Free English Grammar - Mary Ansell 2000
Chapter 13. Nouns: The formation of plurals
A noun is a word used as the name of a person or a thing. In the following examples, the nouns are underlined.
He opened the parcel.
She is a student.
The weather is warm.
A cat is sitting on the steps.
1. Proper nouns
Names of individual persons or things are referred to as proper nouns. In English, proper nouns must begin with a capital letter. The underlined words in the following sentences are proper nouns.
e.g. The capital of England is London.
My friend, George, is an American.
2. Countable nouns
Countable nouns are nouns which can form a plural, and which can be preceded by a, an, or a number. In the following examples, the countable nouns are underlined. e.g. A bus is coming.
You may need an umbrella.
Here are two books.
Twenty students are present.
3. The formation of plurals
In general, when a countable noun refers to two or more things, it must be put into the plural. In English, the plural of most countable nouns is formed by adding s. For example:
Singular
hat
letter
pencil
student
Plural
hats
letters
pencils
students
It has already been explained that a verb must agree with its subject. When the subject of a verb is a singular noun, the verb must be in the third person singular. The third person singular is the form of the verb used with the personal pronouns he, she, and it.
When the subject of a verb is a plural noun, the verb must be in the third person plural. The third person plural is the form of the verb used with the personal pronoun they. In the following examples, the verbs are printed in bold type and their subjects are underlined.
Singular Subject: The book is interesting.
Plural Subject: The books are interesting.
Singular Subject: A duck was flying overhead.
Plural Subject: Two ducks were flying overhead.
Singular Subject: One student lives here.
Plural Subject: Three students live here.
See Exercise 1.
a. Nouns ending in ch, s, sh, x or z
For nouns ending in ch, s, sh, x or z, the plural is formed by adding es. The reason for this is that these words would be difficult to pronounce if only s were added. The ending es is pronounced as a separate syllable. For example:
Singular
branch
match
bus
pass
dish
marsh
ax
fox
buzz
Plural
branches
matches
buses
passes
dishes
marshes
axes
foxes
buzzes
It should be noted that when a plural is formed by adding s to words ending in ce, ge, se or ze, the final es is pronounced as a separate syllable. For example:
Singular
place
voice
change
page
house
phrase
size
Plural
places
voices
changes
pages
houses
phrases
sizes
In each of the preceding examples, the singular noun consists of one syllable, whereas the plural noun consists two syllables.
See Exercise 2.
b. Nouns ending in y
Nouns ending in y preceded by a consonant usually form the plural by changing the y to i and adding es. For example:
Singular
candy
city
lady
story
Plural
candies
cities
ladies
stories
Nouns ending in y preceded by a vowel usually form the plural simply by adding s. For example:
Singular
boy
day
key
toy
Plural
boys
days
keys
toys
See Exercise 3.
c. Plurals of proper nouns
Proper nouns form plurals following the rules given above, except that proper nouns ending in y always form the plural simply by adding s, even when the y is preceded by a consonant. For example:
Singular
Jill
Tom
George
Grace
Jones
Max
May
Nancy
Sally
Plural
Jills
Toms
Georges
Graces
Joneses
Maxes
Mays
Nancys
Sallys
See Exercise 4.
d. Nouns ending in f or fe
Some English nouns ending in f or fe change the f to v when forming the plural. For instance, the following nouns ending in f form the plural by changing the f to v and adding es:
Singular
calf
elf
half
leaf
loaf
self
sheaf
shelf
thief
wolf
Plural
calves
elves
halves
leaves
loaves
selves
sheaves
shelves
thieves
wolves
In addition, the following nouns ending in fe form the plural by changing the f to v and adding s:
Singular
knife
life
wife
Plural
knives
lives
wives
There are also a few nouns ending in f which can form the plural in two different ways. For example:
Singular
hoof
scarf
staff
wharf
Plural
hoofs or hooves
scarfs or scarves
staffs or staves
wharfs or wharves
Most other nouns ending in f or fe form the plural simply by adding s.
See Exercise 5.
e. Nouns ending in о
Some English nouns ending in о form the plural by adding s, some form the plural by adding es, and some can form the plural by adding either s or es. The following fairly commonly used nouns form the plural by adding es:
Singular
archipelago
cargo
echo
hero
innuendo
mosquito
potato
tomato
tornado
torpedo
veto
volcano
Plural
archipelagoes
cargoes
echoes
heroes
innuendoes
mosquitoes
potatoes
tomatoes
tornadoes
torpedoes
vetoes
volcanoes
Most other nouns ending in о, particularly those of Spanish or Italian origin, can form the plural simply by adding s; however a good dictionary should be consulted in cases of doubt. For example:
Singular
albino
alto
casino
piano
radio
ratio
silo
solo
sombrero
soprano
studio
Plural
albinos
altos
casinos
pianos
radios
ratios
silos
solos
sombreros
sopranos
studios
See Exercise 6.
f. Foreign words
Many words from other languages have been adopted into the English language. Most of these form the plural by adding s or es, but some, particularly Greek and Latin words used for scientific purposes, form the plural in the same way that they do in the original language. For example:
Singular
analysis
axis
basis
crisis
criterion
honorarium
hypothesis
medium
nebula
nucleus
oasis
parenthesis
phenomenon
spectrum
stimulus
stratum
synopsis
synthesis
thesis
vertebra
Plural
analyses
axes
bases
crises
criteria
honoraria
hypotheses
media
nebulae
nuclei
oases
parentheses
phenomena
spectra
stimuli
strata
synopses
syntheses
theses
vertebrae
See Exercise 7.
g. Hyphenated nouns
In the case of nouns formed from two or more words joined by hyphens, usually only the last word forms a plural. However, there are a few cases in which only the first word forms a plural. For example:
Singular
brother-in-law
daughter-in-law
father-in-law
mother-in-law
runner-up
sister-in-law
son-in-law
Plural
brothers-in-law
daughters-in-law
fathers-in-law
mothers-in-law
runners-up
sisters-in-law
sons-in-law
h. Numbers and letters
Numbers, letters, and other symbols can form plurals by adding 's. For example:
Singular
3
b
%
Plural
3's
b's
%'s
i. Irregular plurals
The English language has not always used s to form plurals. There are still a few words surviving from Old English, which do not use s to form the plural. For example:
Singular
child
foot
goose
tooth
louse
mouse
ox
man
woman
Plural
children
feet
geese
teeth
lice
mice
oxen
men
women
Nouns ending in man usually form the plural by changing man to men. For example:
Singular
gentleman
policeman
policewoman
Plural
gentlemen
policemen
policewomen
A few nouns do not change in the plural. For example:
Singular
deer
sheep
salmon
Plural
deer
sheep
salmon
Exercises for Chapter 13
1. For each of the following sentences, change the subject of the verb to the plural, and change the verb so that it agrees with its subject. For example:
The room is large.
The rooms are large.
The letter was delivered yesterday.
The letters were delivered yesterday.
The tourist has a map.
The tourists have a map.
The girl studies hard.
The girls study hard.
1. The book was heavy.
2. The train has left.
3. The bird was singing.
4. The door was closed by the superintendent.
5. The shoe fits well.
6. The parcel is being opened.
7. The newspaper is read by many people.
8. The flame is flickering.
9. The ship has been sighted.
10. The street was being cleaned.
Answers
2. For each of the following sentences, change the subject of the verb to the plural, and change the verb so that it agrees with its subject. For example:
The beach is supervised by lifeguards.
The beaches are supervised by lifeguards.
The singer performs twice a week.
The singers perform twice a week.
The class was visiting the museum.
The classes were visiting the museum.
The vase has been filled with flowers.
The vases have been filled with flowers.
1. The box was empty.
2. The river flows to the sea.
3. The bush has grown in the last two months.
4. The hat was on sale.
5. The bench is made of stone.
6. The plant has been watered.
7. The hedge is being trimmed.
8. The process was invented last year.
9. The sketch is nearly finished.
10. The breeze was warm.
11. The wall is being painted.
12. The church is two hundred years old.
13. The bridge will soon be completed.
14. The carpet has been cleaned.
15. The branch is covered with ice.
Answers
3. For each of the following sentences, change the subject of the verb to the plural, and change the verb so that it agrees with its subject. For example:
The party was held downtown.
The parties were held downtown.
The society accomplishes a great deal.
The societies accomplish a great deal.
The day seemed long.
The days seemed long.
1. The berry was red.
2. The key was difficult to use.
3. The valley is very beautiful.
4. The eddy can be dangerous for swimmers.
5. The journey was undertaken by pilgrims.
6. The daisy was picked by the child.
7. The monkey is considered to be sacred.
8. The gully is full of water.
9. The boy ran to school.
10. The facility is open to the public.
11. The secretary works overtime.
12. The toy was being sold at a discount.
13. The tray is being piled high with dishes.
14. The dairy opens at nine o'clock.
15. The chimney has been repaired.
Answers
4. Rewrite each of the following sentences, adding the word two before the proper noun. Change the proper noun to the plural, and change the verb so that it agrees with its subject. For example:
Smith lives in this building.
Two Smiths live in this building.
Harry was nominated for the position.
Two Harrys were nominated for the position.
Alex is here.
Two Alexes are here.
1. Maurice is volunteering.
2. Jones was ordered to leave.
3. Harrison owns land.
4. Sandy has telephoned us.
5. Susan met us.
6. Trish is studying French.
7. Pat does well in school.
8. Liz has arrived early.
9. Jacky was making the cake.
10. Russ knows all the answers.
11. Eric is planning the party.
12. Terry has difficulty understanding Spanish.
Answers
5. For each of the following sentences, change the subject of the verb to the plural, and change the verb so that it agrees with its subject. For example:
The knife has been sharpened.
The knives have been sharpened.
The reef attracts tourists.
The reefs attract tourists.
The thief will be caught.
The thieves will be caught.
1. The leaf has turned red.
2. The fife had the solo.
3. The calf is hungry.
4. The scarf kept him warm.
5. The knife will be useful.
6. The giraffe was eating leaves.
7. The cliff is being explored by geologists.
8. The wolf howls every night.
9. The loaf is rising.
10. The chief will decide.
11. The shelf is being used.
12. The proof is convincing.
Answers
6. For each of the following sentences, change the subject of the verb to the plural, and change the verb so that it agrees with its subject. For example:
The hero was enthusiastically welcomed.
The heroes were enthusiastically welcomed.
The studio is used by many artists.
The studios are used by many artists.
1. The radio is broadcasting news every hour.
2. The tomato was being baked.
3. The mosquito woke us up.
4. The soprano performed with the orchestra.
5. The solo was played by the violinist.
6. The archipelago lies off the coast of South America.
7. The silo is used for storing corn.
8. The potato has been boiled.
9. The volcano is not active.
10. The casino was open until one o'clock in the morning.
11. The innuendo should be ignored.
12. The ratio has been favorable.
Answers
7. For each of the following sentences, change the subject of the verb to the plural, and change the verb so that it agrees with its subject. For example:
The hypothesis is still tentative.
The hypotheses are still tentative.
The nebula has been studied by many scientists.
The nebulae have been studied by many scientists.
The thesis will have been reviewed by experts.
The theses will have been reviewed by experts.
1. The synopsis is accurate.
2. The phenomenon surprised us.
3. The stratum contains fossils.
4. The analysis was proved correct.
5. The crisis has caused concern.
6. The spectrum includes many different colors of light.
7. The axis of rotation will be investigated.
8. The stimulus has been found to be effective.
9. The criterion was used to judge which proposals should be accepted.
10. The oasis is visited by many travelers.
11. The honorarium is being presented today.
12. The parenthesis was omitted.
Answers
8. For each of the following sentences, change the subject of the verb to the plural, and change the verb so that it agrees with its subject. For example:
The goose likes to eat daisies.
The geese like to eat daisies.
The ox was being led to the barn.
The oxen were being led to the barn.
The salmon has been caught by the bear.
The salmon have been caught by the bear.
1. The child is happy.
2. The sheep has been sheared.
3. The man was being given directions.
4. The deer is eating the hay.
5. The woman has visited us.
6. The mouse makes a great deal of noise at night.
7. The gentleman would like to have breakfast early.
8. The louse is a nuisance.
9. Your foot is size ten.
10. The fisherman has had a good season.
11. The tooth needs to be filled.
12. The policewoman was directing traffic.
Answers
Answers to the exercises for Chapter 13
Answers to Exercise 1:
1. The books were heavy. 2. The trains have left. 3. The birds were singing. 4. The doors were closed by the superintendent. 5. The shoes fit well. 6. The parcels are being
opened. 7. The newspapers are read by many people. 8. The flames are flickering. 9. The ships have been sighted. 10. The streets were being cleaned.
Answers to Exercise 2:
1. The boxes were empty. 2. The rivers flow to the sea. 3. The bushes have grown in the last two months. 4. The hats were on sale. 5. The benches are made of stone. 6. The plants have been watered. 7. The hedges are being trimmed. 8. The processes were invented last year. 9. The sketches are nearly finished. 10. The breezes were warm. 11. The walls are being painted. 12. The churches are two hundred years old. 13. The bridges will soon be completed. 14. The carpets have been cleaned. 15. The branches are covered with ice.
Answers to Exercise 3:
1. The berries were red. 2. The keys were difficult to use. 3. The valleys are very beautiful. 4. The eddies can be dangerous for swimmers. 5. The journeys were undertaken by pilgrims. 6. The daisies were picked by the child. 7. The monkeys are considered to be sacred. 8. The gullies are full of water. 9. The boys ran to school. 10. The facilities are open to the public. 11. The secretaries work overtime. 12. The toys were being sold at a discount. 13. The trays are being piled high with dishes. 14. The dairies open at nine о'clock. 15. The chimneys have been repaired.
Answers to Exercise 4:
1. Two Maurices are volunteering. 2. Two Joneses were ordered to leave. 3. Two Harrisons own land. 4. Two Sandys have telephoned us. 5. Two Susans met us. 6. Two Trishes are studying French. 7. Two Pats do well in school. 8. Two Lizes have arrived early. 9. Two Jackys were making the cake. 10. Two Russes know all the answers. 11. Two Erics are planning the party. 12. Two Terries have difficulty understanding Spanish.
Answers to Exercise 5:
1. The leaves have turned red. 2. The fifes had the solo. 3. The calves are hungry. 4. The scarfs kept him warm. or The scarves kept him warm. 5. The knives will be useful. 6. The giraffes were eating the leaves. 7. The cliffs are being explored by geologists. 8. The wolves howl every night. 9. The loaves are rising. 10. The chiefs will decide. 11. The shelves are being used. 12. The proofs are convincing.
Answers to Exercise 6:
1. The radios are broadcasting news every hour. 2. The tomatoes were being baked. 3. The mosquitoes woke us up. 4. The sopranos performed with the orchestra. 5. The solos were played by the violinist. 6. The archipelagoes lie off the coast of South America. 7. The silos are used for storing corn. 8. The potatoes have been boiled. 9. The volcanoes are not active. 10. The casinos were open until one o'clock in the morning. 11. The innuendoes should be ignored. 12. The ratios have been favorable.
Answers to Exercise 7:
1. The synopses are accurate. 2. The phenomena surprised us. 3. The strata contain fossils. 4. The analyses were proved correct. 5. The crises have caused concern. 6. The spectra include many different colors of light. 7. The axes of rotation will be investigated. 8. The stimuli have been found to be effective. 9. The criteria were used to judge which proposals should be accepted. 10. The oases are visited by many travelers. 11. The honoraria are being presented today. 12. The parentheses were
omitted.
Answers to Exercise 8:
1. The children are happy. 2. The sheep have been sheared. 3. The men were being given directions. 4. The deer are eating the hay. 5. The women have visited us. 6. The mice make a great deal of noise at night. 7. The gentlemen would like to have breakfast early. 8. The lice are a nuisance. 9. Your feet are size ten. 10. The fishermen have had a good season. 11. The teeth need to be filled. 12. The policewomen were directing traffic.