24
Dec
Singular Nouns
Nouns can be singular or plural. When you are talking about one person, animal, place, or thing, use a singular noun.
For example:
For example:
| an airplane | a van | an owl |
| a bicycle | a key | a flower |
| a boy | a girl | a woman |
| a map | a comb | a ship |
Use a or an before singular nouns. Use an before words beginning with vowels (a, e, i, o,u).
For example, say:
For example, say:
| an axe | an envelope | an orange |
| an apple | an ice cream | an uncle |
| an ant | an umbrella | an aunt |
But some words don’t follow this rule. For example, use a (not an) before these words that begin with u: a uniform, a university.
Use a before words beginning with the other letters of the alphabet, called consonants.
For example, say:
For example, say:
| a basket | a rainbow | a bowl |
| a monster | a car | a pillow |
| a hill | a watch | a house |
| a zoo | a table | a chair |
But some words don’t follow this rule. For example, use an (not a) before these words that begin with h: an heir, an honor, an hour.
Plural Nouns
When you are talking about two or more people, animals, places, or things, use plural nouns.
Most nouns are made plural by adding -s at the end.
Most nouns are made plural by adding -s at the end.
| Singular | Plural |
| mug | mugs |
| bat | bats |
| fan | fans |
| cap | caps |
| star | stars |
| bird | birds |
| broom | brooms |
| camel | camels |
| desk | desks |
| game | games |
Some plural nouns end in -es.
When the last letters of singular nouns are ch, sh, s, ss or x, you usually add -es to form the plural.
When the last letters of singular nouns are ch, sh, s, ss or x, you usually add -es to form the plural.
| Singular | Plural |
| fox | foxes |
| brush | brushes |
| beach | beaches |
| branch | branches |
| box | boxes |
| church | churches |
| dish | dishes |
| dress | dresses |
| sandwich | sandwiches |
| witch | withces |
Some plural nouns end in -ies.
If the singular nouns end in y after a consonant, change y to i, and adding -es.
| Singular | Plural |
| butterfly | butterflies |
| canary | canaries |
| candy | candies |
| lily | lilies |
| baby | babies |
| cherry | cherries |
| diary | diaries |
| dictionary | dictionaries |
| family | families |
| fly | flies |
But, if there is a vowel before y, add –s to form the plural.
| Singular | Plural |
| chimney | chimneys |
| cowboy | cowboys |
| day | days |
| donkey | donkeys |
| jersey | jerseys |
| kidney | kidneys |
| monkey | monkeys |
| toy | toys |
| trolley | trolleys |
If a noun ends in –f or -fe, change f to v, and add -es.
| Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural |
| leaf | leaves | life | lives |
| half | halves | wife | wives |
| elf | elves | knife | knives |
If a noun ends in -o, you just add -s to form the plural.
| Singular | Plural |
| a hippo | hippos |
| a video | videos |
| a zoo | zoos |
| a rhino | rhinos |
| a kangaroo | kangaroos |
But with some nouns that end in -o, you add -es to form the plural.
| a tomato | tomatoes |
| a potato | potatoes |
| a hero | heroes |
| a flamingo | flamingoes |
With some nouns that end in -o, you can add either -s or -es to form the plural.
| Singular | Plural | Plural |
| a mango | mangos | mangoes |
| a mosquito | mosquitos | mosquitoes |
| a zero | zeros | zeroes |
| a buffalo | buffalos | buffaloes |
| Singular | Plural |
| foot | feet |
| goose | geese |
| mouse | mice |
| child | children |
| man | men |
| tooth | teeth |
Some plural nouns are the same as the singular noun.
| Singular | Plural |
| sheep | sheep |
| reindeer | reindeer |
| fish | fish |
| bison | bison |
| deer | deer |
Some nouns are always plural.
| binoculars | jeans |
| pliers | goggles |
| shorts | scissors |
| slippers | trousers |
| sandals | stockings |
You can make these plural nouns singular by using a pair of:
- a pair of binoculars
- a pair of spectacles
- a pair of goggles
- a pair of jeans
- a pair of shorts
- a pair of pliers
