English Grammar: Plural Forms

Plural Forms

• Most nouns become plural by adding -s to the singular form:
  • cat → cats
  • dog → dogs
• Nouns that end in -o, -is, -ch, or -sh add -es to form the plural:
  • photo → photos
  • crisis → crises
  • stomach → stomachs
  • fish → fishes
• Nouns that end in a consonant + y change the y to i and add -es:
  • city → cities
  • baby → babies

Irregular Plurals

• Some nouns have the same form for both singular and plural:
  • deer → deer
  • series → series
• Some nouns change their internal vowels or consonants to form the plural:
  • man → men
  • tooth → teeth
  • foot → feet
  • mouse → mice
• Some nouns have unique plural forms:
  • person → people
  • ox → oxen

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

• Countable nouns can be counted and have a plural form:
  • book (one book, two books)
• Uncountable nouns cannot be counted and do not have a plural form:
  • water (not "two waters")
• Some nouns can be both countable and uncountable, depending on the context:
  • hair (one hair, two hairs) vs. hair (a head of hair)

Nouns with the Same Form

• Some nouns have the same form for both singular and plural:
  • deer
  • series
  • species
  • scissors
• These nouns are often used with plural verbs, even when referring to a single entity:
  • The scissors are on the table.

Forming Plural Nouns

• Most nouns become plural by adding -s to the singular form.
• Nouns that end in -o, -is, -ch, or -sh add -es to form the plural.
• Nouns that end in a consonant + y change the y to i and add -es.

Irregular Plurals

• Some nouns have the same form for both singular and plural.
• Some nouns change their internal vowels or consonants to form the plural.
• Some nouns have unique plural forms.

Types of Nouns

• Countable nouns: can be counted and have a plural form.
• Uncountable nouns: cannot be counted and do not have a plural form.
• Some nouns can be both countable and uncountable, depending on the context.

Nouns with the Same Form

• Some nouns have the same form for both singular and plural.
• These nouns are often used with plural verbs, even when referring to a single entity.

Irregular Plurals

• Deer, sheep, and fish have the same form for both singular and plural.
• Man becomes men, woman becomes women, foot becomes feet, and tooth becomes teeth.

Plural Forms

• Most nouns form their plural by adding -s.
• Nouns that end in -s, -ss, -sh, -ch, or -x add -es.
• Nouns that end in a consonant + y change the y to -ies.

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

• Countable nouns can be counted and have a plural form.
• Examples of countable nouns: book, car, pen.
• Uncountable nouns cannot be counted and do not have a plural form.
• Examples of uncountable nouns: water, air, music.
• Some nouns can be both countable and uncountable, depending on the context.
• Examples of nouns that can be both countable and uncountable: hair, paper.

Plural Forms

Regular Plurals

• Most nouns become plural by adding -s to the singular form
• Examples: cat → cats, dog → dogs, house → houses

Irregular Plurals

• Some nouns change their form entirely to form the plural
• Examples: person → people, tooth → teeth, foot → feet

Nouns that Remain the Same

• Some nouns have the same form for both singular and plural
• Examples: deer → deer, fish → fish, series → series

Nouns that Change Vowel or Add -en

• Some nouns change their internal vowel or add -en to form the plural
• Examples: man → men, woman → women, ox → oxen

Nouns that Add -ves

• Some nouns add -ves to form the plural
• Examples: life → lives, knife → knives, calf → calves