Form and use plurals: review
Key notes:
Definition of Plurals:
- Plurals indicate that there is more than one person, animal, thing, or concept.
Regular Plurals:
Most nouns form their plural by adding -s or -es.
Example:
- Dog → Dogs
- Cat → Cats
- Bus → Buses
- Box → Boxes
Nouns Ending in -y:
For nouns ending in a consonant followed by -y, change -y to -ies.
Example:
- Baby → Babies
- City → Cities
If a noun ends in a vowel followed by -y, simply add -s.
Example:
- Key → Keys
- Toy → Toys
Nouns Ending in -f or -fe:
Many nouns that end in -f or -fe change to -ves in their plural form.
Example:
- Leaf → Leaves
- Wolf → Wolves
Exceptions include:
- Roof → Roofs
- Chef → Chefs
Irregular Plurals:
Some nouns have unique plural forms that do not follow standard rules.
Example:
- Child → Children
- Man → Men
- Woman → Women
- Mouse → Mice
- Goose → Geese
Unchanging Plurals:
Certain nouns remain the same in both singular and plural forms.
Example:
- Sheep → Sheep
- Deer → Deer
- Species → Species
Collective Nouns:
Collective nouns refer to groups but may be treated as singular or plural depending on the context.
Example:
- The team is winning (singular).
- The team are wearing their new uniforms (plural).
Using Plurals in Sentences:
Ensure subject-verb agreement when using plural nouns.
Example:
- The dogs bark loudly. (plural subject with plural verb)
- The cat sleeps. (singular subject with singular verb)
Practice Activities:
- Convert singular nouns to plural forms.
- Identify and correct errors in plural usage within sentences.
- Use plural nouns in writing to reinforce understanding.
Let’s practice!✒️
