2. The plural of a noun is
usually made by adding s
to the singular:
dog โ dogs
house โ houses
s is pronounced /s/ after p, k
or f sound. Otherwise it is
pronounced /z/.
3. โข Nouns ending in y following a
consonant form their plural by
dropping the y and adding ies:
โข baby โ babies
โข Nouns ending in y following a
vowel form their plural by
adding s:
โข day โ days
โข guy - guys
4. - f or fe- f or fe
13 nouns ending in f or fe change into v
and add es in the plural:
knife - knives
life - lives
wife โ wifes
leaf โ leaves
half โ halves
shelf โ shelves
loaf โ loaves
thief โ thieves
self โ selves
wolf โ wolves
calf โ calves
sheaf โ sheaves
elf โ elves
5. Other nouns take only โs in
the plural:
โข roof - roofs
โข proof โ proofs
โข chief - chiefs
6. Nouns ending in -oNouns ending in -o
Nouns ending in โo preceded by a
consonant add โes in the plural:
โข tomato โ tomatoes
โข hero โ heroes
All nouns ending in โo preceded by a
vowel take only โs in the plural:
โข studio โ studios
โข scenario โ scenarios
Certain foreign nouns ending in โo
preceded by a consonant, take only
โs in the plural:
โข piano โ pianos
โข kilo โ kilos
โข photo โ photos
โข Double forms:
โข Fresco โ frescos and frescoes
โข Flamingo โ flamingos and flamingoes
7. Irregular plural
โข man โ men
โข woman โ women
โข child โ children
โข foot โ feet
โข tooth โ teeth
โข goose โ geese
โข mouse โ mice
โข louse โ lice
โข ox - oxen
8. Pluralia TantumPluralia Tantum
Nouns denoting the names of
things, tools and instruments
consisting of two halves are
used only in the plural:
โข trousers
โข shorts
โข pincers
โข glasses
โข scissors
9. A number of words ending in
โics (acoustics, athletics,
mathematics, politics, physics
etc) normally take a plural verb:
- His mathematics are weak.
But names of sciences can
sometimes be considered
singular:
-Mathematics is an exact science.
10. The following nouns have
the same form in the
singular and plural:
โข deer
โข sheep
โข means
โข series
โข species
โข cross-roads
11. Nouns indicating
nationality and ending in
โss and โse have the same
singular and plural form:
โข A Japanese โ two Japanese
โข A Swiss โ three Swiss
12. Some nouns taken from
foreign languages keep
their original plural forms:
โข basis โ bases
โข thesis โ theses
โข crisis โ crises
โข datum โ data
โข formula โ formulae
โข phenomenon - phenomena
13. Some nouns have different
meanings in the plural and
singular:
โข arm โ arms
โข good โ goods
โข hair โ hairs
โข cloth โ clothes
โข custom - customs
14. Singularia TantumSingularia Tantum
The following nouns have
no plural form, they are
always followed by a
singular verb:
โข information
โข news
โข advice
โข courage
โข knowledge
โข furniture