This document provides rules for making common nouns plural in English. It states that for nouns ending in "y" preceded by a vowel, change the "y" to "ies" to make them plural (e.g. baby > babies). For nouns ending in "y" preceded by a consonant, simply add an "s" to make them plural (e.g. boy > boys). It provides examples of nouns following each rule.

1. Common Nouns Remove the "y", add "ies"
activity activities
apply applies
baby babies
berry berries
bully bullies
bunny bunnies
canary canaries
colloquy colloquies
daisy daisies
duty duties
enemy enemies
fly flies
lady ladies
library libraries
lorry lorries
marry marries
nappy nappies
penny pennies
pony ponies
poppy poppies
rally rallies
rely relies
secretary secretaries
sky skies
soliloquy soliloquies

2. spy spies
story stories
study studies
sty sties
spy spies
supply supplies
theory theories
Common nouns with a vowel + “y”, just
add “s”
Common Noun
Retain the "y",
add "s"
airway airways
alley alleys
annoy annoys
array arrays
attorney attorneys
birthdays birthdays
boy boys
chimney chimneys
day days
delays delays
donkey donkeys
employ employs
essay essays
joy joys

3. key keys
monkey monkeys
play plays
pray prays
stay stays
survey surveys
toy toys
tray trays
turkey turkeys
valley valleys
viceroy viceroys
volley volleys
way ways
wiseguy wiseguys
Exception: To form the plural of proper
nouns ending in “y” preceded by a
consonant, just add an “s”.
Proper Noun
Retain the "y",
add "s"
Brady Bradys
Kennedy Kennedys
one hot July two hot Julys