Plural Nouns
Plural Nouns :
When you are talking about two or more people, animals, places or things, use plural nouns. Most nouns are made plural by adding -s at the end.
Singular…Plural
Star…stars
Bat..bats
Mug…mugs
Fan…fans
Cup…cups
Cap…caps
Some plural nouns end in -es.
When the last letters of singular nouns are ch, sh, s, ss or x, you usually add -es to form the plural.
Singular…Plural
Bus…buses
Glass…glasses
Brush…brushes
Watch…watches
Fox…foxes
beach…beaches
branch…branches
box…boxes
bush…bushes
church…churches
dish…dishes
dress…dresses
sandwich…sandwiches
witch…witches
Some plural nouns end in -ies.
Nouns like these are made plural by changing y to i and adding -es.
Butterfly… butterflies
Canary… canaries
Lily… lilies
Candy…candies
baby…babies
cherry…cherries
diary…diaries
dictionary…dictionaries
fairy…fairies
family…families
fly…flies
lady…ladies
library…libraries
puppy…puppies
story…stories
strawberry…strawberries
What if there is a vowel before the y?
In that case, add -s to form the plural.
Key…keys
Turkey…turkeys
Tray…trays
chimney…chimneys
cowboy…cowboys
day…days
donkey…donkeys
jersey…jerseys
kidney…kidneys
monkey…monkeys
toy…toys
trolley…trolleys
valley…valleys
If a noun ends in -f, you often change f to v, and add -es.
calf…calves
loaf…loaves
elf…elves
shelf…shelves
half…halves
thief…thieves
leaf…leaves
wolf…wolves
Often nouns that end in -f, just need -s to form the plural.
chef…chefs
handkerchief…handkerchiefs
chief…chiefs
roof…roofs
cliff…cliffs
sheriff…sheriffs
For some words that end in -f, the plural can be spelled in two different ways.
dwarf…dwarfs or dwarves
hoof…hoofs or hooves
scarf…scarfs or scarves
With some words that end in -fe, you change f to v, and add -s.
knife…knives
life…lives
wife…wives
But you only add -s to giraffe to form the plural.
If a noun ends in -o, you just add -s to form the plural.
a rhino…rhinos
a kangaroo…kangaroos
a hippo…hippos
a video…videos
a zoo…zoos
But with some nouns that end in -o, you add -es to form the plural. a flamingo…flamingoes
a tomato…tomatoes
a potato…potatoes
a hero…heroes
With some nouns that end in -o, you can add either -s or -es to form the plural. a mango…mangoes & mangos
a mosquito…mosquitoes & mosquitos
a zero…zeroes & zeros
a buffalo…buffaloes & buffalos
Some plural nouns don’t follow the -s rule. They don’t end in -s, -es, -ies or -ves. Instead, the word changes form.
mouse…mice
goose…geese
child…children
man…men
ox…oxen
tooth…teeth
woman…women
The plural of the mouse that you use with your computer is either mice or mouses.
Some plural nouns are the same as the singular noun.
sheep…sheep
reindeer…reindeer
fish…fish
bison…bison
deer…deer
You can use fishes as the plural of fish when you are talking about different kinds of fish….all the fishes of the Pacific Ocean…
Some nouns are always plural.
Binoculars
Goggles
Pliers
Jeans
pants
scissors
pajamas
sneakers
shorts
slippers
trousers
stockings
sandals
Another word for spectacles is glasses.
You can make these plural nouns singular by using a pair of.
a pair of binoculars
a pair of spectacles
a pair of goggles
a pair of jeans
a pair of shorts
a pair of pliers
a pair of shoes
Plural Nouns :
