One or more than one?
A singular noun means one (a book). A plural noun means more than one (books). Most plurals add -s, but there are spelling rules and some irregular plurals you need to learn.
| Rule | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Most nouns: add -s | book, car, day | books, cars, days |
| Ends in s, x, z, ch, sh: add -es | bus, box, watch, dish | buses, boxes, watches, dishes |
| Consonant + y → -ies | city, baby, country | cities, babies, countries |
| Vowel + y: add -s | boy, key, day | boys, keys, days |
| Ends in f / fe → -ves | knife, leaf, wife | knives, leaves, wives |
| Ends in consonant + o: often -es | tomato, potato, hero | tomatoes, potatoes, heroes |
Irregular plurals
- mouse → miceinside change
- child → childrenspecial ending
- trousersalways plural
- sheep → sheepsame form
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Vowel change | man → men, woman → women, foot → feet, tooth → teeth, goose → geese, mouse → mice |
| Special endings | child → children, person → people |
| Same form | sheep, fish, deer, series, species |
| Only plural | trousers, jeans, scissors, glasses, clothes, police |
Lots of examples
- I have two brothers and three sisters.Regular -s.
- She bought three boxes and five watches.-es after x and ch.
- There are many beautiful cities in Italy.y → ies.
- The boys are playing outside.Vowel + y.
- Be careful with those knives.f/fe → ves.
- I need three tomatoes and two potatoes.o → oes.
- Two children are playing with six mice.Irregular.
- Those men and women work in a hospital.Irregular.
- My feet hurt, and I have a pain in my teeth.Irregular.
- We saw a few sheep and some fish.Same form.
- Where are my glasses? I can’t find my scissors.Only plural.
- People are kind here, and the police are helpful.Plural meaning.
Don’t say / Say
Don’t saytwo childs
Saytwo childrenWhy: Child is irregular.
Don’t saymany peoples
Saymany peopleWhy: People is already plural.
Don’t saythree mans
Saythree menWhy: Irregular plural.
Don’t sayThe news are good.
SayThe news is good.Why: News is singular.
Don’t saya trousers
Saya pair of trousersWhy: Trousers is always plural.