In English grammar, most plural nouns are formed by adding “s” or “es” to the end of the singular form of the noun. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. Here are some examples:
- Nouns ending in “s,” “x,” “z,” “ch,” or “sh” – for these nouns, you add “-es” to form the plural:
- Singular: box, bus, buzz, church, dish
- Plural: boxes, buses, buzzes, churches, dishes
- Nouns ending in a consonant + “y” – for these nouns, you change the “y” to “i” and add “-es” to form the plural:
- Singular: baby, city, puppy, lady, country
- Plural: babies, cities, puppies, ladies, countries
- Nouns ending in a vowel + “y” – for these nouns, you simply add “-s” to form the plural:
- Singular: day, key, guy, play, toy
- Plural: days, keys, guys, plays, toys
- Nouns ending in “f” or “fe” – for these nouns, you change the “f” or “fe” to “ves” to form the plural:
- Singular: leaf, wolf, knife, half, wife
- Plural: leaves, wolves, knives, halves, wives
- Irregular plural nouns – these are nouns that don’t follow any specific rules for forming the plural:
- Singular: child, foot, tooth, mouse, person
- Plural: children, feet, teeth, mice, people
There are many exceptions to these rules and some words may have multiple acceptable forms for the plural.
Remember – a dictionary or grammar guide for specific words is your best friend.
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