GRAMMAR & STRUCTURE
Plurals

Definition

More than one is a plural. Plural nouns have different forms than singular nouns.

Example

Jason has one dog, and I have two cats.

Explanation

Plurals:

• have regular forms.
  
  - add "s" to a singular noun:
      telephone/telephones
      book/books
      song/songs job/jobs
  
  - add "es" to words ending in -s, -z, -x, -ch, -sh:
      gas/gases
      watch/watches
      box/boxes
      wish/wishes
  
  - change "y" to "i" and add "es" to words ending in consonant + "y":
      fly / flies
      country / countries
      copy / copies
      rally / rallies

• have irregular forms.
  
  - change some words ending in "f" to "v" and add "es":
      calf / calves
      leaf / leaves
      knife / knives
      shelf / shelves
  
  - do not change sheep and deer
  
  - add (r)en to some words:
      child / children
      ox / oxen
  
  - change some words completely:
      foot / feet
      goose / geese
      tooth / teeth
      man / men
      woman / women
      mouse / mice

Related Sections

Count and Non-Count Nouns