Plural Nouns
We know that a noun is a person, place or thing. If there is only one
noun the noun is singular. For example: A pencil was on the table.’ In
this instance, there is only one pencil and only one table. These nouns
are said to be singular.
However, there may be more than one noun. For example: ‘Six pencils
were on the table. In this example there are several pencils (plural) but
only one table (singular).
Singular means one
Plural means more than one
You will notice from the following examples that plurals are formed in
various ways.
1
The most common way of forming a plural noun is to add ‘s’
For example: girl becomes girls
table becomes tables
2
Nouns ending in s, sh, ch, or x form their plurals by adding ‘es’
For example: box becomes boxes
bush becomes bushes
glass becomes glasses
arch becomes arches
3
Nouns ending in y, before which there is no vowel, form the plurals
by changing the y to i before adding es
For example: berry becomes berries
factory becomes factories
4
Nouns ending with y before which there is a vowel, form their
plurals by adding s, as in rule 1.
For example: key becomes keys
day becomes days
5
Some nouns which end with f form their plurals by changing f to v
and adding es.
For example: leaf becomes leaves
wolf becomes wolves
However, there are a few exceptions to this rule.
For example: chief becomes chiefs
hoof becomes hoofs
6
Nouns ending in o form their plurals in two ways, some by adding
s, others by adding es.
For example: torpedo becomes torpedoes
piano becomes pianos
7
Several nouns have no singular form
For example: braces
pants
spectacles
8
Certain nouns are the same for both singular and plural
For example:
sheep
deer
salmon
9
The plural number of some nouns is formed by changing a vowel
or by adding en
For example: foot becomes feet
ox becomes oxen
10 The plurals of some compound words are formed by adding ‘s to the
first word.
For example: son-in-law becomes sons-in-law
passer-by becomes passers-by
Now try this:
Insert the correct plural in each space.
1
one knife
three ………………
2
one half
two …………..……
3
one crutch
a pair of ……………
4
one donkey
five ………………..
5
one foot
two ………………..
6
one sheep
a flock of ……………
7
one ox
four …………………
8
one wolf
two …………………..
9
one pansy
a bunch of ……………
10
one pulley
three …………………
11
one salmon
six …………………….
12
one wife
two …………………….
(Answers are on the next page)
Now form one plural noun for each of the 10 rules above.
Answers
1
knives
2
halves
3
crutches
4
donkeys
5
feet
6
sheep
7
oxen
8
wolves
9
pansies
10
pulleys
11
salmon
12
wives