Singular Noun
 
 
 
 
Singular Noun

In this lesson you will learn the definition of a singular noun, study examples of singular nouns, and take a test.
Singular Noun Definition
A singular noun is a word used to describe one thing
Singular Noun Examples
  • Singular nouns which form the plural 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
  • Singular nouns which form the plural 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
  • Singular nouns which form the plural 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
  • Singular nouns which form the plural 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
  • Singular nouns which form the plural 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
  • Singular nouns which form the plural 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
  • Singular nouns where the singular and plural forms are different 
  • child-children, ox-oxen, person-people
  • Singular nouns where the singular and plural forms are the same
  • cod, series, trout, deer, fish, moose, offspring, series, sheep, species
  • Singular nouns with no plural form (abstract nouns)
  • goodness, idleness, wisdom
  • Singular nouns with no plural form such as words in the fields of arts and sciences
  • chemistry, geometrymechanics, optics, blues (music)
  • Note: even those ending in "ics" are treated as singular
  • Singular nouns where the singular 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
 
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.