Changing Nouns from Y to I

🔤 “When Y Turns Into I!”

Learning how to change nouns ending in -y to -ies

What Are We Learning Today?

Some nouns end with -y.
When we make them plural, the y changes to i and we add -es.

Example:

• baby → babies

• story → stories

This spelling rule helps the word look and sound correct.

The Rule

⭐ The Y to I Rule

If a noun ends in a consonant + y,
➡️ Change the y to i
➡️ Add -es

Examples:

• bunny → bunnies

• puppy → puppies

• candy → candies

• family → families

When Do We NOT Change Y?

If the noun ends with a vowel + y,
👉 we keep the y and just add -s.

Examples:

• key → keys

• toy → toys

• monkey → monkeys

• day → days

Tip: If the letter before y is a, e, i, o, or u, keep the y!

Try It Together!

Change these nouns to plural:

Singular	Plural
lady	ladies
ferry	ferries
berry	berries
party	parties
pony	ponies

Change Y or Keep Y?

Sort the words into two groups.

Words:
toy, puppy, candy, key, fairy, monkey, cherry, day

Y → I + es	Keep Y + s
puppy → puppies	toy → toys
candy → candies	key → keys
fairy → fairies	monkey → monkeys
cherry → cherries	day → days

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Multiple Choice

Choose the plural noun that is spelled correctly.

The (babies / babys) are sleeping.

• babies

• babys

Multiple Choice

Choose the plural noun that is spelled correctly.

We saw many (fairys / fairies) in the storybook.

• fairys

• fairies

Multiple Choice

Choose the plural noun that is spelled correctly.

I brought two (partys / parties) hats to school.

• partys

• parties

Multiple Choice

Choose the plural noun that is spelled correctly.

The (donkies / donkeys) were loud.

• donkies

• donkeys

Multiple Choice

Directions: Pick the correctly spelled plural noun.

Which is plural for baby is spelled correctly?

• babys

• babies

• babyes

• babyis

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct plural for puppy:

• puppys

• puppes

• puppies

• puppis

Multiple Choice

Which word changes from y → i when plural?

• toy

• key

• family

• day

Multiple Choice

Directions: Pick the correctly spelled plural noun.

Which plural for candy is correct?

• candys

• candies

• candeys

• candiyes

Multiple Choice

Choose the correctly spelled plural for fairy:

• fairies

• fairyies

• fairs

• fairees

Multiple Choice

Which word keeps the y when plural?

• story

• candy

• boy

• cherry

Multiple Choice

The ___ ran across the field.

• ponies

• ponys

• ponyes

• ponnies

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct plural:

lady

• ladyies

• ladys

• ladis

• ladies

Multiple Choice

Which noun becomes bunnies when plural?

• bunny

• bonnie

• bani

• buny

Multiple Choice

Which plural is written correctly?

• keys

• keis

• keies

• keyes