00 / Nouns
Plurals
Plural nouns represent more than one person, place, or thing. Most English nouns form the plural by adding -s or -es to the singular form.
A1Beginner
01 / Overview
In English, we change the form of a countable noun to show if there is one (singular) or more than one (plural). Most nouns follow regular patterns, but some require spelling changes based on their final letters.
02 / Regular Plurals
noun + -s / -es
For most nouns, add -s. If a noun ends in -s, -x, -ch, or -sh, add -es to make it easier to pronounce.
03 / Spelling Rules
Note that nouns ending in a consonant followed by 'y' require the 'y' to be dropped before adding 'ies'.
| Ending | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Most nouns | Add -s | book → books |
| -s, -sh, -ch, -x | Add -es | bus → buses |
| Consonant + -y | Change y to -ies | city → cities |
| Vowel + -y | Add -s | boy → boys |
04 / Examples
05 / Common mistakes
I have two childs.
I have two children.
Some nouns are irregular and do not use -s.
The bus's are late.
The buses are late.
Do not use an apostrophe to make a noun plural.
06 / Practice
Change the word 'watch' to the plural form.
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Answer: watches
Why: Nouns ending in -ch require -es to form the plural.
What is the plural of 'baby'?
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Answer: babies
Why: For nouns ending in a consonant + y, change the y to i and add es.
Complete the sentence: 'There are five ____ (apple) on the table.'
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Answer: apples
Why: Most regular nouns simply add -s to become plural.