PluralsPlurals

Singular NounsSingular Nouns

A noun is a word that names a A noun is a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea. A person, place, thing, or idea. A singularsingular noun names only one noun names only one person, place, thing, or idea.person, place, thing, or idea.

one boy one boy one forest one forest one apple one apple one piece one piece

Plural NounsPlural Nouns

A A pluralplural noun names two or more noun names two or more people, places, things, or ideas.people, places, things, or ideas.

some boys some boys six forests six forests two apples two apples many pieces many pieces

What do you notice about each of the What do you notice about each of the words in the plural list above?words in the plural list above?

Tell whether each of the Tell whether each of the following nouns is following nouns is singular or plural.singular or plural.

breakfastsbreakfasts squirrelsquirrel carpenterscarpenters

feathersfeathers strangersstrangers galleysgalleys

guideguide sweaterssweaters guitarguitar

heartheart territoriesterritories kittenskittens

lawyerslawyers volcanovolcano locketlocket

mountainsmountains wristwrist partnerspartners

passengerspassengers writer writer picklepickle

plantationplantation scenesscenes childrenchildren

ActivitiesActivities

http://www.roythezebra.com/readihttp://www.roythezebra.com/reading-games/singular-or-plural-1.htmng-games/singular-or-plural-1.htmll

PracticePractice

Singular or Plural Nouns Singular or Plural Nouns http://www.superteacherworkshehttp://www.superteacherworksheets.com/nouns/nouns-singularandets.com/nouns/nouns-singularandplural2.pdfplural2.pdf

Rule 1Rule 1

To form the plural To form the plural of of most nounsmost nouns you simply add you simply add an an ss to the end of to the end of the noun.the noun.

SingularSingular PluralPlural

boy boys

hairhair hairhairs

traptrap traptraps

girlgirl girlgirls

doordoor doordoors

voicevoice voicevoices

woodwood woodwoods

Rule 2Rule 2

If the noun ends in If the noun ends in shsh, , chch, , xx, , ss, ss, , ss, oror zz addadd eses to to make it plural. make it plural.

Notice that these Notice that these words all end in a words all end in a “hissing” sound. “hissing” sound.

SingulaSingularr

PluralPlural

brushbrush brushbrusheses

lunchlunch lunchluncheses

foxfox

busbusfoxfoxeses

busebusess

successsuccess successsuccesseess

buzzbuzz buzzbuzzeses

ActivitiesActivities

Plural Rules Plural Rules http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/whttp://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/words/spelling/plurals/pluralrules/gords/spelling/plurals/pluralrules/game.shtmlame.shtml

Singular Plural Nouns Singular Plural Nouns http://www.softschools.com/languhttp://www.softschools.com/language_arts/games/singular_plural_nage_arts/games/singular_plural_nouns.jspouns.jsp

PracticePractice

Worksheet Generator Worksheet Generator http://www.worksheetworks.com/http://www.worksheetworks.com/english/partsofspeech/nouns/singenglish/partsofspeech/nouns/singular-plural.htmlular-plural.html

Regular Plural Nouns WorksheetRegular Plural Nouns Worksheet http://www.rhlschool.com/eng4n1.http://www.rhlschool.com/eng4n1.htmhtm

Rule 3Rule 3

If a noun ends in a If a noun ends in a consonant plus consonant plus yy, the , the yy changes to changes to ii before before eses is added. Note: is added. Note: If the noun ends in a If the noun ends in a vowel plus vowel plus yy, just , just add add ss. .

What are the vowels?What are the vowels?a a e e i i o o uuAll the other letters are consonants.All the other letters are consonants.

SoSoPlayPlay ends in a (vowel) and y therefore the ends in a (vowel) and y therefore the

plural form is plural form is playsplays..MonkeyMonkey ends in e (vowel) and y ends in e (vowel) and y

therefore the plural form is therefore the plural form is monkeysmonkeys..LikewiseLikewisePartyParty ends in t (consonant) and y ends in t (consonant) and y

therefore the plural form is therefore the plural form is partiesparties..CandyCandy ends in d (consonant) and y ends in d (consonant) and y

therefore the plural form is therefore the plural form is candiescandies..

SingulaSingularr

PluralPlural

boyboy boyboyss

babybaby babbabiesies

lilylily lilliliesies

familyfamily familfamiliesies

ponypony ponponiesies

dayday daydayss

Activities Activities

Tic Tac Toe Tic Tac Toe http://www.harcourtschool.com/achttp://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/plural/index_pre.htmltivity/plural/index_pre.html

PracticePractice

Worksheet Generator Worksheet Generator http://www.worksheetworks.com/http://www.worksheetworks.com/english/partsofspeech/nouns/singenglish/partsofspeech/nouns/singular-plural.htmlular-plural.html

Rule 4Rule 4

Most of the words Most of the words that end with that end with f, f, ffff, or , or fefe are are made plural by made plural by changing the changing the ending to ending to -ves. -ves.

SingulaSingularr

PluralPlural

loafloaf loaloavesves

thiefthief thiethievesves

wolfwolf wolwolvesves

lifelife lilivesves

halfhalf halhalvesves

knifeknife kniknivesves

There are There are exceptions that exceptions that must be must be memorized or memorized or looked up. looked up.

SingulaSingularr

PluralPlural

chiefchief chiefchiefss

cliffcliff cliffcliffss

proofproof proofproofss

beliefbelief beliefbeliefss

gulfgulf gulfgulfss

roofroof roofroofss

safesafe safesafess

sniffsniff sniffsniffss

chefchef chefchefss

refref refrefss

giraffegiraffe giraffegiraffess

cafecafe cafecafess

chiefchief chiefchiefss

Online ActivityOnline Activity

Practice with Rules 1, 4, & 2Practice with Rules 1, 4, & 2

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/spellithttp://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/spellits/swf/y5_activity1.swfs/swf/y5_activity1.swf

PracticePractice

Worksheet Generator Worksheet Generator http://www.worksheetworks.com/http://www.worksheetworks.com/english/partsofspeech/nouns/singenglish/partsofspeech/nouns/singular-plural.htmlular-plural.html

Rule 5Rule 5

Words that end in Words that end in oo are usually are usually made plural by made plural by adding adding ss. .

SingulaSingularr

PluralPlural

auto autoss

kangaroo kangarooss

kilo kiloss

memo memoss

photo photoss

piano pianoss

pimento pimentoss

ponchoponcho ponchoponchoss

pro pross

solo soloss

soprano sopranoss

studio studioss

tattoo tattooss

video videoss

tobaccotobacco tobaccotobaccoss

zoo zooss

There are There are exceptions that exceptions that must be must be memorized or memorized or looked up. looked up.

. SingulaSingularr

PluralPlural

echoecho echoechoeses

herohero heroheroeses

potatopotato potatopotatoeses

tomatotomato tomatotomatoeses

torpedotorpedo torpedotorpedoeses

echoecho echoechoeses

veto vetoeses

embargo embargoeses

There are two helpful rules:There are two helpful rules: All words that end in a vowel All words that end in a vowel

plus o (ao, eo, io, oo, uo) have plus o (ao, eo, io, oo, uo) have plurals that end in just s. plurals that end in just s.

All musical terms ending in o All musical terms ending in o have plural ending in just s. have plural ending in just s.

Online ActivityOnline Activity

Practice with Rules 3 and 5Practice with Rules 3 and 5

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/spellithttp://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/spellits/activities_y5/activity2.shtmls/activities_y5/activity2.shtml

PracticePractice

Worksheet Generator Worksheet Generator http://www.worksheetworks.com/http://www.worksheetworks.com/english/partsofspeech/nouns/singenglish/partsofspeech/nouns/singular-plural.htmlular-plural.html

Rule 6Rule 6

Some words are Some words are the same in both the same in both the singular and the singular and the plural forms. the plural forms.

SingulaSingularr

PluralPlural

sheepsheep sheepsheep

moosemoose moosemoose

deerdeer deerdeer

perchperch perchperch

salmonsalmon salmonsalmon

fishfish fishfish

tunatuna tunatuna

trouttrout trouttrout

bisonbison bisonbison

seriesseries seriesseries

swineswine swineswine

corpscorps corpscorps

PracticePractice

Worksheet Generator Worksheet Generator http://www.worksheetworks.com/http://www.worksheetworks.com/english/partsofspeech/nouns/singenglish/partsofspeech/nouns/singular-plural.htmlular-plural.html

Rule 7Rule 7

Some words form Some words form their plural by their plural by changing the changing the whole word. whole word. These are called These are called irregular irregular nouns. nouns. With irregular With irregular nouns, you have nouns, you have to memorize the to memorize the plural form. plural form.

SingularSingular PluralPlural

mouse mouse micemice

childchild childrenchildren

manman menmen

toothtooth teethteeth

footfoot feetfeet

goosegoose geesegeese

personperson peoplepeople

oxox oxenoxen

louselousedie die

licelicedicedice

womanwoman womenwomen

ActivitiesActivities

Concentration with Irregular Plurals Concentration with Irregular Plurals http://www.manythings.org/wbg/irr_http://www.manythings.org/wbg/irr_plurals1-mw.htmlplurals1-mw.html

Plural Nouns Plural Nouns http://www.harcourtschool.com/actihttp://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/language_arts/goforgold/contenvity/language_arts/goforgold/content_builder/dswmedia/g2c8/nadia.htmt_builder/dswmedia/g2c8/nadia.htm

PracticePractice

Plural Nouns that Don't Follow the Plural Nouns that Don't Follow the Rules Rules http://www.superteacherworkshehttp://www.superteacherworksheets.com/nouns/nouns-singularandets.com/nouns/nouns-singularandplural3.pdfplural3.pdf

ActivitiesActivities

The Plural Girls The Plural Girls http://www.funbrain.com/plurals/ihttp://www.funbrain.com/plurals/index.htmlndex.html

Plural Spellings (Multiple Choice Plural Spellings (Multiple Choice Quiz) Quiz) http://www.funtrivia.com/playquizhttp://www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz15785812140f8.html/quiz15785812140f8.html

ResourcesResources

– Worksheet Generator Worksheet Generator http://www.worksheetworks.com/enhttp://www.worksheetworks.com/english/partsofspeech/nouns/singular-pglish/partsofspeech/nouns/singular-plural.htmllural.html

– Singular & Plural Nouns (List of rules)

http://www.lovetolearnplace.com/http://www.lovetolearnplace.com/Grammar/Singular%20&%20PluralGrammar/Singular%20&%20Plural%20Nouns.pdf%20Nouns.pdf

– Flashcards Flashcards http://www.kizclub.com/Phonics/worhttp://www.kizclub.com/Phonics/word/plural%20cards.pdfd/plural%20cards.pdf

False pluralFalse plural

good (bueno) ≠ goods good (bueno) ≠ goods (mercancías)(mercancías)

Domino (ficha) ≠ dominoes Domino (ficha) ≠ dominoes (juego)(juego)

Custom (disfraz) ≠ customs Custom (disfraz) ≠ customs (adueana)(adueana)

Colective nounsColective nouns a band of soldiersa band of soldiers

a bouquet of flowersa bouquet of flowersa brood of hens a brood of hens a bunch of grapesa bunch of grapesa caravan of camelsa caravan of camelsa cast of hawksa cast of hawksa circle of friendsa circle of friendsa clowder of catsa clowder of catsa clump of treesa clump of treesa collection of coinsa collection of coinsa colony of antsa colony of antsa crew of sailorsa crew of sailorsa crowd of peoplea crowd of peoplea deck of cardsa deck of cardsa dray of squirrelsa dray of squirrelsa drove of cattlea drove of cattlea dole of dovesa dole of dovesa fleet of shipsa fleet of shipsa flock of sheepa flock of sheepa gaggle of a gaggle of geese/tourists/childrengeese/tourists/childrena gam of whalesa gam of whalesa gang of thievesa gang of thievesa group of peoplea group of peoplea herd of cattlea herd of cattle

a herd of elephantsa herd of elephantsa hive of beesa hive of beesa horde of childrena horde of childrena leap of leopardsa leap of leopardsa mass of peoplea mass of peoplea mob of hooligansa mob of hooligansa pack of cardsa pack of cardsa panel of expertsa panel of expertsa parliament of owlsa parliament of owlsa party of visitorsa party of visitorsa plague of locustsa plague of locustsa pride of lionsa pride of lionsa school of fisha school of fisha set of teeth a set of teeth a sheaf of papersa sheaf of papersa shelf of booksa shelf of booksa shoal of fisha shoal of fisha sloth of bearsa sloth of bearsa stack of chairs/papers/dishesa stack of chairs/papers/dishesa string of pearlsa string of pearlsa swarm of beesa swarm of beesa troop of monkeysa troop of monkeysa troupe of actors/singersa troupe of actors/singersa wad of banknotes/billsa wad of banknotes/bills

  

They seems singular They seems singular but…but…

PeoplePeople PolicePolice CattleCattle poultrypoultry

They a plural, but some of them They a plural, but some of them (yellow) become singular using (yellow) become singular using “a pair of”“a pair of”

PantsPants, , pyjamaspyjamas, , drawersdrawers, , glassesglasses, , stairs, savings, stairs, savings, shortsshorts, , shearsshears, , tweezerstweezers, , binocularsbinoculars, measles, , measles, mumpsmumps

Stair (peldaño) Staircase Stair (peldaño) Staircase (escalera) (escalera)

From LatinFrom Latin Ending Ending –is–is eses

– analysis analysesanalysis analyses– crisis crisescrisis crises

Ending Ending –us–us i i – nucleus nucleinucleus nuclei– syllabus syllabisyllabus syllabi

Ending Ending –on–on a a – criterion criteriacriterion criteria– phenomenon phenomenaphenomenon phenomena