Singular and plural nouns

A plural noun names more than one person, place, thing, or idea.

The farmers drove to the markets with the boxes.

​Plural nouns

A singular noun names one person, place, thing, or idea.

The farmer drove to the market with the box.

Singular nouns

You have learned that nouns are naming words.

Rules for forming plurals

​street - streets

house - houses

​Add -s to most singular nouns

Most singular nouns

​glass - glasses
box - boxes
church - churches
sash - sashes

​Add -es to singular nouns ending in s, x, ch, or sh

Nouns ending in s, x, ch, or sh

​valley - valleys
joy - joys

​Add -s to singular nouns ending with a vowel and y

Nouns ending with a vowel and y

city - cities
berry - berries

​Change the y to i and add -es

Nouns ending with a consonant and y

​Challenge

Match the singular nouns with the correct plural nouns. Use your dictionary to check your spelling.

Multiple Choice

ostrich

• ostrichs

• ostriches

• ostrichies

Multiple Choice

fox

• foxes

• foxs

• foxies

Multiple Choice

boss

• boss

• bosses

• bossies

Multiple Choice

dash

• dashies

• dashs

• dashes

Multiple Choice

alley

• allyes

• alliess

• alleys

Multiple Choice

family

• families

• familes

• familys

​life - lives
cliff - cliffs

​Change the f to v, add -es to some nouns, and -s to other nouns

Nouns ending in f or fe

rodeo - rodeos
studio - studios

​Add -s

Nouns ending with a vowel and o

solo - solos
piano - pianos
hero - heroes

​Add -s to some nouns
Add -es to other nouns

Nouns ending with a consonant and o

​foot - feet
woman - women
child - children
mouse - mice

Nouns that have special plural spellings

​trout - trout
deer - deer
sheep - sheep

Nouns that remain the same

​Match the singular nouns with the correct plural nouns. Use your dictionary to check your spelling.

Challenge

Multiple Choice

echo

• echoes

• echos

• echoies

Multiple Choice

moose

• moose

• mooses

• meese

Multiple Choice

knife

• knifes

• knives

• knivies

Multiple Choice

roof

• roofs

• rooves

• roofes

Multiple Choice

potato

• potatoies

• potatos

• potatoes

Multiple Choice

man

• mans

• men

• mens

Multiple Choice

tooth

• tooths

• toothsies

• teeth

Multiple Choice

deer

• deers

• deer

• deeries

Multiple Choice

zero

• zeroids

• zeros

• zeroes