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Questions and Answers
A student is describing a group of items. Which of the following descriptions necessitates the use of a plural noun?
A student is describing a group of items. Which of the following descriptions necessitates the use of a plural noun?
- One tall building standing downtown.
- Several vibrant flowers blooming in the garden. (correct)
- The lone star shining brightly at night.
- A single, fluffy cloud drifting across the sky.
To form the plural of most regular nouns in English, which suffix is typically added to the singular form?
To form the plural of most regular nouns in English, which suffix is typically added to the singular form?
- -ed
- -s (correct)
- -ing
- -ly
Consider the words 'bus,' 'dish,' and 'wish.' While they follow a variation of the standard plural rule, what is the primary reason these nouns require '-es' instead of just '-s' to become plural?
Consider the words 'bus,' 'dish,' and 'wish.' While they follow a variation of the standard plural rule, what is the primary reason these nouns require '-es' instead of just '-s' to become plural?
- They are irregular nouns with unique pluralization rules.
- They are derived from Latin.
- They are compound nouns requiring a different plural form.
- Their singular forms end in sibilant sounds. (correct)
When the plural suffix '-s' is added to nouns ending in a voiced sound, like 'dog' or 'pen,' how is the '-s' typically pronounced at the end of the plural form?
When the plural suffix '-s' is added to nouns ending in a voiced sound, like 'dog' or 'pen,' how is the '-s' typically pronounced at the end of the plural form?
Languages like Japanese and Korean often handle plurality differently from English. Which of the following best describes how plurality is typically indicated in these languages compared to English?
Languages like Japanese and Korean often handle plurality differently from English. Which of the following best describes how plurality is typically indicated in these languages compared to English?
Flashcards
Plural Noun
Plural Noun
A noun that refers to more than one person, place, or thing.
Languages Without Plural Nouns
Languages Without Plural Nouns
Languages that may lack explicit plural forms, using context instead.
Regular Plural Rule
Regular Plural Rule
Adding -S to the end of the word.
Regular Nouns
Regular Nouns
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Voiced Letter Plural Sound
Voiced Letter Plural Sound
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Study Notes
- A noun refers to a person, place, or thing.
- If a noun refers to only one, it is singular.
- If a noun refers to two or more, it is plural.
- Some languages, like Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, do not always have plural nouns and use context clues instead.
Plural Rules
- English words never become plural by adding letters at the start of the word.
- Plural rules depend on a word's spelling, pronunciation, and etymology.
- Sometimes, making a word plural involves adding one letter; other times, the word changes dramatically.
Regular Nouns
- Regular nouns become plural by adding an -S.
- Examples include cats, dolphins, colleges, telephones, photographs, mountains, jackets, trains, bowls, and farms.
- Words ending with a voiced letter (N, L, B, R) have a plural S that sounds like a Z.
- Words ending with a voiceless letter (T, H, K, P) have a plural S that sounds like an S.
Different Endings
- Some words take an -ES, usually when a word ends in -CH, -SH, -X, or -S.
- Examples include boxes, bushes, watches, glasses, and buses.
- Some words that end in a vowel like -O will also take an -ES ending, like mosquitoes or tomatoes.
- Change a -Y ending to -IES, typically changing only when the -Y is preceded by a consonant.
- City becomes cities and baby becomes babies; tray becomes trays and monkey becomes monkeys.
- Words ending in -F or -FE change the F to a V and add an -ES ending.
- Examples include shelf becoming shelves, dwarf becoming dwarves, and wife becoming wives.
Irregular Nouns
- Some nouns are the same in both singular and plural, like deer and fish.
- Others have irregular spellings.
- Examples include child becoming children, woman becoming women, foot becoming feet, person becoming people, and mouse becoming mice.
Controversial Nouns
- Some words have multiple accepted plurals, particularly words from Latin or Greek.
- Flamingo has flamingos or flamingoes and volcano has volcanos or volcanoes.
- Millennium has millennia or millenniums and cactus has cacti or cactuses.
- Vortex has vortices or vortexes.
Octopus
- The plural is most controversial.
- The options are ''octopuses,'' ''octopi,'' and ''octopodes.''
- All have some merit and are used to varying degrees.
- The word has a Greek origin.
Examples
- I used to have two cats and three mice, but now I have one cat and one mouse.
- There are many types of cacti that grow in the desert.
- My wife helped me put up these shelves.
- There is an eyelash on your glasses.
Contact with Other Languages
- English has a long history of contact with other languages.
- Words borrowed from other languages sometimes take regular English plurals.
- Other times they follow the patterns of their own languages.
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Description
Learn the rules for forming plural nouns in English, including regular nouns and words with different endings. Explore how spelling, pronunciation, and etymology affect pluralization. Understand exceptions in languages like Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.
