Question

THE PLURALS: RULES OF FORMATION
Singular form of a noun - means only one thing or person.
Plural form – means two or more.

Rule
1. To make plural we usually add –s to the singular form.
Examples
A book – books A house – houses banana – bananas

Exceptions ??

Rule
2. Add –es to words ending in –s, -ss, –ch, -sh, -x or–z to make the plural
Examples
One bus - many buses a dress - dresses watch - watches a bush - bushes a box - boxes a quiz – quizzes
Exceptions ??
3. Rule 3.1 If a noun ends in consonant+y, change –y into –i and add –es.
3.2 When words end in a vowel before –y, add an –s to make the plural. Examples One baby - two babies a toy - toys
Exceptions ??
4. rule
When words end in –f/-fe, change the –f/-fe to a ‘v’ before adding –es.
Examples
one leaf – leaves a wife - wives
Exceptions a cliff – cliffs a chief – chiefs a chef – chefs a roof – roofs a giraffe – giraffes a handkerchief – handkerchiefs
5. Rule
If a noun ends in an –o, add –es to form the plural. a tomato - some tomatoes a potato – three potatoes
Examples a piano – pianos a radio – radios a photo – photos a video – videos a kilo – kilos a zoo – zoos a kangaroo -kangaroos
Exceptions ??
6. Rule
Irregular plurals:
6.1 There are some nouns that do not take –s or –es. They form their plurals differently.
Examples
1 foot 2 feet 1 tooth 2 teeth 1goose 2 geese 1 man 2men 1 woman 2 women 1 child 2 children 1 person 2 people 1 mouse – mice
6.2 Rule Some nouns have the same singular and plural form. a fish – many fish a sheep – 5 sheep a deer – some deer
6.3 Some nouns that English has borrowed from other languages have foreign plurals. a criterion – criteria a phenomenon – phenomena a datum – data
Execpitons ??

Note: Adjectives do not change in English! Compare: a strong boy strong boys It’s your turn!

Exercise
1: Write the plural forms of the nouns:
1.
2. A sofa - ________________________
3. A sheep - ______________________
4. A trip - ________________________
5. An actor - _____________________
6. A play - _______________________
7. A mouse - _____________________
8. A company - __________________
9. A life - ________________________
10. A woman - ____________________
11. A church - ____________________
12. A hero - ______________________
13. A chef - _____________________

Exercise 2. Write the plural forms of the nouns:
1.
2. A class - ____________________________________
3. A scarf - ____________________________________
4. An old photo - ______________________________
5. A grey goose - ______________________________
6. A big city - _________________________________
7. A happy child - _____________________________
8. A tornado - _________________________________
9. A roof - ____________________________________
10. A match - __________________________________
11. A monkey - ________________________________
12. A tie - _____________________________________
13. A factory - _________________________________
14. A sharp knife - _____________________________
15. A tooth - ___________________________________
16. A fish - ____________________________________
17. A dish - ____________________________________

Answer 1

1. sofas, sheep, trips, actors, plays, mice, companies, lives, women, churches, heroes, chefs

2. classes, scarves, old photos, grey geese, big cities, happy children, tornados/tornadoes, roofs/rooves, matches, monkeys, ties, factories, sharp knives, teeth, fish, dishes