Singular & Plural Nouns

A singular noun names one thing. A plural noun names more than one. In P1, you learnt to add -s to make plurals. Now you will learn more ways to change singular nouns into plural nouns.

What You'll Learn

• How to add -es to nouns that end in s, sh, ch, x, or o
• How to change y to -ies when a noun ends in a consonant + y
• How to spell irregular plurals like child/children and mouse/mice

When to Use

1. One thing (singular): "I have one pencil in my bag."
2. More than one (plural with -s): "I have three pencils in my bag."
3. More than one (plural with -es): "There are two boxes on the table."
4. More than one (irregular plural): "The children are playing at the park."

How to Form

Regular Plurals

You already know that most nouns add -s to become plural. But some nouns follow different rules.

Remember: If there is a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) before the y, just add -s. If there is a consonant before the y, change y to -ies.

Irregular Plurals

Some nouns do not follow the rules above. You need to remember these special plurals.

Key Rules

1. Add -es after s, sh, ch, x, or o: If the noun ends in these letters, you need -es because -s alone is hard to say. Try saying "buss" -- it sounds strange! "Buses" is much easier.
2. Consonant + y becomes -ies: When a consonant comes before the y, drop the y and add -ies. "Baby" becomes "babies", not "babys".
3. Vowel + y just adds -s: When a vowel comes before the y, keep the y and add -s. "Boy" becomes "boys", not "boies".
4. Irregular plurals have no pattern: Words like "child/children" and "mouse/mice" change in special ways. You need to memorise them.

Common Mistakes

Clue Words

Words that tell you the noun is plural:

many, two, three, four, five, some, a few, several, these, those

Words that tell you the noun is singular:

a, an, one, this, that, each, every

Tip: When you see a number (two, three, four) or the words "many" or "some", the noun after it must be plural. Check that you spelled the plural correctly!

Practice Tips

1. Say it out loud: If a plural sounds strange when you say it, check the spelling rule. "Watchs" sounds wrong -- "watches" sounds right!
2. Check the last letters: Look at the ending of the singular noun. Does it end in s, sh, ch, x, or o? Then add -es. Does it end in consonant + y? Then change y to -ies.
3. Make a list of irregular plurals: Write down each irregular plural you learn on a card. Test yourself every week.

Quick Reference