Regular plurals Most nouns form their plural forms

Regular plurals Most nouns form their plural forms by adding –s to the singular form of the noun : book – books flower – flowers umbrella – umbrellas Ø We add -es if the singular form of a noun ends in -ch, -s, -ss or –x : church – churches bush – bushes bus – buses box – boxes Ø Singular forms of foreign nouns ending in –o make plural form by adding -s : piano – pianos, kilo – kilo s, radio – radio s, photo – photo s, zoo – zoo s Ø But : tomato – tomatoes, hero – heroes, potato – potatoes; Ø

Ø Some nouns ending in -f, -fe change the – f, -fe into –v and add the ending – es/s : Leaf – leaves Wife – wives Knife – knives Loaf – loaves Thief – thieves But : roof – roofs, cliff – cliffs , chief – chiefs, handkerchief – handkerchiefs, scarf – scarfs; Ø Nouns ending in a consonant + -y change the –y to i and add -es : Country – Countries Baby – babies Lady – ladies Factory - factories But : boy – boys ; day - days

COMPOUND NOUNS form their plural forms by adding –s / -es: Ø TO THE SECOND NOUN IF THE COMPOUND CONSISTS OF TWO NOUNS SHOPKEEPER – SHOPKEEPERS STEPFATHER – STEPFATHERS Ø TO THE FIRST NOUN IF THE COMPOUND CONSISTS OF TWO NOUNS CONNECTED WITH A PREPOSITION: SISTER-IN- LAW – SISTERS-IN –LAW Ø TO THE NOUN IF THE COMPOUND CONSISTS OF AN ADJECTIVE AND A NOUN FRYING PAN – FRYING PANS WATER-BOTTLE – WATER-BOTTLERS Ø AT THE END OF THE COMPOUND IF IT IS NOT MADE UP OF ANY NOUNS BREAKDOWN – BREAKDOWNS HOLD-UP – HOLD-UPS MERRY-GO-ROUND – MERRY-GO-ROUNDS

IRREGULAR PLURALS Some nouns form the plural form by changing their vowel(s) : Man – men Woman – women Foot – feet Goose – geese Mouse – mice Tooth – teeth Louse – lice Ø A few nouns form the plural form with – en : Child – children Ox – oxen Ø

• Some nouns have the same form both in the singular and plural: Sheep – sheep Deer – deer Salmon – salmon Species – species Series – series Means – means Trout - trout But : fish is the normal plural of fish; fishes is also possible but less usual. We use fishes to talk about different kinds and species of fish. The usual plural of person is people ( not persons). We use peoples to talk about citizens of different countries.

• Nouns borrowed from Greek and Latin languages keep their native endings in plural forms Origin Greek Singular Plural Singular(Plural) examples -a Basis-bases, crisis-crises Greek -is -on Latin -us -I Radius-radii, alumnus-alumni, terminus-termini, stimulus -stimuli Latin -a -ae Alga- algae, vita-vitae Latin -um -a Datum - data, medium -media Latin -ix/-ex -ices Index - indices, appendix - appendices Criterion-criteria, phenomenon - phenomena

NOUNS, WHICH ARE ALWAYS USED IN PLURAL Ø Abstract Nouns Wages Thanks Means Cattle People Outskirts Police Ø Clothes Pajamas Trousers Pants Jeans Glasses Shorts Tights Ø Tools and instruments Scissors Spectacles Compasses Tweezers Pliers Binoculars

NOUNS, WHICH ARE ALWAYS USED IN SINGULAR • Mass nouns Ø Fluids Coffee Milk Oil Tea Water Blood Juice Solids Bread Butter Coal Food Fruit Ice Meat Iron Ø Ø Gases Air Oxygen Smoke Smog Steam Pollution Particles Sugar Dust Rice Pepper Salt Corn Wheat Sand Ø

• Uncountable nouns Languages English Greek Spanish Russian etc. Ø Types of meat Beef Mutton Pork Venison etc. Ø Natural phenomena Darkness Fog, Hail Heat, Light Snow Sunshine Weather Ø Diseases Flu Mumps Measles Cancer Ø Games Chess Billiards Golf Football Tennis Athletics Ø Subjects Chemistry Economics Mathematics Physics etc. Ø

• Abstract nouns Luggage Accommodation Advice Business Knowledge Work Trouble News Information Traffic Damage Music Education Progress Laughter Rubbish Applause Behavior Chaos Countryside Courage Evidence Anger Assistance Help Furniture Jewellery

SOME NOUNS HAVE A DIFFERENT MEANING IN PLURAL SINGULAR PLURAL ØThe needle of a compass ØYou can draw a perfect circle always points north. ØIt is an English custom to celebrate the Queen`s birthday. ØShe has a lot of experience working with children. with compasses. ØWhen he got of the plane his bag was searched at Customs. ØWe had lots of exciting experiences on our journey through Africa. ØHe can`t see very well without glasses. ØThere are two hairs in the soup! ØShe weighed herself on the scales. ØThe boy got lost in the woods. ØPicasso`s works are really fascinating. ØWould you like a glass of milk? ØShe has got long, blonde hair. ØThey were shocked at the scale of the disaster. ØThis door is made of wood. ØHe goes to work every day except Sunday.

Group nouns These nouns refer to a group of people. These nouns can take group either a singular or a plural verb depending on whether we see the group as a whole or as individuals. Ø Such group nouns are : army, audience, class, club, committee, crew, company, council, family, public, government, press, staff, team, jury, group, headquarters, orchestra… Examples : Ø Ø Ø Ø The team was the best in the company. ( the team as a group) The team were all given medals. ( each member separately as individuals) The government was elected a month ago. The government think they can solve the problem. My family are on holiday. The family is a very important part of the society.