“Rules for Making Plurals”

Singular vs. Plural

A singular noun names one person, place, thing, or idea.• One cat, one store, one itemA plural noun names two or more persons, places, things, or ideas.• Two cats, four stores, fifteen items

Rule # 1 Add an (s) to form the plural of most of words.

Examples: book – books bug – bugs

friend- friends tutor – tutors flower - flowers

Rule # 2For words that end in (s, z, x, ch, sh, ss) add (es) to

form the plural.

Examples: quiz - quizzes box - boxes

church –churches bush – bushes class – classes

Rule # 3If the word ends in a vowel + (y) [ay, ey, iy, oy, uy] add an (s) to the word.

Examples: tray – trays key – keys

stay – stays toy - toys

Rule # 4If the word ends in a consonant + (y) change the (y)

into (i) and add (es) to form the plural.

Examples: enemy – enemies cherry – cherries

baby – babies party – parties dictionary - dictionaries

Rule # 5For words that end in (f), drop the (f) change it to (v) &

add (es) for the plural. For words that end in (fe), change the (f) to (v) & ad (es) to form the plural.

Examples: wolf - wolves wife - wives knife – knives

self – selves

Rule # 6For nouns that end in a consonant + (o) add (es) to make

the noun plural.

Examples: tomato – tomatoes hero - heroes

potato – potatoes volcano - volcanoes

Irregular Plurals I. Some nouns change spelling in the plurals.

SingularSingular PluralPluralchildchild childrenchildrenmanman menmen

womanwoman womenwomenfootfoot feetfeet

mousemouse micemicepersonperson peoplepeoplegoosegoose geesegeese

Irregular PluralsII. Some nouns do not change in plural.

one deer – two deer

one sheep – three sheep

one fish – four fish

Irregular Plurals c. Some nouns are always plural.

- scissors - pajamas

- eyeglasses

- shorts - clothes

- plants

9. A few nouns that end with s look plural but are considered singular.

Singularmeasles

newseconomics

dues

Compound Nouns10. For most compound nouns, make the most

important word plural.

• For a compound noun written as one word, make the last part plural.

• For a compound noun written with hyphens or as separate words, make the key word plural.

Singular Pluralbillboard billboards

cupful cupfulscampground campgrounds

maid of honor maids of honor

step-brother step-brothersGreat-grandma Great-grandmas

One word compound nouns

Hyphenated compound nouns

Separate words

11. Letters, numbers, symbols, and words used as words are made plural by adding an apostrophe (‘) and s.

Singular Plural# #’sA A’s25 25’sand and’s& &’s

ABC & 123 ABC’s & 123’s