UNIVERSIDAD METROPOLITANA VICERRECTORÍA ASOCIADA DE DESARROLLO Y RETENCIÓN
Programa de Tutorías
Rules for Making Plurals
Rule # 1 • Add an (s) to form the plural of most of words. • Examples: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
book – books bug – bugs friend- friends tutor – tutors flower - flowers
Rule # 2 • For words that end in (s, z, x, ch, sh, ss), add (es) to form the plural.
• Examples: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
quiz - quizzes box – boxes church –churches bush – bushes class – classes
Rule # 3 • If the word ends in a vowel + (y) [ay, ey, iy, oy, uy], add an (s) to the word. • Examples: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
tray – trays key – keys stay – stays toy - toys buy – buys
Rule # 4 • If the word ends in a consonant + (y),change the (y) into (i) and add (es) to form the plural. • Examples: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
enemy – enemies cherry – cherries baby – babies party – parties dictionary - dictionaries
Rule # 5 • For words that end in (f), drop the (f), change it to (v) & add (es) for the plural. For words that end in (fe), change the (f) to (v) & ad (es) to form the plural. • Examples: 1. 2. 3. 4.
wolf - wolves wife - wives knife – knives self – selves
Rule # 6 • For nouns that end in a consonant + (o), add (es) to make the noun plural. • Examples: 1. 2. 3. 4.
tomato – tomatoes hero - heroes potato – potatoes volcano - volcanoes
Irregular Plurals ď śSome nouns change spelling in the plurals. Singular child man woman foot mouse person goose
Plural children men women feet mice people geese
Irregular Plurals ď śSome nouns do not change at all. Singular & Plural deer sheep fish salmon moose swine trout
Irregular Plurals • Some nouns do not change when plural. • Examples: 1. one deer – two deer 2. one fish – four fish 3. one sheep – three sheep
Irregular Plurals Some nouns are always plural:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
scissors pajamas eyeglasses shorts clothes plants
Examples:
1. My pajamas. 2. Susan has shorts.
3. Lilly likes plants.
References: ď Ź
Plural Noun Forms. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GR AMMAR/plurals.htm
Prepared by: • Cristabel R. Ocasio Ilarraza • Nirazette L. González Abella