Noun Numbers

Noun Number shows whether or more things are spoken of.

There are Two Numbers in English.

1. Singular Number

2. Plural Number

1. Singular Number

A noun that denotes one person, place or a thing is said to be in the Singular Number; as

Singular Nouns

Boy	Girl	Cat	Woman
Eye	Cup	Egg	Flag
Dog	Apple	Book	Jug

 

2. Plural Number

A noun that denotes more persons, places or things is known as Plural Number; as,

Plural Nouns

Boys	Girls	Cats	Women
Eyes	Cups	Eggs	Flags
Dogs	Apples	Books	Jugs

 

How different Nouns form their Plural

Rule No. 1 The S Rule

The singular nouns are generally made plural by the addition of S

Examples

The S Rule

Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
Cow	Cows	Goat	Goats
Fan	Fans	Rat	Rats
Car	Cars	Night	Nights
Hill	Hills	Spoon	Spoons
Ring	Rings	Chair	Chairs
Shop	Shops	Coat	Coats
Boat	Boats	Bowl	Bowls
Door	Doors	Duster	Dusters

Rule No. 2 The ES Rule

If singular noun ends in s,ss,ch,sh or x plural is formed by adding es

Examples

The s, ss, ch, sh or x Rule

Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
Bus	Buses	Class	Classes
Watch	Watches	Glass	Glasses
Bench	Benches	Dress	Dresses
Match	Matches	Dish	Dishes
Box	Boxes	Brush	Brushes
Fox	Foxes	Bush	Bushes
Church	Churches	Inch	Inches

Rule No. 3 The Consonant Y Rule

When a singular noun, ends in a consonant before y, change y into i and then add es to make the noun plural.

Examples

The Consonant Y Rule

Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
Army	Armies	Lady	Ladies
City	Cities	Baby	Babies
Story	Stories	Country	Countries
Copy	Copies	Duty	Duties
Body	Bodies	Fly	Flies
Sky	Skies	Family	Families
Cry	Cries	Hobby	Hobbies
Spy	Spies	Company	Companies

Rule No. 4 The Vowel Y Rule

When a singular noun, ends in vowel before y add only s to make the noun plural and do not change y.

Examples

The Vowel Y Rule

Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
Boy	Boys	Day	Days
Key	Keys	Toy	Toys
Monkey	Monkeys	Holiday	Holidays
Donkey	Donkeys	Joy	Joys

Rule No. 5 The F or FE Rule

If a singular noun, ends in f or fe change f or fe into v and then add es to make the noun plural

Examples

The F or FE Rule

Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
Life	Lives	Knife	Knives
Leaf	Leaves	Thief	Thieves
Wife	Wives	Half	Halves
Calf	Calves	Wolf	Wolves
Loaf	Loaves	Shelf	Shelves

Rule No. 6 The O Rule

If a singular noun, ends in o form their plural by adding es to the singular

Examples

The O Rule

Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
Tomato	Tomatoes	Hero	Heroes
Potato	Potatoes	Negro	Negroes
Mango	Mangoes	Volcano	Volcanoes
Mosquito	Mosquitoes	Echo	Echoes

Rule No. 7 The F IEF or OOF Rule

Nouns ending in f, ief or oof, make their plural by adding only s

Examples

The F, IEF, or OOF Rule

Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
Gulf	Gulfs	Proof	Proofs
Dwarf	Dwarfs	Grief	Griefs
Roof	Roofs	Chief	Chiefs
Hoof	Hoofs	Handkerchief	Handkerchiefs

Rule No. 8 The Irregular Plural Rule

Under this rule, some nouns form their plural in an irregular way. A few examples are given below:
(a) By internal change of vowels

Examples

By internal change of Vowels

Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
Foot	Feet	Woman	Women
Tooth	Teeth	Mouse	Mice
Man	Men	Goose	Gees
Louse	Lice	Ox	Oxen
Child	Children

(b) Singular nouns ending in us, drop us and add i to make the noun plural.

Examples

Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
Syllabus	Syllabi	Stimulus	Stimuli
Radius	Radii	Alumnus	Alumni

(c) If singular noun ends in on, drop on and add a to make plural.

Examples

Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
Criterion	Criteria	Phenomenon	Phenomena

Rule No. 9 Plural of Compound Nouns

(i) Generally the last word of compound noun is made plural

Examples

Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
Arm chair	Arm chairs	Book case	Book cases
Maid servan	Maid servants	Step-father	Step-fathers
School teacher	School teachers	Hous keeper	House keepers

Rule No. 9 Plural of Compound Nouns

(ii) Compound nouns formed with adverbs or prepositions, make only the first word plural

Examples

Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
Commander-in-chief	Commander-in-chiefs	Father-in-law	Father-in-laws
Hanger-on	Hangers-on	Passer-by	Passers-by
Looker-on	Lookers-on

(1) Some nouns are always singular

Examples

Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
Sheep	Sheep	Deer	Deer
Hair	Hair	Fish	Fish
News	News

(2) The following nouns have singular forms and are always used as plural i.e they take plural verb with them

Examples

Public	Cattle	Folk	Asset
Crew	Tidings	Police	Scissors
Trousers	Tongs	Swine	Measels
Alms	Jurry	Draughts

(3) The following nouns have plural forms and are always used as singular i.e they take singular verb with them

Examples

Ethics	Mathematics	News	Physics
Civics	Politics	Innings	Mechanics

(4) The following nouns, if preceded by a number do not form their plural by the addition of s

Examples

Pair	Hundred	Dozen	Thousand
Score	Pound	Gross	Pice
Rupee