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The Number
The Number
Singular (cup)
Plural (cups)
Singular Noun: When a noun means one only, it is said to be singular.
Plural Noun: When a noun means more than one, it is said to be plural.
Compare
Singular
Bag
Book
Bench
Plural
Bags
Books
Benches
ÿ The plural of nouns is usually formed by adding - s to a singular noun.
cap
Cat
ball
Flower
hen
caps
Cats
Balls
Flowers
Hens
ÿ Nouns ending in s, z, x, sh, and ch form the plural by adding - es.
Singular
Plural
Moss
Mosses
Pass
Passes
Buzz
Buzzes
Box
Boxes
dish
Dishes
Bench
Benches
Church
churches
Note:
If - s is added to nouns like fox, bush, and bench, you will find that it is difficult to pronounce them
without making an additional syllable. This is why such nouns form the plural by adding - es.
ÿ Nouns ending in - y preceded by a consonant are formed into a plural by changing - y into - ies.
Singular
Baby
Plural
Babies
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Lady
Ladies
Army
Armies
City
Cities
Country
Countries
Fly
Flies
ÿ Nouns ending in y preceded by a vowel form their plurals by adding - s.
Observe
Singular
Plural
Boy
Boys
Toy
Toys
Play
Plays
Day
Days
Joy
Joys
Most nouns ending in o preceded by a consonant is formed into a plural by adding es.
Singular
Mango
Hero
Grotto
Negro
Potato
Echo
Motto
Veto
Buffalo*
halo*
tornado*
portico*
mosquito*
Calico
Cargo
Plural
Mangoes
Heroes
Grottoes
Negroes
Potatoes
Echoes
Mottoes
Vetoes
Buffaloes
Haloes
Tornadoes
Porticoes
Mosquitoes
Calicoes
Cargoes
Note: Nouns added by * may add –s, or -es for making it plural.
ÿ The following are among those that add -s only:
Singular
Canto
Halo
Solo
Memento
Piano
Albino
Lasso
Sirocco
Plural
Cantos
Halos
Solos
Mementos
Pianos
Albinos
Lassos
Siroccos
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Bamboo
Bamboos
Cameo
Cameos
Cuckoo
Cuckoos
Fiasco
Fiascos
Manifesto
Manifestos
Embryo
Embryos
Photo
Photos
Dynamo
Dynamos
Curio
Curios
Curio
Curios
Piano
Pianos
Promo
Promos
Radio
Radios
Trio
Trios
Two
Twos
Ratio
Ratios
Zero
Zeros
Zoo
Zoos
Some nouns ending in f or fe are made plural by changing f or fe into - ves.
Singular
Beef
Wife
Elf
Calf
Half
Knife
Loaf
Life
Leaf
Self
Shelf
Thief
Wolf
Sheaf
Plural
Beeves
Wives
Elves
Calves
Halves
Knives
Loaves
Lives
Leaves
Selves
Shelves
Thieves
Wolves
Sheaves
The followings form their plurals by adding - s.
Singulars
Plurals
Chief
Chiefs
Fife
Fifes
Mischief
Mischiefs
Hoof*
Hoofs
Roof
Roofs
Grief
Griefs*
Safe
Safes
Bluff
Bluffs
Belief
Beliefs
Cliff
Cliffs
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Dwarf
Dwarfs
Gulf
Gulfs
Handkerchief Handkerchiefs
Proof
Proofs
Reef
Reefs
Scarf
Scarfs*
Serf
Serf
Turf
Turfs*
Wharf
Wharfs*
Note: Nouns added by * may add-s or- ves.
ÿ The following nouns have no singular:
scissors
trousers
cattle
victuals
oats
pinchers
shears
tweezers
Tongs
Bellows
Measles
Vespers
dregs
snuffers
mumps
Irregular Plurals List
Each following group of words has similar changes.
US -> I
SINGULAR
alumnus
cactus
focus
fungus
nucleus
radius
stimulus
PLURAL
alumni
cacti
foci/focuses
fungi/funguses
nuclei
radii
stimuli
IS -> ES
SINGULAR
axis
analysis
basis
crisis
diagnosis
ellipsis
hypothesis
oasis
paralysis
parenthesis
synthesis
PLURAL
axes
analyses
bases
crises
diagnoses
ellipses
hypotheses
oases
paralyses
parentheses
syntheses
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synopsis
synopses
thesis
theses
IX -> ICES
SINGULAR
appendix
index
matrix
PLURAL
appendices
indeces /indexes
matrices/matrixes
EAU -> EAUX
SINGULAR
beau
bureau
tableau
PLURAL
beaux
bureaus/ bureaux
tableaux/tableaus
EN
SINGULAR
child
man
ox
woman
PLURAL
children
men
oxen
women
A
SINGULAR
bacterium
corpus
criterion
curriculum
datum
genus
medium
memorandum
phenomenon
stratum
PLURAL
bacteria
corpora
criteria
curricula
data
genera
media
memoranda
phenomena
strata
`
OO -> EE
SINGULAR
foot
goose
tooth
PLURAL
feet
geese
teeth
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A -> AE
SINGULAR
antenna
formula
nebula
vertebra
vita
PLURAL
antennae/antennas
formulae/formulas
nebulae
vertebrae
vitae
OUSE -> ICE
SINGULAR
louse
mouse
NO CHANGE
PLURAL
lice
mice
SINGULAR
PLURAL
ÿ The following nouns have no singular form:
oats
Tongs
dregs
trousers
pinchers
bellows
Snuffers
shears
Measles
mumps
cattle
offspring
series
Sheep
Deer
Fish
means
victuals
tweezers
vespers
Species
Exercise 1:
Write the plural of each of these nouns:
Chair
Storm
owner
Star
Door
Paper
Farm
Rock
Cup
Exercise 2:
Write the plural of each of these nouns
Dress
Wish
Cross
Ax
Brush
Hex
Class
Fox
Bench
Bush
Grass
mantis
Exercise 3:
Tell if the following nouns are singular or plural:
Box
Cats
Slipper
Forks
Books
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Chair
Desk
Houses
Lamps
Shoes
Garden
Dog
Carts
Kitchen
Exercise 4:
Paper
Horses
Pony
Write the plural of the following nouns:
Chair
Star
Pencil
Ax
Bush
Coat
Sketch
Owner
Touch
Exercise 5:
Wagon
Dress
Glass
Girl
Tree
latch
Boy
Bench
Mug
Write the singular of the following nouns:
Bells
Churches
Wagons
Coals
Clocks
Boxes
Kitchens
Basins
Days
Houses
Pencils
Trees
Exercise 6:
Write the plural of the following words:
Fly
Baby
Pony
Injury
Lady
Beauty
Story
History
City
Sky
Duty
Study
Exercise 7:
Pictures
Chairs
Tables
Cherry
Berry
Theory
Write the plural of the following words:
Day
Toy
Essay
Play
Joy
Valley
Exercise 8:
Turkey
Alley
Chimney
Volley
Write the plural of the following words:
Calf
Self
Leaf
Loaf
Shelf
Half
elf
Half
Thief
Chief
Dwarf
Proof
Exercise 9:
Sheaf
Wolf
Wife
Turf
Life
Knife
Gulf
Change the number of the followings:
Mumps
Means
Loaf
elf
History
Essay
Shoes
Carts
Cattle
Victuals
Shelf
Half
Theory
Joy
Garden
Kitchen
offspring
tweezers
Half
Thief
study
Valley
Toy
pony
series
vespers
Wolf
Wife
duty
Sky
Berry
Horse
7
Sheep
Species
Knife
Gulf
beauty
Mango
Boy
Zero