| Learning
objectives |
 In
this lesson you will learn the
definition of a plural noun, study examples of
plural nouns, and
take a test. |
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| Definition of a plural noun |
- A plural noun:
- is a word used to describe two or more things
- is usually formed to indicate
number by adding "s" or "es"
- can be formed by changing the last letter before adding
"s"
- can also be formed in other ways
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| Examples of plural nouns |
- Plural nouns formed by adding an "s" to the
singular form of the
noun
- boy-boys, girl-girls, cat-cats,
table-tables, book-books,
tree-trees, auto-autos,
photo-photos, radio-radios,
studio-studios
- Plural nouns formed by adding an "es" to the
singular form of
nouns ending in "ch", "s", "sh", "x"
- glass-glasses, dish-dishes,
ditch-ditches, wish-wishes,
coach-coaches, kiss-kisses,
tax-taxes
- Plural nouns formed by adding an "es" to the
singular form of
nouns ending in "o" and preceded by a
consonant
- hero-heroes, tornado-tornados-tornadoes
(can end in either "s" or "es"), potato-potatoes,
tomato-tomatoes
- Note:
nouns of Italian or Spanish origin are exceptions to
this rule
- ie: canto-cantos,
grotto-grottos, piano-pianos,
portico-porticos, quarto-quartos,
solo-solos
- Plural nouns formed by changing the "f" into a "v" and adding
"es"
- half-halves, leaf-leaves,
calf-calves
- Note: some just add an "s"
- ie: proof-proofs, muff-muffs
- Note: some can do either
- ie: dwarf-dwarfs-dwarves,
hoof-hoofs-hooves,
staff-staffs-staves
- Plural nouns formed by dropping the "y" and adding "ies" of
nouns ending in "y" and preceded by a
consonant
- cherry-cherries, lady-ladies,
story-stories, party-parties
- Plural nouns formed by simply changing the
vowel sound of the
singular form
- foot-feet, goose-geese,
louse-lice, man-men,
mouse-mice, tooth-teeth,
woman-women, mouse-mice
- Plural nouns where the
singular and plural forms are different
- child-children, ox-oxen,
person-people
- Plural nouns where the
singular and plural forms are the same
-
cod, series, trout,
deer, fish, moose,
offspring, series,
sheep, species
- Plural nouns that have no
singular form
-
annals, billiards,
cattle, clothes, measles,
nuptials, thanks,
tidings, belongings,
brains (intellect), clothes,
congratulations, earnings,
eyeglasses, goods,
groceries, jeans, looks
(appearance), manners (social behavior),
pajamas, pants,
scissors, shorts,
sunglasses, surroundings,
tropics, trousers
- Plural nouns that consist of two parts and have no
singular form but are considered to be one unit
-
scissors, trousers,
tweezers, pants
- Plural nouns where the plural form is retained such as
nouns from foreign languages
- analysis-analyses, appendix-appendices,
bacterium-bacteria, basis-bases,
crisis-crises, criterion-criteria,
curriculum-curricula, datum-data,
formula-formulae, hypothesis-hypotheses,
medium-media, memorandum-memoranda,
parenthesis-parentheses, phenomenon-phenomena,
syllabus-syllabi, thesis-theses
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Take the test |
 It
is very important to make sure the words in a sentence have
singular and plural agreement. In the following test, choose the
correct sentences. |
|
Fun Easy English Tests |
| Singular Plural Agreement |
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1. Choose the correct sentence.
2. Choose the correct sentence.
3. Choose the correct sentence.
4. Choose the correct sentence.
5. Choose the correct sentence.
6. Choose the correct sentence.
7. Choose the correct sentence.
8. Choose the correct sentence.
9. Choose the correct sentence.
10. Choose the correct sentence.
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