Plural Count Nouns What to look for and where

What to look for and where  Changes in the last syllable  Changes in the next to the last letter or sound The standard rule is add –s, but we need to look at the irregularities of the language.  Due to historical developments  Causing language change and growth

Rules for Old Plurals men women oxen man woman ox feet geese teeth foot goose tooth  Change -oo-  - ee- mice lice mouse louse  Change –ous-  - ic- PluralSingular  Change –an  –en or add -en

Basic Plural Noun Rules cities monkeys city monkey buzzes kisses churches boxes bushes buz kiss church box bush chiefs cliffs beliefs roofs Chief cliff belief roof Exceptions: Plural calves knives wives scarves / *scarfs calf knife wife scarf  Change f Ü v + - es with nouns ending in {-V+f, l+f, r+f} * Word in transition PluralSingular  Change y Ü I + - es with nouns ending in C + y Singular  Add –es to nouns ending in: x, ch, sh, s, z

Plurals for Words ending in -o mementoes/-s mosquitoes/-s tornadoes/-s volcanoes/-s zeroes/-s radios solos sopranos studios tatoos videos zoos autos ghettos kangaroos kilos memos photos pianos volcano zero memento mosquito tornado  Add -es or -s to words in transition radio solo soprano studio tatoo video zoo auto ghetto kangaroo kilo memo photo piano  Add -s to words borrowed from other languages potatoes tomatoes echoes potato tomato echo  Add -es

Nouns with the same singular and plural form two deer two fish two means of transportation (automobile, train) two offspring (two children, two calves, two small plants) two series two sheep two shrimp two species one deer one fish one means of transportation (automobile) one offspring (a child, a calf, a small plant) one series one sheep one shrimp one species

Latinate Words Ending in -a formulae *formulas vertebrae formula vertebra PluralSingular Add –e or *Add –s

Latinate Words Ending in –um bacteria curricula data media memoranda bacterium curriculum datum medium memorandum PluralSingular Change -um  -a

Latinate Words Ending in -us cacti / * cactuses fungi nuclei stimuli syllabi / *syllabuses cactus fungus nucleus stimulus syllabus PluralSingular Change –us  -i or *-es

Greek Origin Words appendices / * appendixes indices / *indexes appendix index PluralSingular  Ending in –ix, -ex Change –ix, -ex  ices or * Add -es criteria phenomena criterion phenomenon PluralSingular  Ending in –on Change –on  -a

Greek Origin Words Ending in -sis analyses bases crises hypotheses oases parentheses theses analysis basis crisis hypothesis oasis parenthesis thesis PluralSingular Change –i-  -e-

How to add plurals to nouns  Look at the ending of the word  Listen to the sounds  Is it an old plural rule?  Is it today’s English?  Is it a borrowed word?  What is the ending?  Are there any exceptions? But “Practice Makes Perfect….”