SINGULAR & PLURAL NOUNS
Beverly Schmitt 1997-2002, all rights reserved
Singular Noun Definition: When a noun means one only, it is said to be
singular.
Examples - boy, girl, book, church, box
Plural Noun Definition: When a noun means more than one, it is said to be
plural.
Examples - boys, girls, churches, boxes
RULE #1
The plural noun is usually formed by adding s to a singular noun.
Example - lamp, lamps; cat, cats; fork, forks; flower, flowers; pen, pens
Exercise: Write the plural noun of each of these nouns.
chair star farm storm door
rock owner paper cup bear
RULE #2
Nouns ending in s, z, x, sh, and ch form the plural by adding es.
Example - mos, mosses; buzz, buzzes; box, boxes; dish, dishes;
church, churches
Exercise: Write the plural of each of these nouns.
dress brush hex wish class
fox cross bench bush ax
Special Note:
If you add s to such nouns as fox, bush, and bench, you will find that you
cannot pronounce them without making an additional syllable. This is why
such nouns form the plural by adding es.
RULE #3
Nouns ending in y preceded by a consonant is formed into a plural by
changing y to ies.
Examples - lady, ladies; city, cities; army, armies
Exercise: Write the plural of the following words.
fly baby pony injury cherry
lady beauty story history berry
city sky duty study theory
RULE #4
Nouns ending in y preceded by a vowel form their plurals by adding s.
Example - boy, boys; day, days
Exercise: Write the plural of the following words.
day toy essay turkey chimney
play joy valley turkey volley
RULE #5
Most nouns ending in o preceded by a consonant is formed into a plural by
adding es.
Example - hero, heroes; grotto, grottoes
Exercise: Write the plural of the following nouns ending in o.
motto calico buffalo hero potato
cargo volcano grotto tomato veto
RULE #6
Some nouns ending in f or fe are made plural by changing f or fe to ves.
Example - beef, beeves; wife, wives
Exercise: Write the plural of the following words.
calf self leaf sheaf life
loaf shelf half wolf knife
Exceptions: The following may form their plural by adding s.
chief, chiefs fife, fifes hoof, hoofs roof, roofs
kerchief, kerchiefs safe, safes grief, griefs
Irregular Plurals
man, men foot, feet mouse, mice
woman, women tooth, teeth louse, lice
child, children ox, oxen goose, geese
The following nouns have no singular:
scissors oats tongs dregs trousers
pinchers bellows snuffers cattle shears
measles mumps victuals tweezers vespers
Some nouns are always singular. Some of these nouns may be used in the
plural when different kinds are meant as sugars, coffees, and cottons.
gold, silver, wheat, corn, molasses, copper, sugar, cotton,news,gallows,
mathematics, ethics (other words inding in ics)
SINGULAR NOUNS USE THIS AND THAT.
PLURAL NOUNS USE THESE AND THOSE.
Special Note:
SINGULAR PLURAL
son-in-law sons-in-law
daughter-in-law daughters-in-law
maid of honor maids of honor
secretary of state secretaries of state
