FORMING PLURALS Most nouns Nouns ending in ss

FORMING PLURALS • Most nouns • Nouns ending in ss, sh, ch, x • tomato, potato, mango • Nouns ending in consonant + y • Nouns ending in f, fe • Add s • Add es (e. g. dishes, classes) • Add es • Change y to ies (e. g. babies) • Change f, ve to ves (e. g. wolf > wolves) BUT cliff > cliffs, chef > chefs

SPECIAL PLURALS • • • child foot mouse ox goose alumnus

SPECIAL PLURALS • • • child foot mouse ox goose alumnus • children

SPECIAL PLURALS • • • child foot mouse ox goose alumnus • children • feet

SPECIAL PLURALS • • • child foot mouse ox goose alumnus • children • feet • mice

SPECIAL PLURALS • • • child foot mouse ox goose alumnus • • children feet mice oxen

SPECIAL PLURALS • • • child foot mouse ox goose alumnus • • • children feet mice oxen geese

SPECIAL PLURALS • • • child foot mouse ox goose alumnus • • • children feet mice oxen geese alumni

PLURAL THE SAME AS SINGULAR • ONE SHEEP TWO SHEEP • ONE FISH TWO FISH – There is also a plural `fishes’ but this is rather old-fashioned now • ONE DEER TWO DEER

NOUNS THAT ARE ALWAYS PLURAL • • • CLASSES SPECTACLES SCISSORS TROUSERS COMPASSES We can count these by using the phrase `a pair of’ (e. g. two pairs of scissors)

UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS • These cannot be used with `a’ but always go with a singular verb – Homework is fun! – Furniture is expensive • We can count them only by adding phrases like `piece of’ – A piece of rubbish – Two pieces of furniture – Three news items