This document discusses the rules for forming plural nouns in English. It provides 10 rules, such as adding -s to most nouns, -es to nouns ending in s/sh/ch/x/z, and changing the ending to -ves for some nouns ending in f. It then provides examples and exercises for the reader to practice forming plurals.

2. PLURAL FORMS OF
NOUNS

3. A singular noun names one person, place, or thing.
Examples:
Box hero visitor church child
A plural noun names more than one person, place, or thing.
Examples:
Boxes heroes visitors churches children

4. Here are some rules in forming the plural
form of nouns:
1. The plural of most nouns is formed by adding –s to the singular.
table – tables car – cars
room – rooms
2.Add –es to form the plural of nouns that end in –s, -x, -ch, -sh, or -z.
match – matches tax – taxes
brush – brushes

5. 3. Nouns ending in –y preceded by a consonant, form the plural by changing –y to –i and add –
es.
city – cities dormitory – dormitories
cherry – cherries
Nouns ending in –y preceded by a vowel, form the plural by merely adding –s.
toy – toys key – keys
bay - bays

6. 4. Add –s to form the plural of some nouns that end in –f.
roof – roofs belief – beliefs
However, some nouns that end in –f or –fe, form their plural by changing –f or –fe to –ves.
wife – wives self – selves
knife – knives

7. 5. Nouns ending in –o preceded by a vowel, form the plural by adding –s.
bamboo – bamboos folio – folios
radio – radios
Nouns ending in –o preceded by a consonant, form the plural by adding –es.
volcano – volcanoes tomato – tomatoes
potato - potatoes

8. Words pertaining to music that end in –o, form their plural by adding –s.
piano – pianos solo – solos
soprano - sopranos

9. 7. A few nouns form their plural by an internal vowel change.
man – men goose – geese
child – children
8. The plural of numbers and letters is formed by adding apostrophe s (‘s).
A – A’s 10 – 10’s
2 – 2’s

10. 9. Nouns that are plural in form ( ending in –s) but singular in meaning.
news Mathematics
acoustics
10. Compound nouns form their plural by adding –s to the important word.
editor-in-chief – editors-in-chief
father-in-law – fathers-in-law
court-martial – courts-martial

11. Let’s Practice! 
A. Write the plural form of each of the following
singular nouns.
1. memo- __________
2. typist- __________
3. supply- __________
4. G- __________
5. wolf- __________
6. policy- __________
7. clown- __________
8. branch- __________
9. quiz- _________
10. test- _________

12. B. What is the correct plural form of the
verb?
1. These (person) __________ are protesting against
the president.
2. The (woman) __________ over there want to meet
the manager.
3. My (child) __________ hate eating pasta.
4. I am ill. My (foot) __________ hurt.
5. Muslims kill (sheep) __________ in a religious
celebration.
6. I clean my (tooth) __________ three times a day.
7. The (student ) __________ are doing the exercise
right now.

13. 8. The (fish) __________ I bought is in the fridge.
9. They are sending some (man) __________ to fix
the roof.
10. Most (houswife) __________ work more than ten
hours a day at home.
11. Where did you put the (knife) __________ ?
On the (shelf) __________ .
12.(Goose) __________ like water.
13.(Piano) __________ are expensive
14. Some (policeman) __________ came to arrest
him.
15. Where is my (luggage) __________ ?
In the car!

14. Quiz! ½ cw.
Answer directly!
No cheating, no using of cell phones. If you
do so, you are automatically zero (0) in the
quiz tonight.


15. Read the selection that follows. Pick out 15
singular nouns and give their corresponding
plural forms.
Muddy Road
Tanzan and Ekido were once travelling down a muddy road. A heavy rain was still
falling. Coming around a bend, they met a lovely girl in a silk kimono and sash, unable to cross
the intersection.
“Come on, girl,” said Tanzan at once. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her over the
mud.
Ekido did not speak again until the reached the lodging temple that night. Then he
longer could not restrain himself. “As monks, we are prohibited to go near females,” he told
Tanzan, “especially the young and lovely ones. Its dangerous, so why did you carry the girl at
the bend?”
“I left the girl there,” Tanzan said. “It seems you are still carrying her.”