ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Singular and plural nouns

SINGULAR & PLURAL NOUNS REGULAR PLURALS

We normally form plural nouns by adding -s to the singular noun.
book > books car > cars student > students

We add -es if the singular noun ends in -s , -sh, -ch or -x.

bus > buses dish > dishes church > churches box > boxes

Some nouns ending in -o add -es to form the plural::

tomato > tomatoes potato > potatoes hero > heroes

Other nouns ending in -o, add -s only:

piano > pianos radio > radios

Nouns ending in consonant + -y, change the -y into -i and add -ies:
city > cities baby > babies family > families country > countries

Alfonso Lpez Rodrguez

www.alfonsolopez.es

ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Singular and plural nouns

IRREGULAR PLURALS
Most nouns ending in -f or -fe take away the -f/-fe and add -ves.
half > halves finish > finished thief > thieves wife > wives life > lives knife > knives

Some nouns do not add -s or -es in the plural:

man > men woman > women child > children person > people tooth > teeth foot > feet mouse > mice sheep > sheep fish > fish

Alfonso Lpez Rodrguez

www.alfonsolopez.es

ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Singular and plural nouns

EXERCISES
1.- PLURALS. Write the plurals of these words: 1. CHAIR 3. GLASS 5. WATCH 7. PEN 9. DOG 11. KNIFE 13. CITY 15. DESK ______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ 2. CUP 4. BOOK 6. FLAT 8. BED _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________

10. ROOM 12. DISH 14. OFFICE 16. BOX 18. WIFE 20. KISS

17. CHURCH _______________ 19. FOX _______________

2.- P A R T S O F T H E B O D Y : Write the plural of these parts of the body: 1. EYE 3. FOOT 5. EAR 7. TOOTH 9. FINGER ______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ 2. LEG 4. HAND 6. ARM 8. KNEE 10. HEAD _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________

Alfonso Lpez Rodrguez

www.alfonsolopez.es

ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Singular and plural nouns

3.- A N I M A L S : Write the plural of these animals: 1. HORSE 3. MOUSE 5. CAT 7. TURTLE 9. FOX ______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ 2. ZEBRA 4. LION 6. GOLDFISH 8. SHEEP 10. WHALE _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________

4.- PLURALS. Tick () the correct plural forms and cross out () the wrong ones.
knives matchs countries dishs wives mans

tooths citys potatoes tomatos potatos nice

matches cities teeth mouses countrys knifes

wishes men familys wifes tomatoes families

5.- PLURALS. Complete the sentences with the plurals of the nouns in brackets.
1. I like ________________________ and _________________ .(orange/apple/peach/strawberry) 2. They have got four _______________, two ____________ and two _________ . (child / girl / boy) 3. When he fell over, he broke two of his _________________ . (tooth) 4. Do you know those _________________ over there?. (person) 5. We have got some _________________ and _________________, but we havent got any _________________. (egg / tomato / potato)

Alfonso Lpez Rodrguez

www.alfonsolopez.es