PluralsRegular NounsNouns Ending in yNouns Ending with oNouns Ending in f or feCompound NounsNumerals, Letters, Symbols, and Words

as WordsOther Plural FormsWords from Latin and Greek

Spelling NumbersNumerals or Number WordsOrdinal NumbersNumbers in Dates

Prefixes and Suffi xesSuffi xes –ness and –lyWords Ending in eWords Ending in yDoubling the Final Consonant

SPELLING 5

1. Regular NounsTo form the plural of most nouns, simply add s.

MOST NOUNS

Singular artist symbol maze sardine

Plural artists symbols mazessardines

If a noun ends with s, ch, sh, x, or z add es to form the plural.

S, CH, SH, X, AND Z

Singular loss church dish fox

Plural losses churches dishesfoxes

2. Nouns Ending in yAdd s to form the plural of a noun ending with a vowel and y.

VOWELS AND Y

Singular day display journeytoy

Plural days displays journeys toys

Change the y to i and add es to a noun ending in a consonant and y.

CONSONANTS AND Y

Singular memory trophy ladysociety

Plural memories trophies ladiessocieties

3. Nouns Ending with oAdd s to form the plural of a noun ending with a vowel and o.

Singular ratio studio rodeo igloo

Plural ratios studios rodeosigloos

Add s to form the plural of musical terms ending in o.

Singular alto duo piano cello

Plural altos duos pianos cellos

The plurals of nouns ending in a consonant and o do not follow a regular pattern.

Singular echo veto silo ego

Plural echoes vetoes silosegos

Words in bold type are your spelling words to learn.

4. Nouns Ending in f or fe

To form the plural of some nouns ending in f or fe, just add s.

Singular belief gulf chef fife

Plural beliefs gulfs chefsfifes

For some nouns ending in f or fe, change the f to v and add es or s.

Singular half shelf leaf knife

Plural halves shelves leavesknives

Words in bold are spelling words.

5. Compound NounsMost compound nouns are made plural in the same way as other nouns. The letter s or es is added to the end of the word. However, when the main word in a compound noun appears first, that word becomes plural.

Examples snowflake lunchbox hallway

snowflakes lunchboxes hallways

Exceptions passerby editor-in-chiefmother-in-law

passersby editors-in-chiefmothers-in-law

Learn plural forms of these words.

6. Numerals, Letters, Symbols, and Words as WordsTo form the plurals of numerals, letters, symbols, and words used as words, add an s. To prevent confusion, it is best to use an apostrophe and s with a lowercase letters, some capital letters, and some words used as words.

EXAMPLES Those Gs look like 6s.

Swing dancing from the 1940s is back.

Use *s to mark footnotes.

Don’t give me an ifs, ands, or buts.

EXCEPTIONS There are fours i’s and four s’s in Mississippi.

Name five foods that are shaped like O’s.

We need an equal number of he’s and she’s.

7. Other Plural Forms Irregular plurals are not formed by adding s or es.

IRREGULAR PLURALS

SINGULAR tooth foot mouse child woman

PLURAL teeth feet mice childrenwomen

Some nouns have the same form for singular and plural.

SAME SINGULAR AND PLURAL

Vietnamese Sioux salmonheadquarters

Japanese deer speciesmeasles

Swiss moose scissors politics

8. Words from Latin and GreekSome nouns from Latin and Greek have plurals that are formed as they are in the original language. For a few Latin and Greek words, there are two ways to form the plural.

FOREIGN WORDS

EXAMPLES alumnus memorandum crisisthesis

alumni memoranda crisestheses

EXCEPTIONS hippop0tamus

hippopotamuses or hippopotami

formula

formulas or formulae

9. SPELLING NUMBERS

When you are writing something that includes numbers, you may be unsure whether you should write the number in words or use a numeral or numerals. Use the following generalizations to help guide you.

10. Numerals or Number WordsSpell out numbers that can be written in one or two words. Use numerals for other numbers. Always spell out a number that begins a sentence.

The election was held ten days ago.

The final vote was 563 for and 1,067 against.

Six hundred thirty people came out to vote.

When you have a series of numbers, and some are just one or two words while others are more, use numerals for them all.

In the “Favorite Ice Cream Flavor Poll,” 347 young people

said chocolate was their favorite flavor; 158 liked brownie

fudge; 121 liked chocolate chip; and 40 liked vanilla best.

11. Ordinal NumbersAlways spell out numbers used to tell the order.

He promised to be here first thing in the morning.Andrea wanted to finish first, but she came in third.

Numbers in DatesUse a numeral for a date when you include the name of the month. Always use numerals for the year.EXAMPLES Dr. Suess’s birthday is March 2.

He was born in 1904.EXCEPTIONS Do you know anyone whose birthday is the

twenty-ninth of February?(Always spell out ordinal numbers.)

12. Prefixes and SuffixesA prefix is one or more syllables placed in front of a

base word to form a new word. When you add a prefix, the spelling of the base word does not change.

PREFIXES

in + accurate = inaccurate re + tell = retell

pre + arrange = prearrange over + do = overdo

dis + satisfied = dissatisfied mis + use = misuse

re + evaluate = reevaluate un + able = unable

ir + regular = irregular il + legal = illegal

13. SuffixesA suffix is one or more syllable placed after a

base word to change its part of speech and possibly also its meaning.

Suffixes –ness and –lyThe suffixes –ness and –ly are added to most

base words without any spelling changes.

-NESS AND –LYopen + ness = openness cruel + ly = cruellyplain + ness = plainness real + ly = really

14. Words Ending in e Drop the final e in the base word when adding a suffix that begins with a vowel.

SUFFIXES WITH VOWELS

EXAMPLES drive + ing = driving

isolate + ion = isolation

sane + ity = sanity

EXCEPTIONS courage + ous = courageous

pronounce + able = pronounceable

15. Words Ending in e Keep the final e when adding a suffix that begins with a consonant.

SUFFIXES WITH CONSONANTS

EXAMPLES care + ful = careful

price + less = priceless

like + ness = likeness

state + ment = statement

EXCEPTIONS argue + ment = argument

true + ly = truly

16. WORD ALERT!If you are adding –ly to a word to make the word an adverb, be sure you add the suffix to the correct word. Two adverbs that are often confused are respectively and respectfully.

respectively – [respective + ly] in the order given

The postal abbreviations for Nebraska and Nevada are respectively NE and NV.

respectfully – [respectful + ly] in a polite or courteous manner

He answered his grandmother’s curious questions respectfully.

17. Write One Sentence

For this slide, please write one sentence containing the words respectively and respectfully.

18. Words Ending with yTo add a suffix to most words ending with a vowel and y, keep the y.

SUFFIXES WITH VOWELS AND Y

EXAMPLES enjoy + able = enjoyable joy + ful = joyful

day + ly = daily gay + ly = gaily

To add a suffix to most words ending in a consonant and y, change the y to i before adding the suffix.

SUFFIXES WITH CONSONANTS AND Y

EXAMPLES easy + ly = easily worry + ed = worried

EXCEPTIONS shy + ness = shyness study + ing = studying

19. Doubling the Final ConsonantSometimes the final consonant in a word is doubled before a suffix is added. This happens when the suffix begins with a vowel and the base word satisfies both these conditions: (1) it has only one syllable or is stressed on the final syllable, and (2) it ends in one consonant preceded by one vowel.

DOUBLE CONSONANTS

One-Syllable Words hop + ing = hopping

grin + ed = grinned

red + est = reddest

Final Syllable Stressed refer + al = referral

begin + er = beginner

refer + ing = referring

remit + ed = remitted