HOW TO FORM PLURALS
PLURAL
HOW TO FORM EXAMPLE
FORM
Form the plurals of most nouns by adding -s •book→ books •flower→ flowers
Form the plurals of most nouns that end in •radio→radios •rodeo→rodeos
vowel+o (-eo/-io etc.) by adding -s •patio→patios
-s For musical terms and words of Spanish origin •piano→pianos •solo→solos
form plurals by adding –s •taco→tacos
Form the plurals of nouns that end with –ful by •two spoonfuls •four bowlfuls
adding -s •three cupfuls
Form the plurals of nouns ending in –sh,-ch,x,-s, •brush→ brushes •box→ boxes
and –z by adding –es to the singular. •dress→ dresses •book→books
-es
For most nouns ending consonant+o add -es •tomato→ tomatoes •hero→ heroes
•potato→ potatoes •echo→ echoes
Some nouns ending –o have both –es/-s form of •volcano→ volcanos /volcanoes
-s/-es plural •zero→ zeros/zeroes
•tornado→tornados/tornadoes
When a common noun ends in a consonant+y, •sky→ skies •story→ stories
form its plural by changing -y to -i and adding •city→ cities •berry→ berries
-es
-ies •For proper nouns do not change the letters, just •The Berrys •Morgan Citys
add –s
•donkey→ donkeys •day → days
•For nouns that end in a vowel+y, add only -s
•monkey→ monkeys
Form the plurals of nouns that end in “f” or “fe”
in one of the two ways:
-fs/-ves a) If the final “f” is still heard in the plural •roof→ goofs •safe→ safes
form of the word, simply add -s •chief→ chiefs
b) If the final “f” has the sound of “v” change •scarf→ scarves •wife→ wives
the “f” to “v” and add -es •wolf → wolves •knife →knives
Irregular •Some nouns form plural using of irregular •child→ children •person→ people
Plural Forms spelling •ox→ oxen •mouse→ mice
Same A few words have the same singular and plural •deer→ deer •sheep→ sheep
Singular form •fish→ fish •buffalo→ buffalo
Plural Forms
Apostrophe The plurals of symbols, letters, numbers are •Two ?’s and two !’s •A’s
(’) in plurals formed by adding an apostrophe(’)+s • 7’s •x’s and y’s •20’s
Plurals of Some nouns that English has borrowed from other •datum→ data •criterion→ criteria
Borrowed languages have foreign plurals. •medium→ media •analysis→ analyses
Nous •bacterium→ bacteria
Compound nouns form their plural by adding -s/es:
• to the second noun if the compound consists of two nouns:
ball game - ball games
• to the noun if the compound consists of an adjective and a noun:
frying pan →frying pans
• to the first noun if the compound consists of two nouns connected by a preposition or to the
noun if the compound has only one noun.
mother-in-law →mothers-in-law,
passer-by→passers-by
• at the end of the compound if it does not include any nouns.
letdown→ letdowns
