Rule: The basic rule is that the ending -s or -es is added to the singular form:
boat-boats /boat-boats/, drink-drinks /drink-drinks/,
book-books /book-books/, ball-balls /ball-balls/; According to the rule tomato-tomatoes, /tomato-tomatoes/, photo-photos /photo-photos/, hero-heroes /hero-heroes/, kangaroo-kangaroos /kangaroo-kangaroos/ piano-pianos /piano-pianos/, veto-vetoes /veto-vetoes/
Nouns ending in -o take the ending -s, or -es: mosquito-mosquitos/mosquitoes
/mosquito-mosquitoes/, tornado-tornadoes/tornadoes /tornado-tornadoes/,halo-halos/haloes
/halo-halos/, zero-zeros/zeroes /zero-zeroes/
When the noun ends in -y after a consonant, before the ending -s, -y transforms into -ie: city-cities /city-cities/, body-bodies /body-bodies/,spy-spies /spy-spies/, boy-boys /boy-boys/
poppy-poppies /poppy-poppies/, bay-bays /bay-bays/
When the noun ends in -f/-fe in the plural this ending transforms into –ves: leaf-leaves /leaf-leaves/, half-halves /half-halves/, knife-knives /knife-knives/, loaf-loaves /loaf-loaves/,elf-elves /elf-elves/, thief-thieves /thief-thieves/
When the singular form ends in -s, -ze, -ge, -sh, -ch, -x, the plural ending is -es. If the singular form is written with -e at the end, the plural ending is only -s: dish-dishes /dish-dishes/, garage-garages /garage-garages/, kiss-kisses /kiss-kisses/, fox-foxes /fox-foxes/, edge-edges /edge-edges/, prize-prizes /prize-prizes/, patch-patches /patch-patches/
Irregular Plural Forms
1. The nouns man-men /man-men/, woman-women
/woman-women/, child-children /child-children/, tooth-teeth /tooth-teeth/, mouse-mice /mouse-mice/, goose-geese /goose-geese/, foot-feet /foot-feet/, have an irregular plural form.
2. Nouns of foreign origin, mainly Latin or Greek, ending in:
a) -a change the ending to -ae in the plural.
alga-algae, /alga-algae/ larva-larvae /larva-larvae/, formula-formulae/formulas /formula-formulae/
b) -us change the ending to –i
cactus-cacti /cactus-cacti/, focus-foci /focus-foci/, octopus-octopi/octopuses /octopus-octopi/, syllabus-syllabi/syllabuses /syllabus-syllabi/
But: genus-genera /genus-genera (biol.)
c) –um change the ending to -a
bacterium-bacteria /bacterium-bacteria/, stratum-strata
/stratum-strata/, memorandum-memoranda/memorandums
/memorandum-memoranda/, symposium-symposia/symposiums /symposium-symposia/
d) –is change the ending to –es:
analysis-analyses /analysis-analyses/, diagnosis-diagnoses
/diagnosis-diagnoses/, oasis-oases /oasis-oases/, crisis-crises
/crisis-crises/
e) -on change the ending to -a:
phenomenon-phenomena /phenomenon-phenomena/, criterion-criteria /criterion-criteria/
f) -ex, -ix change the ending to -ices or add -es:
matrix-matrices/matrixes /matrix-matrices/
index-indices/indexes /index-indices/
apex-apices/apexes /apex-apices/
g) nouns of Italian origin, referring to music, change the ending from -o to -i
virtuoso-virtuosi /virtuoso-virtuosi/, concerto-concerti
/concerto-concerti/
Compound Nouns
These are nouns formed from two or more words, but naming one concept. They are written as one word, with a hyphen, or separately. schoolgirl-schoolgirls
/schoolgirl-schoolgirls/, seaman-seamen /seaman-seamen/, bus driver-bus drivers /bus driver-bus drivers/ In these nouns the first part defines the second. In the plural only the second changes form (from singular to plural) editor-in-chief /editors-in-chief /editor-in-chief-editors-in-chief/, sister-in-law/sisters-in-law /sister-in-law-sisters-in-law/ In these nouns the second part defines the first. In the plural only the first part changes form (from singular to plural) manservant-menservents /manservant-menservants/, woman teacher-women-teachers /woman teacher-women teachers/ When the first part of a compound noun is man/woman, in the plural both parts change from singular to plural. bystander-bystanders /(accidental) witness-witnesses/, onlooker-onlookers
/onlooker-onlookers/, going-over – goings-over /going-over-goings-over/, hold-up – holds-up
/hold-up-hold-ups/
When the first part of a compound noun is a preposition only the second part takes the plural ending. When the second part of a compound noun is a preposition, the first part takes the plural ending. Some nouns /for multitude/ are used only in their singular form, but take a verb in the plural (a), while others do not change their form in the plural, but can be used with a verb in singular or plural /b/:
a) people
1. There were a lot of people in the streets. /There were many people in the streets./
b) sheep /sheep-sheep/, species /species-species/, series /series-series/, crossroads
/crossroads-crossroads/, deer /deer-deer/, bison
/bison-bison/ fish /fish-fish/, salmon /salmon-salmon/, aircraft /aircraft-aircraft/
1. A sheep was grazing in the yard. /A sheep was grazing in the yard./
2. Sheep were grazing in the field. /Sheep were grazing in the field./
Some nouns are used only in the plural form and take a verb in the plural. This group includes names of all types of trousers:
pants /pants/ jeans /jeans/, trousers /trousers/, glasses /glasses/, pajamas /pajamas/, tights /tights/, a pair of tights /a pair of tights/
Such words are also: savings /savings/, stairs /stairs/, scissors /scissors/, customs /customs/, the tropics /the tropics/, wages /wages/, spectacles /spectacles/, outskirts /outskirts/, goods /goods/ Some nouns have only plural form, but take a verb in the singular.
1. The news is on at 7.30 p.m. /The news is on at 7.30 p.m./
2. Linguistics is the study of language. /Linguistics is the study of language./
3. Darts is a popular game in England. /Darts is a popular game in England./
4. Billiards is played all over the world. /Billiards is played all over the world./
Collective nouns, which name a group or class /most often of people/ as one community, do not have a plural and are used with a verb in the singular :
jury /jury/, committee /committee/, audience /audience/ army /army/, police /police/, crowd
/crowd/
Also: herd /herd/, money /money/
teacher veselina