| Countable? | No (uncountable) | No (uncountable) |
| Plural form | No — 'datas' is wrong | No — 'informations' is wrong |
| Correct verb | Data is / data are (formal) | Information is |
| Quantify with | a lot of data, some data | a piece of information |
Other Latin Plurals That Behave Like ‘Data’
These words all came from Latin plurals but are now used as singular uncountable nouns in modern English:
agenda
Latin singular: agendum
The agenda is ready.
media
Latin singular: medium
The media is covering it.
criteria
Latin singular: criterion
The main criteria is price. *
phenomena
Latin singular: phenomenon
This phenomena is rare. *
* Note: criteria and phenomena are still formally plural — “the criterion is” / “the phenomenon is” are technically more precise in formal writing.
For IELTS Writing Task 1
When describing charts and graphs, treat “data” as singular: “The data shows that sales increased in Q3.” Never write “datas” — examiners mark this as a vocabulary error. “The data provided indicates” and “According to the data” are both safe, examiner-approved phrases.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'data' singular or plural?+
In modern everyday English, 'data' is treated as singular and uncountable — like 'information'. Say 'The data is ready' and 'The data shows a trend'. In formal academic and scientific writing, some style guides still treat 'data' as plural (the plural of 'datum') — 'The data are inconclusive'. For general writing, exams like IELTS and SSC, and everyday speech, treat 'data' as singular.
Is 'datas' a correct word?+
No. 'Datas' is not a word in English. 'Data' is already either a plural form (of 'datum') or an uncountable noun — neither form takes an additional -s. Never write or say 'datas'. The same applies to 'informations', 'advices', and 'furnitures' — uncountable nouns cannot be pluralised.
What is the difference between data and information?+
Data refers to raw, unprocessed facts and figures — numbers, measurements, records. Information is data that has been processed and given meaning. For example: '45, 67, 23' is data. 'The average score is 45' is information. Both 'data' and 'information' are uncountable in modern usage — neither takes a plural -s.
Read Next
Why Is 'Informations' Wrong?
Uncountable nouns — the complete list with correct usage
IELTS Writing Grammar Guide
Band-score grammar rules for Task 1 and Task 2
Why Is 'Updation' Wrong?
Another noun formation error — why 'update' needs no suffix
Sentence Improvement Guide
Top error patterns tested in SSC CGL and IBPS