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Home - Grammar - Plural Noun
Plural Noun
	Plural Noun In this lesson you will learn the definition of a plural noun, study examples of plural nouns, and take a test. Plural Noun Definition 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 Plural Noun Examples 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 Plural Noun 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. 1.  Choose the correct sentence.      a.  She is taking less classes this semester.      b.  She is taking fewer classes this semester. The correct answer is ........ b. She is taking fewer classes this semester. 2.  Choose the correct sentence.      a.  That student is always late for class. He annoys the teacher.      b.  That student is always late for class. They annoy the teacher. The correct answer is ........ a. That student is always late for class. He annoys the teacher. 3.  Choose the correct sentence.      a.  That food has a lot of sugars.      b.  That food has a lot of sugar. The correct answer is ........ b. That food has a lot of sugar. 4.  Choose the correct sentence.      a.  Every students was on time for class this morning.      b.  Every student was on time for class this morning. The correct answer is ........ b. Every student was on time for class this morning. 5.  Choose the correct sentence.      a.  This news is very exciting.      b.  These news is very exciting. The correct answer is ........ a. This news is very exciting. 6.  Choose the correct sentence.      a.  There are fewer calories in light beer than regular beer.      b.  There are less calories in light beer than regular beer. The correct answer is ........ a. There are fewer calories in light beer than regular beer. 7.  Choose the correct sentence.      a.  John always gives his wife a lot of jewelry.      b.  John always gives his wife a lot of jewelries. The correct answer is ........ a. John always gives his wife a lot of jewelry. 8.  Choose the correct sentence.      a.  We bought a lot of used furniture at a garage sale.      b.  We bought a lot of used furnitures at a garage sale. The correct answer is ........ a. We bought a lot of used furniture at a garage sale. 9.  Choose the correct sentence.      a.  The new equipments for the basketball team has arrived.      b.  The new equipment for the basketball team has arrived. The correct answer is ........ b. The new equipment for the basketball team has arrived. 10.  Choose the correct sentence.      a.  Mayumi bought a little apples for her lunches this week.      b.  Mayumi bought a few apples for her lunch this week. The correct answer is ........ b. Mayumi bought a few apples for her lunch this week. More Tests   Additional Information Commonly Used Nouns (Beginner - Listening) An audio lesson to help with your understanding of nouns. The English is spoken at 75% of normal speed. Click here to visit the lesson page with the written script for this audio program. Grammar Tips Can You Catch These Native Speaker Mistakes? (Beginner - Listening) An audio lesson to help with your understanding of common mistakes. The English is spoken at 75% of normal speed. Click here to visit the lesson page with the written script for this audio program. Commonly Confused Words: Part One (Beginner - Listening, reading) A video lesson to help with your understanding of commonly confused words. The English is spoken at 75% of normal speed. Click here to visit the lesson page. Commonly Confused Words: Part One (Beginner - Listening) An audio lesson to help with your understanding of commonly confused words. The English is spoken at 75% of normal speed. Click here to visit the lesson page with the written script for this audio program. Commonly Confused Words: Part Two (Beginner - Listening, reading) A video lesson to help with your understanding of commonly confused words. The English is spoken at 75% of normal speed. Click here to visit the lesson page. Commonly Confused Words: Part Two (Beginner - Listening) An audio lesson to help with your understanding of commonly confused words. The English is spoken at 75% of normal speed. Click here to visit the lesson page with the written script for this audio program.