THE PLURAL OF NOUNS

I. COUNT NOUNS 1. Most nouns add s to form the plural: boy boys cat cats 2. Nouns ending in ss, -s, -se, -ch, -sh, -x add es: glass glasses bus buses rose roses watch watches dish dishes box boxes 3. Some nouns ending in o add es, others add s: domino dominoes echo echoes hero heroes Negro Negroes potato potatoes tomato tomatoes but photo photos piano pianos radio radios disco discos 4. Nouns ending in a consonant plus y change to ies (country countries; party parties; story stories; victory victories) Nouns ending in a vowel plus y add s (boy boys; day days; key keys; ray rays; toy toys) 5. Some nouns ending in f or fe substitute ves for f or fe: calf calves; half halves; knife knives; leaf leaves; life lives; loaf loaves; scarf scarves; shelf shelves; thief thieves; wife wives; wolf wolves 6. Some count nouns have irregular plurals: child children; tooth teeth; foot feet; goose geese; louse lice; mouse mice; man men; woman women; ox oxen 7. Some count nouns have the same form for both singular and plural: aircraft; crossroads; deer; dice; fish; fruit; series; species; sheep 8. Some count nouns are usually plural and are followed by a plural verb. These nouns refer to single items that have two linked parts. They are: a. nouns referring to clothes or other things that people wear: glasses; jeans; pants; trousers; pyjamas; shorts; spectacles; tights b. nouns referring to tools or other things that people use: binoculars; compasses; scales; scissors; shears; tongs

9. Foreign nouns plural: basis bases; thesis theses; criterion criteria; datum data; phenomenon phenomena; analysis analyses; oasis - oases II. UNCOUNT NOUNS 1. Uncount nouns often refer to: - substances: coal, coffee, food, ice, iron, rice, sand, steel - human qualities: courage, cruelty, honesty, patience - feelings: anger, happiness, hope, joy, pride, relief, respect - activities: help, travel, sleep, work - abstract ideas: beauty, freedom, fun, luck 2. Uncount nouns have only one form and take a singular verb. They are not used with a / an or with numbers. They are replaced by the personal pronoun it. e.g. His courage was praised by everybody. The money is on the table. It is mine. 3. Some nouns which are uncount in English have plurals in other languages: ADVICE; BAGGAGE; BUSINESS; EQUIPMENT; FURNITURE; HOMEWORK; HOUSEWORK; INFORMATION; KNOWLEDGE; LUGGAGE; MERCHANDISE; MONEY; NEWS; NONSENSE; PROGRESS; RESEARCH; SPAGHETTI; STRENGTH 4. Uncount nouns are not used with numbers, but you can refer to a quantity or an item by using words or expressions like some; a loaf of; a piece of, a bit of. Mother bought some bread and rice. He needed some advice so I gave it to him. Isabel bought two loaves of bread. The receptionist gave him a piece of valuable information. He confessed to having a bit of knowledge on the matter. 5. Some uncount nouns end in s and therefore look like plural count nouns. They refer to: - subjects of study: electronics, mathematics; physics, politics; economics; mechanics, statistics - sport events: athletics; gymnastics - games: billiards; cards; darts - illnesses: diabetes; measles; mumps Main source: English My Love