SPELLING
STANDARD 1.8 English Language Conventions w Level 3
PLURAL NOUNS
We've learned that a sentence must express a complete thought and that it needs a subject to do so. We’ve also learned that a simple subject is usually a single noun or “noun equivalent.” However, nouns can be categorized into different groups depending on certain characteristics called “properties.” One of those characteristics is called number. Number is the property that tells you if a noun names one, or more than one person, place, thing, or idea. Nouns have two numbers, called singular and plural.
- A singular noun names one person, place, thing, or idea.
- A plural noun names two or more people, places, things, or ideas.
There are certain rules for forming plural nouns with which you need to become completely familiar. They are as follows:
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Objective: Students will correctly spell words that have orthographic patterns when forming the plural.
Most plural nouns are formed by simply adding an -s to the end of the singular.
Example: rock, rocks
Nouns ending in -s, -ss, -sh, -x, -z, -zz, or ch always form plurals by adding -es.
Example: gas, gases / kiss, kisses / bush, bushes / fox, foxes / ditch, ditches
Some nouns that end in f or fe change the f to a v and add -es.
Example: loaf, loaves / wife, wives / leaf, leaves
For a few nouns that end in f or fe, simply add -s.
Example: café, cafés / roof, roofs
Nouns that end with a consonant + y change the y to an i and add -es.
Example: berry, berries / baby, babies
Nouns that end with a consonant + o are usually formed by adding -es.
Example: tomato, tomatoes (The plural form of zero can be spelled: zeros.)
Nouns that end with a vowel + o are usually formed by adding -s.
Example: trio, trios
Some singular nouns form the plural by changing the way they are spelled.
Example: foot, feet / mouse, mice / goose, geese / child, children
Other singular nouns are not changed in any way at all when forming plurals.
Example: deer / fish /
