---
title: Plural and singular searches
slug: n2mg0364
canonical_url: https://docs.coveo.com/en/n2mg0364/
collection: coveo-for-commerce
source_format: adoc
---
# Plural and singular searches
In the context of commerce search, you may notice discrepancies in the search results returned for a specific term when queried in its singular versus plural form.

**Example**

As a user of a Coveo-powered ecommerce website, you want to shop for various types of plants.

When you enter `plant` in the search box, you noticed that the returned results are products containing the `plant` keyword in their title.

These products are mostly plant accessories, such as pots and stands.

You then search once more by entering `plants` in your [query](https://docs.coveo.com/en/231/), which now returns actual plants.

The discrepancies between the returned results are often caused because the query searches the [index](https://docs.coveo.com/en/204/) for exact matches in the terms contained in both the product's [body](https://docs.coveo.com/en/3313/) and category [field](https://docs.coveo.com/en/200/).

In the previous example, the first query searched the index for [items](https://docs.coveo.com/en/pa8f6515/) containing the `plant` term, which are mostly plant accessories.
It also searched for the `plant` category, which doesn't exist in your index.
_Plants_ and _plant accessories_ are rather categorized in the `plants` category

The second query returned actual plants since it searched the index for items containing the `plants` keyword, which are mostly plants.
It also searched the `plants` category, which exists in your index.

Many reasons can cause such discrepancies in the search results returned for a specific term when queried in its singular versus plural form, but here are a few things you should verify if you want singular and plural searches to return more consistent results:

* [Populate item bodies](#populate-item-bodies)

* [Verify that the category field leverages stemming](#verify-that-the-category-field-leverages-stemming)

* [Verify the query pipeline configuration](#verify-the-query-pipeline-configuration)

## Populate item bodies

By default, the [Catalog source](https://docs.coveo.com/en/l5if0244/) creates an [item](https://docs.coveo.com/en/pa8f6515/) [body](https://docs.coveo.com/en/3313/) by using the information contained in the `ec_name` and `ec_description` [fields](https://docs.coveo.com/en/200/) of an [item](https://docs.coveo.com/en/pa8f6515/) (see [Commerce standard fields reference](https://docs.coveo.com/en/n73f0502#standard-commerce-fields)).

Populating the content of these fields in the item's body is crucial for queries to effectively target your items.

You can verify whether these fields are populated in your product by using the [**Content Browser**](https://platform.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/content/browser/) ([platform-ca](https://platform-ca.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/content/browser/) | [platform-eu](https://platform-eu.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/content/browser/) | [platform-au](https://platform-au.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/content/browser/)).

See [Review item properties](https://docs.coveo.com/en/1712/) for instructions on how to inspect your items' fields.

## Verify that the category field leverages stemming

The `ec_category` field is used to identify a product's category, and must have the [**Stemming**](https://docs.coveo.com/en/1833#stemming) option enabled.

In the [previous example](#plant-example), plants weren't returned by the `plant` query because the `ec_category` field didn't have the **Stemming** option enabled, which caused the query to search only for an exact match when targeting the field.

See [About stemming](https://docs.coveo.com/en/1576/) for more information on how the Coveo [index](https://docs.coveo.com/en/204/) handles [stemming](https://docs.coveo.com/en/3436/).

To verify whether the category field has **Stemming** enabled

. Access the [**Fields**](https://platform.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/content/fields/) ([platform-ca](https://platform-ca.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/content/fields/) | [platform-eu](https://platform-eu.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/content/fields/) | [platform-au](https://platform-au.cloud.coveo.com/admin/#/orgid/content/fields/)) page of the Coveo Administration Console.

. Find the field you use to identify your product categories (typically the `ec_category` field).

. Verify whether the **Stemming** option is enabled.


![stemming attribute in the Coveo Administration Console | Coveo](https://docs.coveo.com/en/assets/images/coveo-for-commerce/images/enabling-stemming.png)

. If the option isn't enabled, activate the option, and then click **Save**.

You then need to [rebuild](https://docs.coveo.com/en/2039#rebuild) your source for the change to be effective.

## Verify the query pipeline configuration

Coveo-powered commerce implementations require specific query pipeline configurations.

Depending on the Coveo API you use to power your commerce implementation, you must ensure that your query pipeline is configured as recommended.

* If your commerce implementation relies on the Coveo Commerce API, see [Storefront associations and query pipelines](https://docs.coveo.com/en/o48e0216#storefront-associations-and-query-pipelines).

* If your commerce implementation relies on the Search API, see [Recommended query pipeline configurations](https://docs.coveo.com/en/3180#recommended-query-pipeline-configurations).