Plurals and Possessives

1. Plurals and Possessives March 2011

2. Forming plurals of nouns • To form the plurals of most nouns, add s. • Examples: Snack = snacks • Oven = ovens • Umbrella = umbrellas

3. Forming plurals of nouns • If the word ends in s, x, z, ch, or sh…. you add es • Examples: glass = glasses • Buzz = buzzes • Fox = foxes • Bush = bushes

4. Forming plurals of nouns • Nouns that end in a consonant plus y, change the y to i and add es. • Examples: country = countries • Mummy = mummies • Berry = berries

5. Forming plurals of nouns • If a noun ends in a vowel plus y, just add s. • Examples: boy = boys • Turkey = turkeys • Holiday = holidays

6. Forming plurals of nouns • Nouns that end in a vowel plus o, add s • Examples: rodeo = rodeos • Patio = patios • Kangaroo = kangaroos

7. Forming plurals of nouns • Nouns that end in a consonant plus o, add es. • Examples: tomato = tomatoes • Echo = echoes • Veto = vetoes

8. Forming plurals of nouns • The plurals of a few nouns are formed in irregular ways. • Examples: woman = women • Mouse = mice • Foot = feet • Child = children

9. Forming plurals of nouns • Some nouns are the same in the singular and the plural • Examples: Sheep • Spacecraft • Deer • Salmon

10. Forming plurals of nouns • For some nouns ending with f or fe, add s. For others, change the f to v and add s or es • Examples: belief = beliefs • Roof = roofs • Loaf = loaves • Life = lives

11. Forming plurals of nouns A few nouns have only plural forms • Examples: scissors • Jeans • Savings • Dues A few nouns that end with s look plural but are considered singular.

12. Possessive • A possessive case of a noun or a pronoun shows ownership or possession. • To form the possessive case of a singular noun, add an apostrophe and a s. • Examples: a student’s grant • The child’s toy • Tess’s painting

13. Possessive • To form the possessive case of a plural noun that does not end in s , add an apostrophe and an s. • Examples: geese’s feathers • Children’s books • Men’s clothing

14. Possessive • To form the possessive case of a plural noun ending in s, add only the apostrophe • Examples: boxes’ lids • Beetles’ shells • Ten minutes’ time