Formation of Plurals

Formation of Plurals :



Singular….Plural

(i) Boy….Boys
(ii) Girl….Girls
(iii) Book….Books
(iv) Pen….Pens
(v) Desk….Desks
(vi) Cow….Cows


The Plural forms are generally formed by adding S to the Singular.

(i) class….classes
(ii) brush….brushes
(iii) branch….branches
(iv) kiss….kisses
(v) match….matches
(vi) tax….taxes
(vii) dish….dishes
(viii) watch….watches
(ix) box….boxes


The nouns ending in S, SH, CH (soft) or X form the plurals by adding ES to the Singular form.


Some nouns ending in O form the plural by adding S only. They are in less common use.

(i) dynamo….dynamos
(ii) canto….cantos
(iii) piano….pianos
(iv) solo…. solos
(v) memento….mementos
(vi) photo….photos
(vii) ratio….ratios
(viii) quarto….quartos


Nouns ending in Y, preceded by a consonant, form their plurals by changing Y into I and adding ES.

(i) Baby….babies
(ii) Army….armies
(iii) Lady….ladies
(iv) Story…..stories
(v) City…..cities
(vi) Pony…..ponies


Nouns ending in F or FE form their plurals by changing F or FE into V and adding ES.

(i) thief…..thieves
(ii) life…..lives
(iii) loaf…..loaves
(iv) wife…..wives
(v) calf…..calves
(vi) knife…..knives
(vii) wolf…..wolves
(viii) leaf…..leaves
(ix) shelf…..shelves


But the following nouns are exceptions.

(i) chief…..chiefs
(ii) roof…..roofs
(iii) gulf…..gulfs
(iv) grief…..grief’s
(v) dwarf…..dwarfs
(vi) safe…..safes
(vii) serf…..serfs
(viii) brief…..briefs
(ix) hoof…..hoofs
(x) proof…..proofs
(xi) strife…..stifles
(xii) belief…..beliefs


There are a few nouns that form their plural by changing the inside vowel of the singular.

(i) man…..men
(ii) goose…..geese
(iii) woman…..women
(iv) mouse…..mice
(v) foot…..feet
(vi) louse…..lice
(vii) tooth…..teeth


Some nouns have the singular and the plural alike.

(i) cod
(ii) deer
(iii) dozen
(iv) gross
(v) hundred
(vi) pair
(vii) salmon
(viii) Score
(ix) sheep
(x) Swine
(xi) thousand
(xii) trout


Study the following.

(i) She got four dozen fruits.
(ii) According to the Bible, one can live for three score years and ten.
(iii) There were scores of people there.
(iv) Many people reach the age of three score and ten.
(v) The van cost me sixty thousand rupees.
(vi) She weighs above eight stone.
(vii) Twenty hundred-weight make one ton.

Formation of Plurals

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