FORMING PLURAL NOUNS

Plural nouns are generally formed by adding an "-s" to the singular noun form. The spelling rules are:

a) if the noun ends in the combination consonant-"y", change

the "y" to "ie".

b) if the noun ends in x, s, sh, ch, or a vowel, then add

an "e".

c) add an "s".

(Note: these are the same spelling rules used in forming the third person singular of the present tense)

Examples:

Singular Noun	Plural Noun
baby	babies (a-c)
toy	toys (c)
box	boxes (b-c)
dish	dishes (b-c)
boss	bosses (b-c)
beach	beaches (b-c)
book	books (c)

There are many irregular plurals, but we will study only the most common ones:

Irregular Plurals

Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
man	men	leaf	leaves
woman	women	foot	feet
child	children	tooth	teeth
person	people	mouse	mice
wife	wives	fish	fish
knife	knives	deer	deer

The demonstrative pronouns (this/that) also have irregular plural forms:

Singular	Plural
this	these
that	those

NoNonsense English
© Copyright 2001 by Eric Squire