Rules for Making Plurals

Singular vs. Plural

A singular noun names one person,
place, thing, or idea.
One cat, one store, one item
A plural noun names two or more
persons, places, things, or ideas.
Two cats, four stores, fifteen items

Rule # 1

Add an (s) to form the plural of most of words.

Examples: 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:

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: tray trays
key keys
stay stays
toy - toys

Rule # 4
If the word ends in a consonant + (y) change the (y)
into (i) and add (es) to form the plural.
Examples: 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: 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: tomato tomatoes
hero - heroes
potato potatoes
volcano - volcanoes

Irregular Plurals
I. Some nouns change spelling in the plurals.
Singular
child
man
woman
foot
mouse
person
goose

Plural
children
men
women
feet
mice
people
geese

Irregular Plurals
II. Some nouns do not change in plural.

one deer two deer

one sheep three sheep
one fish four fish

Irregular Plurals
c. Some nouns are always plural.

- scissors
- pajamas
- eyeglasses
- shorts
- clothes
- plants

A few nouns that end with s look plural but

are considered singular.
9.

Singular
measles
news
economics
dues

Compound Nouns
10. For most compound nouns, make the most important
word plural.

For a compound noun written as one word, make

the last part plural.

For a compound noun written with hyphens or

as separate words, make the key word plural.

Singular

Plural

billboard

billboards

cupful

cupfuls

Separate
words

campground

campgrounds

maid of honor

maids of honor

Hyphenated
compound
nouns

step-brother

step-brothers

Great-grandma

Great-grandmas

One word
compoun
d nouns

Letters, numbers, symbols, and words used as words

are made plural by adding an apostrophe () and s.
11.

Singular

Plural

#s

As

25

25s

and

ands

&

&s

ABC & 123

ABCs & 123s