The English language has both regular and irregular plural forms of nouns. There are rules for both the regular and irregular forms.
There is no easy way to remember the irregular plural nouns, so they will just have to be memorized.
Regular plural forms of nouns
1. The most common case is when you need to add -s to the noun.
For example: one pear – three pears.
2. Nouns that end with s, x, ch or sh, where you add –es
For example: one box – three boxes.
3. Nouns that end with consonant + y, where you change the y with i and add -es
For example: one enemy – three enemies.
Irregular plural forms of nouns
There are eight basic cases of irregular plural form of nouns:
1. Nouns that end with -o, where you add -es.
For example: one potato - four potatoes.
2. Nouns ending with -is, where you change -is to -es.
For example: one crisis - two crises.
3. Nouns ending with -f, where you change –f to -v and add -es.
For example: one wolf - five wolves.
4. Nouns ending with -fe, where you change -f to -v and add -s.
For example: one life – three lives.
5. Nouns ending with -us, where you change -us to -i.
For example: one fungus – six fungi.
6. Nouns that contain -oo, change -oo to -ee.
For example: one foot - two feet.
7. Nouns that end with -on, where you change -on with -a.
For example: phenomenon - phenomena.
8. Nouns that don’t change.
For example: sheep, deer, fish, series.
We offer some free plural nouns worksheets for kindergarten students in our worksheet center.
