rules for making plurals
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Rules for Making PluralsTRANSCRIPT
“Rules for Making Plurals”
Singular vs. Plural
A singular noun names one person, place, thing, or idea.• One cat, one store, one itemA plural noun names two or more persons, places, things, or ideas.• Two cats, four stores, fifteen items
Rule # 1 Add an (s) to form the plural of most of words.
Examples: book – books bug – bugs
friend- friends tutor – tutors flower - flowers
Rule # 2For words that end in (s, z, x, ch, sh, ss) add (es) to
form the plural.
Examples: quiz - quizzes box - boxes
church –churches bush – bushes class – classes
Rule # 3If the word ends in a vowel + (y) [ay, ey, iy, oy, uy] add an (s) to the word.
Examples: tray – trays key – keys
stay – stays toy - toys
Rule # 4If the word ends in a consonant + (y) change the (y)
into (i) and add (es) to form the plural.
Examples: enemy – enemies cherry – cherries
baby – babies party – parties dictionary - dictionaries
Rule # 5For words that end in (f), drop the (f) change it to (v) &
add (es) for the plural. For words that end in (fe), change the (f) to (v) & ad (es) to form the plural.
Examples: wolf - wolves wife - wives knife – knives
self – selves
Rule # 6For nouns that end in a consonant + (o) add (es) to make
the noun plural.
Examples: tomato – tomatoes hero - heroes
potato – potatoes volcano - volcanoes
Irregular Plurals I. Some nouns change spelling in the plurals.
SingularSingular PluralPluralchildchild childrenchildrenmanman menmen
womanwoman womenwomenfootfoot feetfeet
mousemouse micemicepersonperson peoplepeoplegoosegoose geesegeese
Irregular PluralsII. Some nouns do not change in plural.
one deer – two deer
one sheep – three sheep
one fish – four fish
Irregular Plurals c. Some nouns are always plural.
- scissors - pajamas
- eyeglasses
- shorts - clothes
- plants
9. A few nouns that end with s look plural but are considered singular.
Singularmeasles
newseconomics
dues
Compound Nouns10. For most compound nouns, make the most
important word plural.
• For a compound noun written as one word, make the last part plural.
• For a compound noun written with hyphens or as separate words, make the key word plural.
Singular Pluralbillboard billboards
cupful cupfulscampground campgrounds
maid of honor maids of honor
step-brother step-brothersGreat-grandma Great-grandmas
One word compound nouns
Hyphenated compound nouns
Separate words
11. Letters, numbers, symbols, and words used as words are made plural by adding an apostrophe (‘) and s.
Singular Plural# #’sA A’s25 25’sand and’s& &’s
ABC & 123 ABC’s & 123’s