THE PLURALS OF NOUNS
By adding -s
| |||
Singular
|
Plural
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
ant
|
ants
|
lock
|
locks
|
bicycle
|
bicycles
|
magazine
|
magazines
|
cow
|
cows
|
nose
|
noses
|
daughter
|
daughters
|
orange
|
oranges
|
egg
|
eggs
|
picture
|
pictures
|
flower
|
flowers
|
rose
|
roses
|
grape
|
grapes
|
spoonful
|
spoonfuls
|
house
|
houses
|
toy
|
toys
|
jug
|
jugs
|
vase
|
vases
|
king
|
kings
|
well
|
wells
|
By adding -es to nouns ending in –ch, -s, -sh, -ss, and -x
| |||
Singular
|
Plural
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
beach
|
beaches
|
dish
|
dishes
|
inch
|
inches
|
thrush
|
thrushes
|
match
|
matches
|
boss
|
bosses
|
watch
|
watches
|
dress
|
dresses
|
bus
|
buses
|
glass
|
glasses
|
octopus
|
octopuses
|
kiss
|
kisses
|
syllabus
|
syllabuses
|
box
|
boxes
|
virus
|
viruses
|
fox
|
foxes
|
brush
|
brushes
|
six
|
sixes
|
bush
|
bushes
|
tax
|
taxes
|
By adding –s to nouns ending in -o
| |||
Singular
|
Plural
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
dynamo
|
dynamos
|
studio
|
studios
|
photo
|
photos
|
tattoo
|
tattoos
|
piano
|
pianos
|
torso
|
torsos
|
radio
|
radios
|
trio
|
trios
|
solo
|
solos
|
zero
|
zeros
|
By adding -–es to nouns ending in -o
| |||
Singular
|
Plural
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
buffalo
|
buffaloes
|
potato
|
potatoes
|
echo
|
echoes
|
tomato
|
tomatoes
|
hero
|
heroes
|
tornado
|
tornadoes
|
mosquito
|
mosquitoes
|
veto
|
vetoes
|
By adding –s or –es to nouns ending in -o
| |||
Singular
|
Plural
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
banjo
|
banjos/banjoes
|
memento
|
mementos/mementoes
|
archipelago
|
archipelagos/es
|
peccadillo
|
peccadillos/es
|
cargo
|
cargos/cargoes
|
lasso
|
lassos/lassoes
|
mango
|
mango/mangoes
|
indigo
|
Indigos/indigoes
|
motto
|
mottos/mottoes
|
volcano
|
volcanos/volcanoes
|
By changing –y into –ies if a noun ends in a consonant before the -y
| |||
Singular
|
Plural
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
beauty
|
beauties
|
fairy
|
fairies
|
cherry
|
cherries
|
family
|
families
|
curry
|
curries
|
nappy
|
nappies
|
diary
|
diaries
|
spy
|
spies
|
duty
|
duties
|
theory
|
theories
|
By adding –s if there is a vowel before the -y
| |||
Singular
|
Plural
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
chimney
|
chimneys
|
kidney
|
kidneys
|
donkey
|
donkeys
|
monkey
|
monkeys
|
guy
|
guys
|
toy
|
toys
|
jersey
|
jerseys
|
trolley
|
trolleys
|
key
|
keys
|
valley
|
valleys
|
By changing –f or –fe into –ves
| |||
Singular
|
Plural
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
calf
|
calves
|
life
|
lives
|
elf
|
elves
|
loaf
|
loaves
|
half
|
halves
|
sheaf
|
sheaves
|
knife
|
knives
|
thief
|
thieves
|
leaf
|
leaves
|
wife
|
wives
|
By adding –s to nouns ending in –f or –fe
| |||
Singular
|
Plural
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
chef
|
chef
|
handcuff
|
handcuffs
|
chief
|
chiefs
|
reef
|
reefs
|
cliff
|
cliffs
|
roof
|
roofs
|
giraffe
|
giraffes
|
safe
|
safes
|
gulf
|
gulfs
|
sheriff
|
sheriffs
|
By adding –s or changing –f into –ves
| |
Singular
|
Plural
|
dwarf
|
dwarfs/dwarves
|
handkerchief
|
handkerchiefs/-ves
|
hoof
|
hoofs/hooves
|
scarf
|
scarfs/scarves
|
turf
|
turfs/turves
|
wharf
|
wharfs/wharves
|
By changing the vowels
| |||
Singular
|
Plural
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
axis
|
axes
|
goose
|
geese
|
cactus
|
cacti
|
louse
|
lice
|
crisis
|
crises
|
mouse
|
mice
|
emporium
|
emporia/emporiums
|
oasis
|
oases
|
fungus
|
fungus/funguses
|
tooth
|
teeth
|
By adding –en or –ren
| |||
Singular
|
Plural
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
ox
|
oxen
|
child
|
children
|
By changing the vowels
| |||
Singular
|
Plural
|
Singular
|
Plural
|
axis
|
axes
|
goose
|
geese
|
cactus
|
cacti
|
louse
|
lice
|
crisis
|
crises
|
mouse
|
mice*
|
emporium
|
emporia/emporiums
|
oasis
|
oases
|
fungus
|
fungi/funguses
|
tooth
|
teeth
|
* For computer mouse, the plural is mice or mouses.
The plural and singular forms of some nouns are the same
| |||
advice
|
advice
|
knowledge
|
knowledge
|
aircraft
|
aircraft
|
music
|
music
|
baggage
|
baggage
|
news
|
news
|
cattle
|
cattle
|
offspring
|
offspring
|
cod
|
cod
|
scenery
|
Scenery
|
deer
|
deer
|
series
|
series
|
fish
|
fish**
|
sheep
|
sheep
|
furniture
|
furniture
|
species
|
species
|
information
|
information
| ||
** More than one fish of the same species. Fishes are the plural of more than one species of fish.
Some nouns are used only in the plural
| |||
binoculars
|
measles
|
riches
|
sneakers
|
clothes
|
pants
|
sandals
|
spectacles
|
goggles
|
people
|
scissors
|
stockings
|
goods
|
pincers
|
shears
|
thanks
|
gymnastics
|
pliers
|
shorts
|
tongs
|
jeans
|
pyjamas/pajamas
|
slippers
|
trousers
|
Some nouns are used only in the singular
| |||
accommodation
|
economics
|
linguistics
|
poetry
|
athletics
|
equipment
|
luggage
|
politics
|
billiards
|
fun
|
mathematics
|
traffic
|
darts
|
furniture
|
news
| |
