Have you ever stopped in the middle of a sentence and wondered whether to write “what kind of” or “what kinds of”? You’re certainly not the only one. The two expressions are closely related, but the choice between them depends on whether you’re asking about one category or multiple categories.
In this guide to what kind of vs what kinds of, we’ll look at how each phrase works, when to use singular or plural nouns after it, how verb agreement works, and why everyday English sometimes sounds different from the strict grammatical pattern.
The good news is that the basic rule is quite simple: “what kind of” generally refers to one type or category, while “what kinds of” refers to multiple types or categories.
But there are a few details worth knowing.
What Kind of vs What Kinds of: What’s the Difference?
The core distinction is the number of kind.
- What kind of = asks about one type, category, or variety.
- What kinds of = asks about more than one type, category, or variety.
Compare these questions:
What kind of music do you like?
You’re asking about the general type or category of music someone prefers.
Now compare:
What kinds of music do you listen to?
Here, you’re inviting the person to name multiple types or genres.
Both sentences are grammatical. The difference is mainly about whether the question treats the category as singular or plural.
Quick Comparison
| Expression | Basic Meaning | Example |
| What kind of | What type/category? | What kind of car do you drive? |
| What kinds of | What types/categories? | What kinds of cars interest you? |
The choice becomes especially noticeable when you’re talking about countable nouns.
What Does “What Kind Of” Mean?
What kind of is used when you’re asking about a particular type, category, or variety.
For example:
What kind of food do you enjoy?
What kind of phone do you have?
What kind of book are you reading?
What kind of person is he?
The phrase doesn’t necessarily mean that only one answer is possible. Instead, kind is being treated as a singular category.
For example, someone might answer:
I like Italian food.
or:
I like science fiction books.
The question asks the person to identify the category.
Examples of “What Kind Of”
Here are some everyday examples:
- What kind of coffee do you prefer?
- What kind of car are you looking for?
- What kind of movie is this?
- What kind of job do you want?
- What kind of exercise do you enjoy?
- What kind of music does she listen to?
In each example, kind is singular.
What Does “What Kinds Of” Mean?
What kinds of is the plural form.
Use it when you’re asking about multiple types, categories, or varieties.
For example:
What kinds of books do you read?
This question suggests that the person may read several types of books.
They might answer:
I read mystery novels, biographies, history books, and science fiction.
Another example:
What kinds of food are available?
This asks about multiple categories of food.
Examples of “What Kinds Of”
You might say:
- What kinds of books do you enjoy?
- What kinds of movies do you watch?
- What kinds of cars are popular here?
- What kinds of jobs are available?
- What kinds of animals live in this area?
- What kinds of problems can occur?
The plural kinds signals that more than one category is being considered.
What Kind of vs What Kinds of With Singular and Plural Nouns
This is where the grammar can become a little confusing.
You can use what kind of with a singular countable noun:
What kind of car do you want?
Here, car is singular.
You can also use what kind of with an uncountable noun:
What kind of music do you like?
Music is generally treated as an uncountable noun in this meaning.
With what kinds of, the noun following of is usually plural:
What kinds of cars do you like?
What kinds of music do you listen to?
Notice that music doesn’t need to become plural. The plural is already expressed by kinds.
A Useful Pattern
Think of the structures like this:
What kind of + singular countable noun
What kind of car?
The What kind of + uncountable noun
What kind of music?
What kinds of + plural noun
What kinds of cars?
Kinds of + uncountable noun
What kinds of music?
This pattern covers a huge number of everyday examples.
What Kind of or What Kinds of: Which Is Correct?
The answer depends on what you’re trying to ask.
Use what kind of when you’re thinking about one type or category:
What kind of phone do you need?
Use what kinds of when you’re asking about several categories:
What kinds of phones are available?
However, context matters.
Suppose someone asks:
What kind of books do you read?
Even though books is plural, the sentence is completely natural.
Why?
Because kind can be understood as the category being requested, while books identifies the things within that category.
This is one reason the strict “singular noun = kind, plural noun = kinds” rule doesn’t work in every sentence.
Can “What Kind of” Be Used With Plural Nouns?
Yes.
This is one of the most important points to understand about what kind of vs what kinds of.
You can naturally say:
What kind of books do you like?
This is common English.
Here, kind is singular, but books is plural.
The question can be understood as asking:
What type or category of books do you like?
For example, the answer could be:
I like mystery books.
The speaker is asking for a category, not necessarily asking the listener to list every possible category.
Can “What Kinds of” Be Used With Uncountable Nouns?
Yes.
For example:
What kinds of music do you enjoy?
Although music is an uncountable noun, kinds is plural because you’re talking about multiple types of music.
Someone could answer:
I listen to jazz, rock, classical music, and electronic music.
Other examples include:
What kinds of information do you need?
What kinds of equipment are available?
What kinds of advice can you offer?
The nouns information, equipment, and advice are generally uncountable, but they can still follow what kinds of.
What Kind of vs What Kinds of and Verb Agreement
Another question people often have is whether the verb should be singular or plural.
The answer depends on the subject of the sentence, not simply on whether you use kind or kinds.
Consider:
What kind of car is this?
The subject is this car, so the verb is singular.
Now:
What kinds of cars are available?
The subject is plural, so the verb is plural.
Here’s another example:
What kind of food is popular here?
But:
What kinds of foods are popular here?
The verb follows the grammatical subject.
Quick Rule
- Singular subject → is / does / has
- Plural subject → are / do / have
For example:
What kind of book does she want?
What kinds of books do they want?
This distinction is especially useful in questions.
What Kind of vs What Kinds of in Questions
Both forms are extremely common in questions.
“What Kind of” Questions
What kind of car do you drive?
What kind of music do you enjoy?
What kind of work does he do?
What kind of food should we order?
These generally ask someone to identify a type or category.
“What Kinds of” Questions
What kinds of cars are available?
What kinds of music do you listen to?
What kinds of food do they serve?
What kinds of jobs are available?
These tend to emphasize multiple categories or varieties.
The distinction can be subtle, and native speakers sometimes use the expressions flexibly.
What Kind of vs What Kinds of in Everyday English
In casual conversation, what kind of is extremely common, even when the noun following it is plural.
For example:
What kind of movies do you like?
This sounds completely natural to most English speakers.
You don’t have to change it to:
What kinds of movies do you like?
The second version is also correct, but it can place slightly more emphasis on multiple types.
Compare:
What kind of movies do you like?
This can feel like a broad question about someone’s movie preferences.
What kinds of movies do you like?
This may invite a list of several genres.
The difference is often about focus and nuance, rather than one sentence being correct and the other being wrong.
“What Kind of” vs “What Sort of”
Kind and sort are often interchangeable.
For example:
What kind of car do you want?
and:
What sort of car do you want?
Both are natural.
Similarly:
What kinds of books do you read?
What sorts of books do you read?
The choice often comes down to personal preference, regional usage, and style.
Type of is another common alternative:
What type of computer do you need?
What types of computers are available?
In formal or technical writing, type may sometimes sound more precise.
What Kind of vs What Type of
The expressions have very similar meanings.
| Expression | Example |
| What kind of | What kind of car is it? |
| What type of | What type of car is it? |
| What sort of | What sort of car is it? |
Plural versions work in the same way:
What kinds of cars are available?
What types of cars are available?
What sorts of cars are available?
The best choice depends on context and style.
Common Mistakes With What Kind of and What Kinds of
Mistake 1: Treating “Kinds” as Always Wrong
Some writers assume that what kind of is always the correct expression.
That’s not true.
What kinds of books are available?
is perfectly grammatical when multiple categories are being discussed.
Mistake 2: Assuming Plural Nouns Always Require “Kinds”
This isn’t true either.
What kind of books do you read?
is natural and grammatical.
The plural noun books doesn’t automatically require kinds.
Mistake 3: Forgetting the “Of”
In standard usage, the normal expressions are:
What kind of car?
What kinds of cars?
Dropping of can change the grammatical structure and often produces an incorrect sentence in this construction.
Mistake 4: Using the Wrong Verb
Compare:
What kinds of cars are available?
Not:
What kinds of cars is available?
The verb needs to agree with the subject.
How to Choose the Right Expression
When you’re unsure about what kind of vs what kinds of, use this simple method.
Step 1: Ask What You’re Focusing On
Are you asking about one category?
Use:
What kind of…
Are you asking about multiple categories?
Use:
What kinds of…
Step 2: Look at the Context
Compare:
What kind of food do you want?
This is a broad question about the type of food someone wants.
Now:
What kinds of food are available?
This suggests several varieties or categories may be available.
Step 3: Check the Noun and Verb
Don’t automatically make every noun plural because you use kinds.
Instead, consider the meaning and grammatical structure.
Step 4: Read It Aloud
Both expressions are common in natural English, so saying the sentence aloud can help you hear which version fits your intended meaning.
What Kind of vs What Kinds of Examples
Here are some examples for quick practice.
Example 1
What kind of car do you want?
One type/category of car is being requested.
Example 2
What kinds of cars does the dealership sell?
Multiple categories of cars are being discussed.
Example 3
What kind of music do you like?
A broad category or musical preference is being requested.
Example 4
What kinds of music are popular among teenagers?
Multiple varieties of music are being considered.
Example 5
What kind of books does she read?
This is natural even though books is plural.
Example 6
What kinds of books does she read?
This emphasizes multiple categories or genres.
Both can be correct; the intended emphasis is slightly different.
A Simple Memory Trick
Here’s an easy way to remember the distinction:
Kind = one category
Kinds = multiple categories
Think of a supermarket.
If someone asks:
What kind of cereal do you want?
They’re asking what type you prefer.
If someone asks:
What kinds of cereal does this store sell?
They’re asking about the different varieties available.
That mental picture makes the distinction easier to remember.
Frequently Asked Questions About What Kind of vs What Kinds of
What is the difference between “what kind of” and “what kinds of”?
What kind of generally asks about one type or category, while what kinds of emphasizes multiple types or categories.
Is “what kind of” grammatically correct with plural nouns?
Yes. For example:
What kind of books do you like?
This is common and grammatical because kind refers to the category being asked about.
Is “what kinds of” grammatically correct?
Yes. What kinds of is the plural form used when discussing multiple types or categories.
What kinds of books do you read?
Should I say “what kind of books” or “what kinds of books”?
Both can be correct.
What kind of books can ask generally about the category of books someone likes.
What kinds of books more strongly suggests multiple categories or genres.
Is “what kind of” singular or plural?
Kind is singular in the expression what kind of.
However, the noun that follows can be singular, plural, or uncountable depending on the sentence.
Is “what kinds of” plural?
Yes. Kinds is the plural form of kind.
It is generally used when referring to multiple categories, types, or varieties.
What is the difference between “what kind of” and “what type of”?
In most situations, they have essentially the same meaning.
What kind of car do you want?
What type of car do you want?
Both are grammatical. Type can sometimes sound slightly more formal or technical.
What is the difference between “what kind of” and “what sort of”?
They are also very similar.
What kind of music do you like?
What sort of music do you like?
Both are natural English expressions.
Should the verb after “what kinds of” be singular or plural?
The verb agrees with the grammatical subject.
What kinds of cars are available?
But:
What kind of car is available?
The number of kind doesn’t automatically determine the verb.
Can I say “what kinds of music”?
Yes.
What kinds of music do you listen to?
Music is generally uncountable, but it can refer to different types or genres of music, making kinds of music perfectly natural.
Is “what kind of” more common than “what kinds of”?
Both are common, but what kind of is particularly frequent in everyday questions, including questions followed by plural nouns such as:
What kind of movies do you like?
The plural form is also common when the speaker wants to emphasize several categories.
Conclusion: What Kind of vs What Kinds of
The difference between what kind of vs what kinds of is mainly about whether you’re focusing on one category or multiple categories.
Use what kind of when you’re asking about a general type or category:
What kind of car do you want?
Use what kinds of when you’re asking about several types or varieties:
What kinds of cars are available?
However, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that what kind of must always be followed by a singular noun. Sentences such as “What kind of books do you read?” are completely natural and grammatical.
The best way to choose is to focus on your intended meaning. Kind emphasizes a category, while kinds emphasizes multiple categories. Once you understand that distinction, deciding between the two becomes much easier—and your questions will sound more natural and precise.
