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Regular Plural Nouns

Plural noun markers with -s

 

 

-S

We add the plural suffix –s to most words.

SINGULAR

apple

PLURAL

apples

apple (æ-pul)

apples (æ-pulz)

book

books

chair

chairs

picture

pictures

page

pages

key

keys

computer

computers

-ES

 After the sounds s /s/,  z /z/,  sh /ʃ/,  ch /tʃ/ and j /dʒ/, we add the plural suffix -es /ɪz/

SINGULAR

box

PLURAL

boxes 

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/


IPA pronunciation key

 

 

 

 

Plural Noun Markers after -o

 

 

–ES

We add the plural suffix -es to most words that end in o.

Singular


   tomato

Plural

tomatoes

tomato   /təˈmeɪtoʊ, -ˈmɑ-/

tomatoes /təˈmeɪtoʊz/

echo  /ˈɛkoʊ/

echoes /ˈɛkoʊz/

potato

potatoes /pəˈmeɪtoʊz/

hero

heroes /ˈhɪəroʊz/

zero

zeroes or zeros  /ˈzɪəroʊz/

 

 

 

 

 

 

–S

We add the plural suffix -s to words of foreign origin (latin, greek, etc.)

Singular

piano

Plural

pianos

piano

pianos  /piˈænoʊz, ˈpyænoʊz/

ghetto /ˈgɛtoʊ/

ghettos  /ˈgɛtoʊz/

kilo /ˈkiloʊ/

kilos  /ˈkɪloʊz/

video 

videos /ˈvɪdiˌoʊz/

soprano

sopranos  /səˈprænoʊz, -ˈprɑnoʊz/

solo

solos  /ˈsoʊloʊz/

auto /ˈɔtoʊ/

autos /ˈɔtoʊz/

photo /foʊtoʊ/

photos  /ˈfoʊtoʊz/


IPA pronunciation key

 

 

 

 

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

baby crawling

PLURAL

babies crawling

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

leaf

PLURAL

leafleaf

leaf

leaves  /livz/

half

halves  /hævz, hɑvz/

life

lives    n.– /laɪvz/  v.– /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/


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

Changing Singular Nouns to Plurals

 

 

  1. Write the plural form of the noun in the blank. 
  2. Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right. 

 

# YOUR RESPONSE CHECK ANSWER
eg butterfly
1. chimney
2. watch
3. wolf
4. roof
5. four-zero 

 

6. wrench

 

7. mosquito

 

8. cherry

 

9. peach

 

10. witch
11. judge
12. auto
13. cliffs
14. video
15. potato
16. cliffs
17. loaf
18. fry
19. fry
20. fry
21. key
22. toe