AN INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH GRAMMAR & LANGUAGE
Rule 3 : If there are double vowels to the end of a
NUMBER noun, put only —s to the end of that noun for plural.
Singular Plural Singular Plural
There are two kinds of Number :
Radio Radios Ratio Ratios
(a) Singular, (b) Plural
Studio Studios Portfolio Portfolios
A noun that denotes one person or thing is said to be
in the Singular Number. Cuckoo Cuckoos Bamboo Bamboos
For example, Rule 4 : If –y is the last letter of a noun and that –y is
Boy, girl, man, bird, tree, book, pen, baby, sweater preceded by a consonant, then change –y into –ies for the
etc. plural forms.
A noun that denotes more than one person or thing is Singular Plural Singular Plural
said to be in the Plural Number. Spy Spies Baby Babies
For example, History Histories Lady Ladies
Boys, girls, men, birds, trees, books, pens, babies, Fly Flies Sky Skies
sweaters etc.
Story Stories City Cities
How Plural is formed
Army Armies Pony Ponies
Generally, the Plurals of nouns are formed by adding
‘s ‘to the singular form. Rule 5 : If there are double vowels to the end of a
For example, noun, put only —s to the end of that noun for plural.
Boy—boys Girl—girls Singular Plural Singular Plural
Bird—birds Cow—cows Lay Lays Bay Bays
Ship—ships Desk—desks Ray Rays Prey Preys
Pencil—pencils Book—books Key Keys Storey Storeys
Cassette—cassettes Film—films Tray Trays Day Days
But, there are some rules of changing singular nouns Clay Clays Play Plays
into plural ones. Rule 5 : If —f or —fe are the last letters of a noun,
Rule 1 : If —s, —ss, —sh, —ch, —x and —z are the last then change —f or —fe into —ves.
letters of noun, put —es to the end to make them plural.
Singular Plural Singular Plural
Singular Plural Singular Plural
Knife Knives Life Lives
Class Classes Mass Masses
Wife Wives Thief Thieves
Kiss Kisses Toss Tosses
Miss Misses Bus Buses Leaf Leaves Loaf Loaves
Brush Brushes Dish Dishes Calf Calves Handkerchief Handkerchieves
Bush Bushes Watch Watches Wolf Wolves Shelf Shelves
Bench Benches Match Matches Self Selves
Branch Branches Tax Taxes Yet, there are some exceptions to this rule, such as :
Box Boxes Topaz Topazes Singular Plural Singular Plural
But, in case of Stomach (Pronounced as Stomak), Mon- Proof Proofs Roof Roofs
arch (Pronounced as Monark) only —s is needed at their Chief Chiefs Reef Reefs
end to make them plural.
Gulf Gulfs Belief Beliefs
Stomach Stomachs
Monarch Monarchs Grief Griefs Brief Briefs
Rule 2 : If there is —O in the end of a noun, put —es Serf Serfs Dwarf Dwarfs
to the end for plural. Hoof Hoofs Strife Strifes
Singular Plural Singular Plural Rule 6 : It is found that a few nouns form their plural
Hero Heroes Zero Zeroes by changing the inside vowel of the singular form.
Volcano Volcanoes Mango Mangoes Singular Plural Singular Plural
Mosquito Mosquitoes Echo Echoes Man Men Woman Women
Potato Potatoes Buffalo Buffaloes Tooth Teeth Goose Geese
Negro Negroes Cargo Cargoes Mouse Mice Louse Lice
Bingo Bingoes Foot Feet
There are some exceptions where only —s is needed
Rule 7 : There are a few nouns that form their plural
for a plural one in —o ending nouns.
by adding —en to the singular.
Singular Plural Singular Plural
Singular Plural Singular Plural
Photo Photos Piano Pianos
Ox Oxen Child Children
Dynamo Dynamos Canto Cantos
Rule 8 : There are some nouns which have their sin-
Quarto Quartos Momento Momentos
gular and plural forms alike.
Solo Solos Stereo Stereos
SEE–19