THE PLURALS: RULES OF FORMATION Singular ['sɪŋgjələ] form of a noun - means only one thing or person Plural ['plʊərəl] form – means two or more # Rule To make plural we usually add –s to the singular form Add –es to words ending in –s, -ss, –ch, -sh, -x or –z to make the plural Examples A book – books A house – houses banana – bananas One bus - many buses a dress - dresses watch - watches a bush - bushes a box - boxes a quiz – quizzes 3.1 If a noun ends in consonant+y, change –y into –i and add –es One baby - two babies 3.2 When words end in a vowel before –y, add an –s to make the plural a toy - toys When words end in –f/-fe, change the –f/-fe to a ‘v’ before adding –es If a noun ends in an –o, add –es to form the plural Irregular plurals: 6.1 There are some nouns that not take –s or –es They form their plurals differently 6.2 Some nouns have the same singular and plural form 6.3 Some nouns that English has borrowed from other languages have foreign plurals one leaf – leaves a wife - wives a cliff – cliffs a chief – chiefs a chef – chefs a roof – roofs a giraffe – giraffes a handkerchief – handkerchiefs a tomato - some tomatoes a potato – three potatoes a piano – pianos a radio – radios a photo – photos a video – videos a kilo – kilos a zoo – zoos a kangaroo kangaroos foot feet tooth teeth 1goose geese man 2men woman women child children person people mouse – mice a fish – many fish a sheep – sheep a deer – some deer a criterion – criteria a phenomenon – phenomena a datum – data Note: Adjectives not change in English! Compare: a strong boy strong boys It’s your turn! Exceptions Exercise 1: Write the plural forms of the nouns: A sofa - A sheep - A trip - An actor - _ A play - _ A mouse - _ 10 11 12 Exercise Write the plural forms of the nouns: A class - A scarf - An old photo - A grey goose - A big city - _ A happy child - _ A tornado - _ A roof - A match - 10 A monkey - 11 A tie - _ 12 A factory - _ 13 A sharp knife - _ 14 A tooth - _ 15 A fish - 16 A dish - A A A A A A company - life - woman - church - hero - chef - _