Plurals
The word plural refers to the form a noun takes when more than one thing is being mentioned. Most nouns have distinctive singular and plural forms.
the most common way to make a noun plural is to add s or es to the end of the singular form. Most nouns take the ending -s, except for those ending in -s, -z, -x, sh, -ch, or -ss, which take the suffix (ending )- es.
One dragon One wish
Two dragons Two wishes
Some nouns are given different plural endings to make them easier to pronounce. In most cases, it is possible to follow a few simple rules. If a word ends in -y, for example, and it has a vowel before the final -y, the plural is formed in the usual way: an s is added. If the final -y is preceded by a consonant, however, the y must be changed to i, followed by the ending -es.
Most nouns
book, day, horse, girl, car, fire
add -s
books, days, horses, girls, cars, fires
-s,-x,-z,-sh,-ch,-ss
bus, flash, fox, church, waltz,princess
add-es
buses, flashes, foxes, churches, waltzes, princesses
consonant + -y
party, lady, baby
replace -y with -i then add -es
parties, ladies, babies
-f
shelf, wolf, leaf
replace - f with -v then add -es
shelves, wolves, leaves
-fe
knife, wife, life
replace- fe with -v then add -es
knives, wives, lives
Irregular plural nouns
Some words just don't follow the rules. Although many nouns that end in -o are made plural by adding an s, others take the ending -es. Some nouns change their spelling completely when they become plural, while others do not change at all. Words that originate from Latin and Greek often have irregular plural endings. These exceptions have to be learnt.
If the plural form of a noun is used in a sentence, the verb that follows it must also be plural.
Do not confuse plural words with possessive. For example, "there are two Jasons( plural ) in my class ad this is Jason's car (possessive)
Words ending in -f usually change their endings to -ves
Singular Plural
belief beliefs
chief chiefs
cliff cliffs
roof roofs
Words ending in -z usually takes the regular -es ending.
Singular Plural
quiz quizzes
Word ending in -o usually takes the -s ending.
Singular Plural
echo echoes
hero heroes
potato n potatoes
tomato tomatoes
Words of Latin or Greek origin often have irregular plural forms.
Singular Plural
analysis analyses
appendix appendices
crisis crises
Some words change their spelling completely.
Singular Plural
child children
woman women
person people
man men
foot feet
tooth teeth
goose geese
mouse mice
ox oxen
Some words don't change at all
Singular Plural
sheep sheep
deer deer
moose moose
series series
scissors scissors
Some words have two plural forms
Singular Plural
hoof hooves of hoofs
dwarf dwarves or dwarfs
mango mangoes or mangos
buffalo buffaloes or buffalo
index indexes or indices
focus focuses or foci
Staying singular
Collective nouns such as flock or crowd have plural forms but usually, appear in the singular. Some nouns do not have plural forms at all, even though they usually represent multiple things. Furniture, for example, is a singular word, but it may encompass a table, chair, a sofa, and wardrobe,
(furniture, education, information, homework, livestock, evidence, weather, knowledge)
GLOSSARY
Collective noun The name given to a collection of individuals - people or things.
Plural noun When more than one person or thing is being described.
Suffix An ending made up of one or more letters that are added to a word to
change its form - for example, from singular to plural.