We may think that singular and plural nouns are just so simple. Truth is, it is indeed simple, but we must not oversimplify this and make some mistakes. Some people may also think that to form a plural of a noun, you simply add s after a word.
While this is true to most nouns, they forget that there are what we call irregular nouns, in which we can get the plural form by changing its spelling in the ending. Yet, rules still vary regarding irregular nouns. Now it sounds a bit complicated, isn’t it? But there are actually certain rules to form a plural of singular nouns, and these are pretty straightforward.
Before we discuss the rules of writing the plural nouns of different singular nouns, let’s first give some examples as a refresher:
What is an example of a plural noun?
Notice how these plurals differ in spelling (not always ending in s):
- dogs
- cats
- cakes
- snakes
- foxes
- boxes
- glasses
- kisses
- giraffes
- knives
- roofs
- shelves
- men
- women
- mouse
- geese
- children
What are the examples of singular and plural nouns?
Now, let us enumerate a couple of singulars and plural forms:
Singular ➝ Plural
- book ➝ books
- cat ➝ cats
- cake ➝ cakes
- snake ➝ snakes
- fox ➝ foxes
- box ➝ boxes
- glass ➝ glasses
- kiss ➝ kisses
- giraffe ➝ giraffes
- knife ➝ knives
- roof ➝ roofs
- shelf ➝ shelves
- woman ➝ women
- mouse ➝ mice
- man ➝ men
- goose ➝ geese
- child ➝ children
Rules to form the plural of different singular nouns
Now that you have the examples to familiarize yourself (or this may be a refresher for you already), let’s discuss the rules. There are actually three simple rules to be followed to form the plural of certain singular nouns. Here they are with examples:
Nouns ending in z, s , x, sh or ch ➝ Simply add es after the word. However, if it ends in z, you have to add another z before you add es. This is considered as an irregular plural form because it changes the spelling.
Examples: Singular ➝ Plural
- bush ➝ bushes
- bus ➝ buses
- fox ➝ foxes
- coach ➝ coaches
- quiz ➝ quizzes
Nouns ending in fe or f ➝ Usually, you simply have to add s in nouns ending in f or fe. Sometimes, you also need to change f to v, then add es. Like the rule above, the latter is also considered as an irregular plural form.
Examples: Singular ➝ Plural
- giraffe ➝ giraffes
- knife ➝ knives
- roof ➝ roofs
- shelf ➝ shelves
Most nouns ➝ And of course, the simplest of all, when there are nouns ending in any letter except for the ones mentioned above, you simply have to add s.
Examples: Singular ➝ Plural
- book ➝ books
- cat ➝ cats
- cake ➝ cakes
- snake ➝ snakes
Irregular Plural Nouns
However, here’s one exemption to the rules. Remember that there are certain nouns with irregular plural forms that are totally different in spelling. This is regardless of which letter the noun ends.
Examples:
Singular ➝ P L U R A L S
- child ➝ children
- person ➝ people
- goose ➝ geese
- Woman ➝ Women
- mouse ➝ mice
- man ➝ men
In this case then, it always pays to check the dictionary or continuously familiarize yourself with words so you will be well-versed.
Rules on singular and plural possessive nouns
Now don’t be confused when it comes to plural nouns and plural possessive nouns. The rule here is simple: add an apostrophe and s when a noun ends in letters other than s; while simply add an apostrophe to a possessive noun if the noun ends in s. Examples:
Singular ➝ Plural ➝ Plural Possessive Noun
- Person ➝ People ➝ People’s
- Child ➝ Children ➝ Children’s
- Bus ➝ Buses ➝ Buses’
- Knife ➝ Knives ➝ Knives’
Is couple a singular or plural noun?
Some nouns are still confusing whether they are singular or plural. One example is “couple”. “Couple” can either be a singular or plural. But it depends on how it’s used.
Examples:
- The couple are starting to discuss some serious matters with each other. (Here, the action refers to an act done by two individuals toward each other. Therefore, each individual must be acknowledged; thus the verb “are” in plural form is used.)
- The couple is attending a family planning seminar. (Here, the action is being done by two individuals who are together, so they are considered as one).
So the “couple” above is referring to two individuals who are married or romantically involved. But “couple” can also refer to an indefinite number of anything. In that case, then, it is always plural.
Here are some examples:
- Please give me a couple of minutes to call you back.
- Mike did not hesitate to share a couple of tips to his new colleagues.
Is each a singular or plural noun?
Another noun that can be confusing whether it’s a singular or plural noun is “each”. “Each” is a singular noun so it shouldn’t be mistaken as a plural noun. Some people, when writing a plural noun after “each” forget that the former is a singular noun.
Incorrect: Each of his dogs are well taken care of.
Correct: Each of his dogs is well taken care of.
Since there is the word “parts”, which is in plural form, some people are getting confused. “Each” is always a singular noun, even though it’s sometimes followed by a noun in plural form.
Singular and plural nouns worksheet
Now that you know the rules when it comes to writing the plural form of a singular noun, let’s now put what you’ve learned to the test! Write the plural forms or plural nouns of the following singular nouns. (Hint: remember to observe which letter the noun ends; sometimes, it’s not just enough to add es or s!)
- teacher [correct answer: teachers]
- wife [correct answer: wives]
- box [correct answer: boxes]
- boss [correct answer: bosses]
- ourself [correct answer: ourselves]
- tooth [correct answer: teeth]
- foot [correct answer: feet]
- doctor [correct answer: doctors]
- life [correct answer: lives]
- model [correct answer: models]
- cactus [correct answer: cacti]
- show [correct answer: shows]
- wish [correct answer: wishes]
- hiss [correct answer: hisses]
- wolf [correct answer: wolves]
- loaf [correct answer: loaves]
Now that you learned these nouns, singular and plural forms to be precise, you should be more confident toward your journey in polishing your English vocabulary skills.