Plural of Nouns

PLURAL OF NOUNS
In general, the plural of nouns is formed by adding -s to a countable noun in the singular: an apple
– apples, a book – books, a mentor – mentors.
However, when the singular noun ends in -s, -ss, -x, -ch, -sh, -tch, it takes the ending -es: a bus –
buses, a glass – glasses, a box – boxes, a bench – benches, a brush – brushes, a match – matches.
Nouns ending in -o form their plural by adding -es: an echo – echoes, a tomato – tomatoes. Nouns
of foreign origin or abbreviated words add only -s: an avocado – avocados; a zoo – zoos.
Some nouns form the plural both in -s and -es: a buffalo: buffalos – buffaloes, a cargo: cargos –
cargoes.
Nouns ending in -y preceded by a consonant form their plural by changing -y to -i and adding -es:
a baby – babies, a country – countries.
Proper names ending in -y form their plural just by adding -s: Henry – Henrys.
Nouns ending in -f(e) may have either the regular plural formed by adding -s: a cliff – cliffs, a safe
– safes, or the so-called voiced plural -ves: a leaf – leaves, a shelf – shelves, wife – wives.
Some nouns have both plural forms: a dwarf: dwarfs – dwarves, a scarf: scarfs – scarves.
The plural ending -en is used in these nouns: an ox – oxen, a child – children, a brother –
brethren, a sister – sistren (besides the regular plural expressing family relations: brothers, sisters).
Seven nouns form their plural by mutation, i.e. a change of the root vowel: a man – men, a woman
– women, a foot – feet, a goose – geese, a tooth – teeth, a louse – lice, a mouse – mice.
The zero plural, i.e. the same form in the singular and plural is used in some names of animals –
especially those that are hunted: deer, grouse, sheep, mackerel, trout, salmon.
The zero plural have also nouns of animals that are used in the context of sport: duck, partridge,
pheasant; otherwise -s is added for the plural: ducks, partridges, pheasants.
The noun fish has one form for the singular and plural; however, when it denotes different species,
then -s is added: fishes, e.g.: There are fishes of many kinds in this lake.
The zero plural is used in nouns such as: craft, aircraft, spacecraft, and in nouns of nationalities
ending in -ese, -ss: a Japanese – the Japanese, a Swiss – the Swiss.
Borrowed nouns keep the foreign plural: an analysis – analyses, a bacterium – bacteria, a beau –
beaux, a cactus – cacti, a phenomenon – phenomena, a radius – radii.
Borrowings using the regular plural -s are: a dogma – dogmas, an album – albums.
Some borrowings may have both plural forms with the same meaning: a focus: focuses – foci,
a larva: larvas – larvae, others with a different meaning: an index: indexes – indices, an antenna:
antennas – antennae.
Nouns ending in -s followed by a singular verb are, e.g.: news, names of diseases: measles,
mumps, shingles; names of games: billiards, darts, draughts, and proper names: Athens, Brussels.
Nouns ending in -s followed by a verb in the plural are, e.g.: belongings, congratulations, goods,
remains, thanks, names of garments, tools and instruments consisting of two parts: pyjamas, shorts,
trousers; scissors, pliers, tongs, glasses, spectacles.
Nouns ending in -ics in their general meaning are used with a singular verb: acoustics, statistics,
linguistics, mathematics. If these nouns carry a specific meaning, then the plural verb follows. For
example: Mathematics is a compulsory subject at school. His mathematics are weak.
Nouns ending in -s, such as crossroads, works (= factory), headquarters, means, series, species
show no difference between the singular and the plural. When they are regarded as a single unit,
they are followed by a verb in the singular; when as collective, then a verb in the plural follows,
e.g.: This species of butterfly is very rare. There are hundreds of species of butterflies.
Collective nouns such as committee, crowd, government, company, family, jury, council, group,
team with the meaning of a single unit are followed by a singular verb. If they mean separate
members or a number of individuals, they are followed by a verb in the plural.
Collective nouns followed by a plural verb are: cattle, clergy, gentry, people, vermin, police.
Compound nouns form the plural by adding -s to their last element: a forget-me-not – forget-me-
nots, to the head word: an editor-in-chief – editors-in-chief, a passer-by – passers-by, or they may
form the plural in both elements of a compound: a woman doctor – women doctors.
A number of nouns ending in -s may have a different meaning from their meaning in the singular.
Examples:
content vs. contents = the things written in a book, document, etc.;
damage vs. damages = money to be paid to someone;
effort vs. efforts = attempts;
force vs. forces = people doing military or police work;
ground vs. on the grounds = a reason for what you say or do something;
pain vs. to take pains = to do something with a lot of effort;
premise vs. premises = also: the buildings and land that a business or organization uses;
water vs. waters = an area of water (belonging to a particular place, state, etc.).

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