1) What are singular and plural nouns?
A noun is a word that is used to describe a person, an animal, a place or a thing. It can be singular which names one thing or plural which names two or more things.
Examples:
I have a car. ('car' is a noun)
I have a car. ('car' is a singular noun)
I have two cars. ('cars' is a plural noun)
2) How to form the plural of the nouns
- In general, we form the plural of the nouns by adding -s to their end.
Examples:
She has one dog. ('dog' is a singular noun)
She has two dogs. ('dogs' is a plural noun)
- When a noun ends in -s, -ch, -sh, -x, or -z sounds, we add -es to its end.
Examples:
The bus is yellow. ('bus' is a singular noun)
The buses are yellow. ('buses' is a plural noun)
She washed one dish. ('dish' is a singular noun)
She washed three dishes. ('dishes' is a plural noun)
- When a noun ends in -f or -fe, we remove -f or -fe and add -ves to its end.
Examples:
The wolf smiles. ('wolf' is a singular noun)
The wolves smile. ('wolves' is a plural noun)
There is a knife on the table. ('knife' is a singular noun)
There are four knives on the table. ('knives' is a plural noun)
Exceptions: Roof / Roofs ; Cliff / Cliffs.
- When a noun ends in a vowel + -y, we add -s to its end.
Examples:
I have seen a monkey. ('monkey' is a singular noun)
I have seen two monkeys. ('monkeys' is a plural noun)
I have lost my key. ('key' is a singular noun)
I have lost my keys. ('keys' is a plural noun)
- When a noun ends in a consonant + -y, we remove -y and add -ies to its end.
Examples:
We have one baby. ('baby' is a singular noun)
We have two babies. ('babies' is a plural noun)
I have eaten a cherry. ('cherry' is a singular noun)
I have eaten two cherries. ('cherries' is a plural noun)
- When a noun ends in a vowel + -o, we add -s to its end.
Examples:
There is one kangaroo. ('kangaroo' is a singular noun)
There are two kangaroos. ('kangaroos' is a plural noun)
- When a noun ends in a consonant + -o, we add -es to its end.
Examples:
She eats a tomato. ('tomato' is a singular noun)
She eats two tomatoes. ('tomatoes' is a plural noun)
He peels one potato. ('potato' is a singular noun)
He peels two potatoes. ('potatoes' is a plural noun)
Exceptions: Piano / Pianos ; Photo / Photos.
- When a noun is irregular, its plural is different or remains the same.
Examples:
I have one child. ('child' is a singular noun)
I have two children. ('children' is a plural noun)
The fish is orange. ('fish' is a singular noun)
The fish are orange. ('fish' is a plural noun)