Plural Nouns (Phonics on the Web)

Plural Nouns

A noun is a type of word which refers to a person, place, or thing. Nouns can be conjugated in either singular or plural form. A singular noun refers to just one person, place, or thing (for example, a bat or a ship). A plural noun refers to multiple people, places, or things (for example, bats or ships).

The majority of English count nouns are regular and predictable in the spelling of the plural form¹. However, other nouns have irregular plural spellings. Both of these kinds of nouns will be covered here.

Rule #1: Add -s

Most nouns can be pluralized simply by adding an -s at the end of the word. For example:

edge/edges
girl/girls
song/songs
bag/bags
cat/cats
boy/boys
day/days

Rule #2: Add -es to nouns ending in s, z, ch, sh, and x

Nouns which end in the letters s, z, ch, sh, and x-es at the end. For example:

glass/glasses
horse/horses
buzz/buzzes
dish/dishes
box/boxes
bush/bushes
witch/witches
switch/switches

Rule #3: Nouns ending in o

For words ending in the letter o, sometimes they are pluralized by adding s, while other words must be pluralized by adding es. These words must be memorized, because there is no simple rule to explain the differences.²

Examples (es):

echo/echoes
embargo/embargoes
hero/heroes
potato/potatoes
veto/vetoes
tomato/tomatoes
torpedo/torpedoes
hero/heroes
veto/vetoes

Examples (s):

Most nouns ending in o preceded by a vowel are pluralized by simply adding s³. Some other o nouns do this, too:

auto/autos
folio/folios
cameo/cameos
portfolio/portfolios
kilo/kilos
photo/photos
zoo/zoos
memo/memos
solo/solos
soprano/sopranos
studio/studios
pimento/pimentos
tattoo/tattoos
video/videos
piano/pianos
pro/pros
kangaroo/kangaroos

Rule #4: Nouns Ending in a consonant Y

For nouns ending in the letter y, replace the ending y with ies. For example:

baby/babies
story/stories
poppy/poppies
baby/babies
daisy/daisies
spy/spies
lady/ladies

Note that for words ending in y preceeded by a vowel (a complex vowel sound), an s is simply added, as usual. For example:

day/days
toy/toys
essay/essays
turkey/turkeys
chimney/chimneys
play/plays
joy/joys
valley/valleys
alley/alleys
volley/volleys

(Irregular) Some nouns Ending in -F or -FE

For some nouns ending in f or fe, replace the ending f or fe with ves:

calf/calves
elf/elves
half/halves
hoof/hooves
leaf/leaves
life/lives
loaf/loaves
scarf/scarves
self/selves
sheaf/sheaves
wolf/wolves
shelf/shelves
thief/thieves
knife/knives
wife/wives

(Irregular) Some nouns change the vowel sound in becoming plural:

fireman/firemen
foot/feet
goose/geese
louse/lice
man/men
mouse/mice
tooth/teeth
woman/women

(Irregular) Some Old English plurals are still in use:

child/children
ox/oxen

Nouns adopted from other languages⁴

Singular ends in -IS

For nouns in which the singular form ends in is, the plural form will end in es. For example:

hypothesis/hypotheses
diagnosis/diagnoses
ellipsis/ellipses
analysis/analyses
basis/bases
crisis/crises
thesis/theses
oasis/oases
synthesis/syntheses
synopsis/synopses
emphasis/emphases
neurosis/neuroses
paralysis/paralyses
parenthesis/parentheses

Singular ends in -UM

Plural ends in a:

bacterium/bacteria
datum/data
curriculum/curricula
medium/media
memorandum/memoranda
ovum/ova
symposium/symposia
erratum/errata
addendum/addenda
stratum/strata

Singular ends in -ON

Plural ends in -a

criterion/criteria
phenomenon/phenomena
automaton/automata

Singular ends in -A

Plural ends in -ae

alga/algae
amoeba/amoebae
larva/larvae
formula/formulae
antenna/antannae
nebula/nebulae
vertebra/vertebrae
vita/vitae

Singular ends in -ex or -ix

Plural ends in -ices:

appendix/appendices
index/indeces
matrix/matrices
vertex/vertices
vortex/vortices
apex/apices
cervix/cervices
axis/axes

Singular ends in -us

Plural ends in -i:

alumnus/alumni
bacillus/bacilli
cactus/cacti
focus/foci
stimulus/stimuli
focus/foci
octopus/octopi
radius/radii
stimulus/stimuli
terminus/termini

Singular ends in -us:

Plural ends in -a:

corpus/corpora
genus/genera

Singular ends in -eau

Plural ends in -eaux:

bureau/bureaux
beau/beaux
portmanteau/portmanteaux
tableau/tableaux

Other irregular plurals, retained from different languages:

Italian

libretto/libretti
tempo/tempi
virtuoso/virtuosi

Hebrew

cherub/cherubim
seraph/seraphim

Greek

schema/schemata

Other Irregular Plurals

man/men
woman/women
fungus/fungi
species/species
medium/media
person/people
foot/feet
tooth/teeth
goose/geese
mouse/mice
louse/lice
child/children
penny/pence
ox/oxen

Possessive Plurals

For plural nouns ending in the letter s, add only the apostrophe. For example:

The Johnsons' farm
Singers' voices
The thieves' guild

For plural nouns not ending in the letter s, add an apostrophe and s. For example:

Women's soccer
Children's books

Words Which are Always Plural or Always Singular

Some nouns are always plural or always singular. Some other nouns have the same form for singular and plural.⁵

Some nouns are always plural (things that come in pairs):

pants
clothes
binoculars
jeans
forceps
trousers
tongs
shorts
tweezers
people
pajamas
police
shorts
glasses
scissors
mathematics

Aggregate Nouns

Some nouns end in -s but have no singular (these are called aggregate nouns). These are traditionally plural, but are also used for singular forms:

accomodations
bread
amends
tea
archives
cheese
bowels
jam
communications
soup
congratulations
soap
contents
snow
stairs
cotton
wood
thanks
water
goods
information
advice
knowledge
furniture
news
means
series
species
barracks
crossroads
gallows
headquarters

Nouns with the same form

Some nouns have the same form for singular and plural, such as fish and animals. (Note that not all fish have the irregular plural form, though--e.g., one shark becomes two sharks)

salmon
trout
deer
sheep
swine
offspring

¹ Griselda, 2007
² Crump, 1997
³ Schmitt, 2004
⁴ Byrd, 2007
⁵ Janssens, 2004

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Theory The Alphabet Letter Sounds Consonants Short Vowels Long Vowels Vowel Combinations Digraphs Blends Diphthongs Complex Vowel Sounds R-Controlled Vowels Irregular Vowels Forming Words Prefixes and Suffixes Compound Words Syllable Rules Accent Rules Sight Words Spelling With C and G Y as a Consonant and a Vowel Diacritical Marks Plurals About this Site Dyslexia Glossary Phonics Programs	Phonics on the Web Plural Nouns
	A noun is a type of word which refers to a person, place, or thing. Nouns can be conjugated in either singular or plural form. A singular noun refers to just one person, place, or thing (for example, a bat or a ship). A plural noun refers to multiple people, places, or things (for example, bats or ships). The majority of English count nouns are regular and predictable in the spelling of the plural form¹. However, other nouns have irregular plural spellings. Both of these kinds of nouns will be covered here. Rule #1: Add -s Most nouns can be pluralized simply by adding an -s at the end of the word. For example: edge/edges girl/girls song/songs bag/bags cat/cats boy/boys day/days Rule #2: Add -es to nouns ending in s, z, ch, sh, and x Nouns which end in the letters s, z, ch, sh, and x-es at the end. For example: glass/glasses horse/horses buzz/buzzes dish/dishes box/boxes bush/bushes witch/witches switch/switches Rule #3: Nouns ending in o For words ending in the letter o, sometimes they are pluralized by adding s, while other words must be pluralized by adding es. These words must be memorized, because there is no simple rule to explain the differences.² Examples (es): echo/echoes embargo/embargoes hero/heroes potato/potatoes veto/vetoes tomato/tomatoes torpedo/torpedoes hero/heroes veto/vetoes Examples (s): Most nouns ending in o preceded by a vowel are pluralized by simply adding s³. Some other o nouns do this, too: auto/autos folio/folios cameo/cameos portfolio/portfolios kilo/kilos photo/photos zoo/zoos memo/memos solo/solos soprano/sopranos studio/studios pimento/pimentos tattoo/tattoos video/videos piano/pianos pro/pros kangaroo/kangaroos Rule #4: Nouns Ending in a consonant Y For nouns ending in the letter y, replace the ending y with ies. For example: baby/babies story/stories poppy/poppies baby/babies daisy/daisies spy/spies lady/ladies Note that for words ending in y preceeded by a vowel (a complex vowel sound), an s is simply added, as usual. For example: day/days toy/toys essay/essays turkey/turkeys chimney/chimneys play/plays joy/joys valley/valleys alley/alleys volley/volleys (Irregular) Some nouns Ending in -F or -FE For some nouns ending in f or fe, replace the ending f or fe with ves: calf/calves elf/elves half/halves hoof/hooves leaf/leaves life/lives loaf/loaves scarf/scarves self/selves sheaf/sheaves wolf/wolves shelf/shelves thief/thieves knife/knives wife/wives (Irregular) Some nouns change the vowel sound in becoming plural: fireman/firemen foot/feet goose/geese louse/lice man/men mouse/mice tooth/teeth woman/women (Irregular) Some Old English plurals are still in use: child/children ox/oxen Nouns adopted from other languages⁴ Singular ends in -IS For nouns in which the singular form ends in is, the plural form will end in es. For example: hypothesis/hypotheses diagnosis/diagnoses ellipsis/ellipses analysis/analyses basis/bases crisis/crises thesis/theses oasis/oases synthesis/syntheses synopsis/synopses emphasis/emphases neurosis/neuroses paralysis/paralyses parenthesis/parentheses Singular ends in -UM Plural ends in a: bacterium/bacteria datum/data curriculum/curricula medium/media memorandum/memoranda ovum/ova symposium/symposia erratum/errata addendum/addenda stratum/strata Singular ends in -ON Plural ends in -a criterion/criteria phenomenon/phenomena automaton/automata Singular ends in -A Plural ends in -ae alga/algae amoeba/amoebae larva/larvae formula/formulae antenna/antannae nebula/nebulae vertebra/vertebrae vita/vitae Singular ends in -ex or -ix Plural ends in -ices: appendix/appendices index/indeces matrix/matrices vertex/vertices vortex/vortices apex/apices cervix/cervices axis/axes Singular ends in -us Plural ends in -i: alumnus/alumni bacillus/bacilli cactus/cacti focus/foci stimulus/stimuli focus/foci octopus/octopi radius/radii stimulus/stimuli terminus/termini Singular ends in -us: Plural ends in -a: corpus/corpora genus/genera Singular ends in -eau Plural ends in -eaux: bureau/bureaux beau/beaux portmanteau/portmanteaux tableau/tableaux Other irregular plurals, retained from different languages: Italian libretto/libretti tempo/tempi virtuoso/virtuosi Hebrew cherub/cherubim seraph/seraphim Greek schema/schemata Other Irregular Plurals man/men woman/women fungus/fungi species/species medium/media person/people foot/feet tooth/teeth goose/geese mouse/mice louse/lice child/children penny/pence ox/oxen Possessive Plurals For plural nouns ending in the letter s, add only the apostrophe. For example: The Johnsons' farm Singers' voices The thieves' guild For plural nouns not ending in the letter s, add an apostrophe and s. For example: Women's soccer Children's books Words Which are Always Plural or Always Singular Some nouns are always plural or always singular. Some other nouns have the same form for singular and plural.⁵ Some nouns are always plural (things that come in pairs): pants clothes binoculars jeans forceps trousers tongs shorts tweezers people pajamas police shorts glasses scissors mathematics Aggregate Nouns Some nouns end in -s but have no singular (these are called aggregate nouns). These are traditionally plural, but are also used for singular forms: accomodations bread amends tea archives cheese bowels jam communications soup congratulations soap contents snow stairs cotton wood thanks water goods information advice knowledge furniture news means series species barracks crossroads gallows headquarters Nouns with the same form Some nouns have the same form for singular and plural, such as fish and animals. (Note that not all fish have the irregular plural form, though--e.g., one shark becomes two sharks) salmon trout deer sheep swine offspring ¹ Griselda, 2007 ² Crump, 1997 ³ Schmitt, 2004 ⁴ Byrd, 2007 ⁵ Janssens, 2004
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