English 4 Handout –

Singular and Plural Nouns

A Singular noun names one person, place,

thing, or idea, while a Plural noun names
more than one person, place, thing, or idea.

There are a few basic rules to remember when it comes

to turning a singular noun into a plural noun.

1.Most singular nouns 2. Singular nouns ending in 's',

need an 's' at the end to 'ss', 'sh', 'ch', 'x', or 'z' need an
become plural. 'es' at the end to
become plural.
Examples: girl- girls, bag- Examples: bus- buses,
bags, school – schools, box- boxes, beach- beaches,
chair – chairs chuch- churches

4. Some nouns ending in 'f'

3. Some nouns are the require that you change the
same in both their 'f' to a 'v' and then add an
singular and plural forms. 'es' at the end to make
them plural.
Examples: deer-
deer, sheep- sheep, Examples: leaf-
salmon- salmon leaves, wife- wives, loaf-
loaves, life- lives
 5. Nouns that end in 'y' often require that you change the
'y' to an 'i', and then add
an “es' at the end to make them plural.

Examples: baby- babies, lady- ladies, city- cities, country-

countries (With a noun that ends with 'y', if there's a vowel
('a, e, i, o, u') right before the 'y', just add an 's' at the end
to make the noun plural.)

Examples: toy- toys, boy- boys, valley- valleys, monkey-

monkeys

6. Some nouns are always plural in form but

singular in meaning.

Examples: news- news, measles- measles,

pants- pants, scissors- scissors

7. Irregular nouns form their plural by

changing the spelling.

Examples: ox- oxen, child-

children, man- men, mouse- mice, louse-
lice
References: https://study.com/academy/lesson/singular-plural-
nouns-definitions-rules-examples.html