Rule Of Plural

• Rule#1

The plural of nouns is usually formed by adding -s to a singular noun.

Example:

lamp, lamps

house, houses

day, days

flower, flowers

fork, forks

book, books

• Rule#2

If there are nouns ending in -ch, -sh, -ss, -z, or -x, their plural by adding -es

Example:

beach, beaches

kiss, kisses

wish, wishes

buzz, buzzes

fox, foxes

If we add -s to such nouns ending -ch, -sh, -ss, -z, or -x, we will find that we can't  pronounce them without making an additional syllable. This is why such nouns form the plural by adding -es.

• Rule#3

If there are noun ending in -y preceded a consonant, their plural form will be changing -y with -ies.

Example:

fly, flies

theory, theories

lady, ladies

sky, skies

baby, babies

pony, ponies

But nouns ending in -y following by a vowel, their plural by adding -s.

Example:

buy, buys

guy, guys

day, days

donkey, donkeys

boy, boys

volley, volleys

• Rule#4

Most nouns ending -o following a consonant is formed into plural by adding -es.

Example:

hero, heroes

go, goes

buffalo, buffaloes

potato, potatoes

mango, mangoes

tomato, tomatoes

Most nouns ending in -o preceded by a vowel is formed into a plural by adding -s.

Example:

folio, folios

cameo, cameos

studio, studios

portofolio, portofolios

But if the noun word from the foreign origin or abbreviated, their plural form word by adding -s.

Example:

kimono, kimonos

momento, momentos

piano, pianos

kilo, kilos

lasso, lassos

soprano, sopranos

• Rule#5

Twelve nouns ending in -f or -fe, plural form by changing -f or -fe by -ves.

calf, calves

sheaf, sheaves

knife, knives

half, halves

self, selves

life, lives

thief, thieves

shelf, shelves

leaf, leaves

loaf, loaves

wolf, wolves

wife, wives

The noun hoof, scarf, and wharf take either -s or -ves in plural.

hoofs, hooves

scarfs, scarves

wharfs, wharves

And other words ending in -f or -fe add -s in plural form.

chief, chiefs

safe, safes

roof, roofs

grief, griefs

cliff, cliffs

handkerchief, handkerchief

• Rule#6

Irregular Plural

man, men

foot, feet

child, children

woman, women

ox, oxen

louse, lice

mouse, mice

tooth, teeth

goose, geeese

The following nouns have no singular, so the word is always plural.

scissors

dregs

bellows

oats

trousers

snuffers

measles

tweezers

tongs

pinchers

cattle

mumps

vespers

Some nouns are always singular, include names of certain creatures. Some of this noun may be used in the plural when they were in horde.

carp

gold

wheat

pike

silver

corn

salmon

sugar

molasses

• Rule#7

Collective noun such as crew, family, team, etc. can take a singular or plural form. We can take a singular form if we consider the word mean as a horde or group.

Our team is the winner.

And we can take plural form if the word mean a number of individuals.

Our team are wearing their new jerseys.

As well, a number of word ending -ics such as acoustics, athletics, ethics, hysterics, mathematics, physics, politics, etc.

• Rule#8

Word plural in form but have a singular meaning: news, certain diseases, certain games.

Example:

news

shingels

draughts

mumps

billiards

bowls

rickets

darts

dominoes

• Rule#9

Normally the last word is made plural:

boy friends, travel agents

But where man and woman is prefixed both parts are made plural:

men drivers, women drivers

The first word is made plural with compound formed of verb + er nouns + adv.

hangers-on, lookers-on, runners-up

Initial can be made plural:

MPs (Members of Parlement)

VIPs (Very Important Person)

OAPs (Old Age Pensioners)

UFOs (Unidentified Flying Object)

Singular nouns use this and that.

Plural nouns use these and those.

Source:

1. www.lovetolearnplace.com
2. A Practical English Grammar Fourth Edition, A.J. Thomson and A.V. Matinet.