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Plurals

Definition

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

Example

Jason has one scanner, and I have two printers.

Explanation

Plurals —

• have regular forms:
  • Add “s” to a singular noun.
    telephone to telephones, book to books, file to files, job to jobs
  • Add “es” to words ending in “-s”, “-z”, “-x”, “-ch”, “-sh”.
    fax to faxes, digital watch to digital watches, hoax to hoaxes, satellite dish to satellite dishes
  • Change “y” to “i” and add “es” to words ending in consonant + “y”.
    technology to technologies, IT security to IT securities, copy to copies, floppy to floppies
• have irregular forms:
  • Change some words ending in “f” to “v” and add “es”.
    identity thief to identity thieves, bookshelf to bookshelves
  • Do not change some words.
    spam, deer, sheep
  • Add (r)en to some words.
    child to children
  • Change some words completely.
    foot to feet, man to men, woman to women, mouse to mice