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ENGLISH PLURALS. The plural form of most nouns is created simply by adding the letter 's' to the end of the word . hour – hours tree – trees house – houses Nouns that end in - ch , -x, -s, - sh , zz or s-like sounds, the plural is formed by adding ' es ' to the end of the word.
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ENGLISH PLURALS • The plural form of most nouns is created simply by adding the letter 's' to the end of the word . • hour –hours tree – trees house – houses • Nouns that end in -ch, -x, -s, -sh, zz or s-like sounds, the plural is formed by adding 'es' to the end of the word. • watch – watches box – boxes • gas – gases brush – brushes • Nouns that end in a single -z, the plural is formed by adding 'zes' to the end of the word. • quiz - quizzes • Most nouns ending in -o preceded by a consonant also form their plurals by adding 'es' . • potato – potatoes volcano – volcanoes • However many newly created words and words with a Spanish or Italian origin that end in -o just add an 's'. • piano – pianos photo – photos • Nouns ending in a consonant + y, drop the y and add 'ies'. • lady – ladies party – parties • Most nouns ending in -f or -fe, drop the f and add 'ves'. • wolf – wolves wife – wives • Most words ending in -is, drop the -is and add -es. • crisis – crises oasis - oases
There are many common nouns that have irregular plurals. • man - men woman - women • child – children mouse - mice • tooth - teeth goose - geese • foot - feet ox – oxen • person – people • Some nouns have identical plural and singular forms, although they are still considered to have a plural form. • sheep – sheep fish – fish • aircraft – aircraft • Uncountable nouns • on the other hand have no plural form and take a singular verb (is / was ...). • advice • money • information • traffic • news • sugar • Some nouns (especially those associated with two things) exist only in the plural form and take a plural verb (are / were...). • cattle scissors trousers • tweezers • Nouns that stem from older forms of English or are of foreign origin often have odd plurals. • index - indices or indexes • phenomenon – phenomena • antenna - antennae – antennas • cactus – cacti – cactuses • In compound nouns the plural ending is usually added to the main noun. • passer-by - passers-by • mother-in-law – mothers-in-law • fireman – firemen • attorney general - attorneys general
Exercises: • Write the plural of each of these nouns: dress - …………………………… brush - ………………………….. touch - ……………………………… wish - ……………………………. class - …………………........... sketch - ………………………………… fox - ……………………………… cross - ……………………………. star - …………………………………… bench - ………………………… bush - …………………………city - ……………………………......... ax - …………………………….. grass - …………………………cherry - ……………………………… mantis - ………………………. buzz - …………………………… essay - ………………………………… box- …………………………….. dish - ……………………………… baby - ………………………………… church - ………………………boy - …………………………… story - …………………………………… volley - ………………………… chimney - ………………………day - ……………………………… cargo - ………………………mosquito - ………………………hero - ……………………………… canto - ………………………… solo - …………………………… piano - ………………………………… leaf - ……………………………… life - ……………………………… loaf - ………………………………… shelf - ………………………… half- ……………………………chief - ……………………………… roof - ………………………… belief - ………………………………..
2. Turn the following sentences into singular: • Dogs are good friends to men. ………………………………………………………………………………………. • Fir trees grow in the mountains. ……………………………………………………………………………………….. • Women do not watch football matches. ………………………………………………………………………………………. • Children usually change their teeth when they are six years old. ………………………………………………………………………………………. • These men have got new cars. ………………………………………………………………………………………. • Those geese are right next to the horses. • ……………………………………………………………………………………….
