Choosing between “special thanks go to” and “special thanks goes to” can be confusing, especially when writing acknowledgments, appreciation messages, speeches, or professional emails. Both expressions may sound natural in conversation, but “special thanks go to” is the grammatically correct choice when thanking a particular person or group.
The reason is subject–verb agreement. In this expression, thanks is a plural noun, so it takes the plural verb go, not the singular verb goes. For example, you should write, “Special thanks go to my teachers for their guidance,” rather than “Special thanks goes to my teachers for their guidance.” Understanding this simple rule will help you write more clearly and confidently.
Quick Answer
“Special thanks go to” is correct, while “special thanks goes to” is generally grammatically incorrect. The noun thanks is plural, so it agrees with the plural verb go. Use this expression to acknowledge people who helped, supported, encouraged, or contributed to something.
Why Do People Confuse These Expressions?
People often confuse these expressions because they think of special thanks as one general expression of gratitude rather than a plural noun phrase.
In English, singular subjects usually take verbs ending in -s in the simple present tense, such as “she goes.” Plural subjects generally use the base form of the verb, such as “they go.”
Compare these examples:
- Correct: Special thanks go to our volunteers.
- Incorrect: Special thanks goes to our volunteers.
- Correct: My special thanks go to everyone who helped.
The confusion is understandable because thanks can function as an expression of gratitude, but in this sentence structure, it is treated as a plural noun.
First Word: Special Thanks Go To
“Special thanks go to” is the correct and standard expression for acknowledging one or more people.
The word thanks is plural, and go is the correct verb form for a plural subject. The phrase can be used in formal writing, academic acknowledgments, public speeches, social media posts, and everyday messages.
Meaning of “Special Thanks Go To”
The expression means that particular appreciation or gratitude is directed toward someone who has provided help, support, inspiration, or a valuable contribution.
Examples:
- Special thanks go to my parents for their endless support.
- Special thanks go to our team for completing the project.
- Special thanks go to everyone who attended the event.
When Should You Use It?
Use “special thanks go to” when you want to recognize specific people or groups.
For example, if you are writing the acknowledgments section of a research paper, you might say:
“Special thanks go to my supervisor for providing valuable feedback throughout this research.”
This sentence is grammatically correct and expresses appreciation clearly.
Second Word: Special Thanks Goes To
“Special thanks goes to” is generally incorrect in standard English because thanks is plural and does not agree with the singular verb goes.
The verb goes is used with singular third-person subjects such as he, she, and it.
Examples of correct usage include:
- She goes to school every morning.
- The award goes to the winning team.
- My gratitude goes to everyone who supported me.
Notice that the award and my gratitude are singular subjects. Therefore, they correctly take goes.
How Can You Correct “Special Thanks Goes To”?
You have two easy options:
- Change goes to go: “Special thanks go to our teachers.”
- Replace thanks with a singular expression: “My special thanks go to our teachers” is also correct, but “My gratitude goes to our teachers” is another natural alternative.
The best correction depends on the sentence you want to write. If you wish to keep the phrase special thanks, use “special thanks go to.”
Comparison Table
| Expression | Correct or incorrect? | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Special thanks go to John. | Correct | Plural subject takes go. |
| Special thanks goes to John. | Incorrect in standard usage | Plural subject does not take goes. |
| My gratitude goes to John. | Correct | Gratitude is singular. |
| The award goes to John. | Correct | Award is singular. |
| Our thanks go to the organizers. | Correct | Thanks is plural. |
| A special thank-you goes to John. | Correct | Thank-you is singular. |
When to Use Each Expression
The two phrases are not interchangeable in standard grammar. However, you can choose between different expressions depending on the meaning you want to communicate.
1. Use “Special Thanks Go To” for Acknowledgments
This is the best choice when thanking people who have contributed to an event, project, publication, or achievement.
Examples:
- Special thanks go to our sponsors.
- Special thanks go to the organizing committee.
- Special thanks go to my classmates for their cooperation.
2. Use “My Gratitude Goes To” for a More Personal Tone
The word gratitude is singular, so the verb goes is correct.
Examples:
- My gratitude goes to my family.
- My deepest gratitude goes to my mentor.
- Our sincere gratitude goes to everyone involved.
3. Use “A Special Thank-You Goes To” for One Person
When you treat thank-you as a singular noun, use goes.
Examples:
- A special thank-you goes to my best friend.
- A special thank-you goes to our photographer.
- A special thank-you goes to everyone who volunteered.
12 Examples of “Special Thanks Go To” in Sentences
Here are practical examples you can use in different situations.
- Special thanks go to my parents for always believing in me.
- Special thanks go to our teachers for their patience and guidance.
- Special thanks go to the entire team for making this project successful.
- Special thanks go to our sponsors for their generous contributions.
- Special thanks go to everyone who attended our annual celebration.
- Special thanks go to my supervisor for offering helpful suggestions.
- Special thanks go to the volunteers who worked tirelessly behind the scenes.
- Special thanks go to my friends for their encouragement during difficult times.
- Special thanks go to our customers for their continued trust and support.
- Special thanks go to the organizers for arranging such a wonderful event.
- Special thanks go to all the researchers who contributed to this study.
- Special thanks go to everyone who helped turn this idea into reality.
Each sentence uses go because the subject special thanks is plural.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even experienced English speakers sometimes make mistakes when expressing gratitude. These are some common errors to watch for.
Mistake 1: Using “Goes” with “Special Thanks”
Incorrect: Special thanks goes to my family.
Correct: Special thanks go to my family.
Why? The plural noun thanks takes go, not goes.
Mistake 2: Using “Go” with a Singular Subject
Incorrect: My gratitude go to my parents.
Correct: My gratitude goes to my parents.
Why? Gratitude is a singular, uncountable noun, so it takes goes.
Mistake 3: Confusing “Thanks” with “Thank-You”
Incorrect: A special thank-you go to my teacher.
Correct: A special thank-you goes to my teacher.
Why? Here, a special thank-you is singular, so the correct verb is goes.
Mistake 4: Forgetting the Main Subject
When a sentence contains several words, writers may choose a verb based on the nearest noun rather than the actual subject.
For example:
“Special thanks go to my teacher and classmates.”
The subject is special thanks, so go remains correct regardless of how many people receive the appreciation.
Memory Trick: Thanks Go, Gratitude Goes
Remember this simple rule:
- Thanks → go
- Gratitude → goes
- A special thank-you → goes
Think of the subject before choosing the verb. If the subject is thanks, use go. If it is the singular noun gratitude or a special thank-you, use goes.
This quick trick can help you avoid the mistake in emails, speeches, captions, and formal documents.
American vs. British English
There is no meaningful difference between American and British English in this particular grammatical rule. Both varieties use “special thanks go to” in standard writing.
| American English | British English |
|---|---|
| Special thanks go to our teachers. | Special thanks go to our teachers. |
| My gratitude goes to everyone involved. | My gratitude goes to everyone involved. |
| A special thank-you goes to our host. | A special thank-you goes to our host. |
Although spelling and vocabulary sometimes differ between American and British English, subject–verb agreement works the same way in these examples.
Similar Words and Expressions
If you want to express appreciation without repeating the same phrase, consider these alternatives.
- Many thanks go to: A natural way to acknowledge several people or contributions.
- Our thanks go to: A suitable expression for organizations, teams, and groups.
- Special appreciation goes to: A formal alternative that uses the singular noun appreciation.
- My gratitude goes to: A personal and sincere expression of thanks.
- A special thank-you goes to: A friendly way to recognize a particular person.
- We extend our thanks to: A formal expression often used in speeches and written acknowledgments.
- We are grateful to: A direct way to express appreciation without using go or goes.
For example, “Special appreciation goes to our volunteers” and “Special thanks go to our volunteers” are both correct.
Final Verdict: Which Expression Is Correct?
The correct expression is “special thanks go to.” Use it whenever you want to acknowledge people who have helped you, supported a project, contributed to an event, or made a meaningful difference.
Avoid “special thanks goes to” in standard English because thanks is plural and requires the verb go. If you prefer to use goes, choose a singular subject such as gratitude, appreciation, or a special thank-you.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is it “special thanks go to” or “special thanks goes to”?
“Special thanks go to” is correct. The noun thanks is plural, so it takes the verb go rather than goes.
2. Why is “special thanks goes to” incorrect?
It is generally incorrect because the verb does not agree with the plural subject. In standard English, plural subjects take go, while singular third-person subjects take goes.
3. Can I write “special thanks go to my teacher”?
Yes. This is grammatically correct and appropriate for an email, school assignment, speech, acknowledgment, or appreciation message.
4. Is “my special thanks go to” correct?
Yes. The phrase remains correct because the main noun is thanks, which is plural. Adding my does not change the subject–verb agreement.
5. Can I say “special gratitude goes to”?
Yes. Gratitude is an uncountable singular noun, so goes is grammatically correct. However, “my gratitude goes to” or “special appreciation goes to” may sound more natural depending on the context.
6. Is “a special thank-you goes to” correct?
Yes. In this expression, a special thank-you is a singular noun phrase, so it takes goes. For example, “A special thank-you goes to our event coordinator.”
7. Is “special thanks go to” formal enough for academic writing?
Yes. It is appropriate for acknowledgments in academic papers, theses, reports, and other formal documents. You can also use “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to” for a more formal tone.
Remember This
- Write “special thanks go to”, not “special thanks goes to.”
- Use go with the plural noun thanks.
- Use goes with singular subjects such as gratitude and appreciation.
- Both American and British English follow this rule.
Conclusion
The difference between “special thanks go to” and “special thanks goes to” comes down to subject–verb agreement. Because thanks is plural, the correct expression is “special thanks go to.” This rule applies whether you are writing a formal acknowledgment, thanking a teacher, recognizing colleagues, or appreciating friends and family.
When you need an alternative, use “my gratitude goes to,” “special appreciation goes to,” or “a special thank-you goes to.” Choosing the correct subject and verb will make your writing clearer, more natural, and grammatically accurate.
