5.1.12 - Singular and Plural

REGULAR NOUNS

Most singular nouns form the plural by adding –s.

Singular Plural boat boats house houses cat cats river rivers

A singular noun ending in s, x, z, ch, sh makes the plural by adding –es.

Singular Plural bus buses wish wishes pitch pitches box boxes

sinplu

A singular noun ending in a consonant and then y makes the plural by dropping the y and adding –ies.

Singular Plural penny pennies spy spies baby babies city cities daisy daisies

sinplu

IRREGULAR NOUNS

There are some irregular noun plurals. The most common ones are listed below.

Singular Plural woman women man men child children tooth teeth foot feet person people leaf leaves

sinplu

Singular Plural mouse mice goose geese half halves knife knives wife wives life lives elf elves loaf loaves potato potatoes tomato tomatoes cactus cacti focus foci fungus fungi nucleus nuclei syllabus syllabi / syllabuses analysis analyses diagnosis diagnoses oasis oases thesis theses crisis crises phenomenon phenomena criterion criteria datum data

sinplu

Some nouns have the same form in the singular and the plural.

Singular Plural sheep sheep fish fish deer deer species species aircraft aircraft

sinplu

IRREGULAR VERB / NOUN AGREEMENT

Some nouns have a plural form but take a singular verb.

Plural nouns used with a singular verb Sentence news The news is at 6.30 p.m. athletics Athletics is good for young people. linguistics Linguistics is the study of language. darts Darts is a popular game in England. billiards Billiards is played all over the world.

sinplu

Some nouns have a fixed plural form and take a plural verb.

Plural noun with plural verb Sentence trousers My trousers are too tight. jeans Her jeans are black. glasses Those glasses are his.

sinplu