Regular Plural Nouns
Plural noun markers with -s
| -S | |
|---|---|
We add the plural suffix –s to most words. |
|
| SINGULAR | PLURAL |
 |
|
apple (æ-pul) |
apples (æ-pulz) |
book |
books |
chair |
chairs |
picture |
pictures |
page |
pages |
key |
keys |
computer |
computers |
| -ES | |
|---|---|
After sounds s /s/, z /z/, sh /ʃ/, ch /tʃ/ and j /dʒ/, we add the plural suffix -es /ɪz/ |
|
| SINGULAR | PLURAL |
|
 |
box /bɒks/ |
boxes /bɒks-iz/ |
kiss |
kisses /kɪs-ɪz/ |
wish |
wishes /wɪʃ-ɪz/ |
watch |
watches /watʃ-ɪz/ |
buzz |
buzzes /bʌz-ɪz/ |
garage |
garages /gəˈrɑʒ-ɪz/ |
judge |
judges /ˈdʒʌdʒɪz/ |
Plural Noun Markers
After -o
| –ES | |
|---|---|
We add the plural suffix -es to most words that end in o. |
|
| SINGULAR | PLURAL |
|
 |
tomato /təˈmeɪtoʊ, -ˈmɑ-/ |
tomatoes /təˈmeɪtoʊz/ |
echo /ˈɛkoʊ/ |
echoes /ˈɛkoʊz/ |
embargo |
embargoes /ɛmˈbɑrgoʊz/ |
hero |
heroes /ˈhɪəroʊz/ |
potato |
potatoes /pəˈmeɪtoʊz/ |
veto |
vetoes /ˈvitoʊz/ |
| OPTIONAL | OS / OES |
buffalo |
buffalos or buffaloes /ˈbʌfəˌloʊz/ |
cargo |
cargos or cargoes /ˈkɑrgoʊz/ |
halo |
halos or haloes /ˈheɪloʊz/ |
mosquito |
mosquitos or mosquitoes |
no |
nos or noes /noʊz/ |
torpedo |
torpedos or torpedoes |
zero |
zeros or zeroes /ˈzɪəroʊz/ |
| –S | |
|---|---|
We add the plural suffix -s to words of foreign origin (latin, greek, etc.) |
|
| SINGULAR | PLURAL |
 |
 |
piano |
pianos /piˈænoʊz, ˈpyænoʊz/ |
auto |
autos /ˈɔtoʊz/ |
avocado |
avocados /ˌɑvəˈkɑdoʊz/ |
ghetto |
ghettos /ˈgɛtoʊz/ |
kilo |
kilos /ˈkɪloʊz/ |
memo |
memos /ˈmɛmoʊz/ |
photo |
photos /ˈfoʊtoʊz/ |
portfolio |
portfolios /ˈfoʊtoʊz/ |
pro |
pros /proʊz/ |
radio |
radios /ˈreɪdiˌoʊz/ |
soprano |
sopranos /səˈprænoʊz, -ˈprɑnoʊz/ |
solo |
solos /ˈsoʊloʊz/ |
studio |
studios /ˈstudiˌoʊz/ |
video |
videos /ˈvɪdiˌoʊz/ |
double oo – tattoos, kangaroos, loos, zoos (regular)
Plural Noun Markers
After -Y and -F, -FE
| Y → I + ES | |
|---|---|
When a word ends in Y and there is a consonant before Y, we change the Y to I and add -ES. |
|
| SINGULAR | PLURAL |
|
|
baby |
babies /ˈbeɪbiz/ |
fry |
fries /fraɪz/ |
supply |
supplies /səˈplaɪz/ |
fly |
flies /flaɪz/ |
ally |
allies /ˈælaɪz, əˈlaɪz/ |
| BUT NOT AFTER—VOWEL+Y | |
employ |
employs /ɛmˈplɔɪz/ |
destroy |
destroys /dɪˈstrɔɪz/ |
key |
keys /kiz/ |
monkey |
monkeys /ˈmʌŋkiz/ |
toy |
toys /tɔɪz/ |
play |
plays /pleɪz/ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| FE or F → V + ES | |
|---|---|
When a word ends in -F or -FE, we change the F to V and add -ES. |
|
| SINGULAR | PLURAL |
|
|
leaf |
leaves /livz/ |
half |
halves /hævz, hɑvz/ |
life |
lives /laɪvz/ /lɪvz/ |
self |
selves /sɛlvz/ |
thief |
thieves /θivz/ |
scarf |
scarves /skɑrvz/ |
calf |
calves /kævz, kɑvz/ |
knife |
knives /naɪvz/ |
loaf |
loaves /loʊvz/ |
shelf |
shelves /ʃɛlvz/ |
wolf |
wolves /wʊlvz/ |
| BUT NOT IN THESE WORDS | |
cliff |
cliffs /klɪfs/ |
roof |
roofs /rufs, rʊfs/ |
belief |
beliefs /bɪˈlifs/ |
chief |
chiefs /tʃifs/ |
lives – noun /laɪvz/ ; verb /lɪvz/
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) and sounds — pronunciation key
To hear the pronunciation of a word, search for the word and click the sound symbol — Dictionary.com
Related page FinalS-audio
Practice
Miscellaneous Nouns
miscellaneous (adj.)– containing a variety of things, mixed, varied
Change singular nouns to plurals.
- Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
- Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button.