-----Noun-Number-----

Q. : What is Number?
Ans. : Number is that form of a word that tell us whether person, place or thing denoted by the word is one or more than one.
In English numbers are divided into only two groups.

1). SINGULAR NUMBER :-

A Noun that denotes a single person, place or thing is called to be in the “SINGULAR NUMBER”.

2). PLURAL NUMBER :-

A Noun that denotes two or more than two persons, places or things is called to be in the “PLURAL NUMBER”.

As :-

Singular Noun	Plural Noun	Singular Noun	Plural Noun
Boy	Boys	Girl	Girls
Man	Men	Woman	Women
Pen	Pens	Book	Books
Goose	Geese	Mouse	Mice
Foot	Feet	Tooth	Teeth
Brother-in-law	Brothers-in-law	Sister-in-law	Sisters-in-law
Dictionary	Dictionaries	Baby	Babies
Photo	Photoes	Piano	Pianoes
Wife	Wives	Knife	Knives
Gulf	Gulfs	Chief	Chiefs

The table shows singular and plural.

Rules for Changing Singular to Plural :-

If you want to learn how to change the “Singular Noun” into “Plural Noun” the following rules will help you.

Rule 1 :-

Some Nouns form their “PLURAL” by having “s” at the end.

As :-

Singular Noun	Plural Noun	Singular Noun	Plural Noun
Boy	Boys	Girl	Girls
Pan	Pans	Pen	Pens
Hand	Hands	Book	Books
Computer	Computers	Blog	Blogs
Table	Tables	Chair	Chairs
Brother	Brothers	Sister	Sisters
Cat	Cats	Dog	Dogs
Animal	Animals	Mind	Minds
Owl	Owls	Hack	Hacks
Student	Students	School	Schools

Rule 2 :-

Nouns ending with “s”, “sh”, “ss”, “ch” and “x” form their “PLURAL” by having “es” at the end.

As :-

Singular Noun	Plural Noun	Singular Noun	Plural Noun
Gas	Gases	Bus	Buses
Ass	Asses	Class	Classes
Fox	Foxes	Box	Boxes
Watch	Watches	Church	Churches
Apex	Apexes	Index	Indexes
Canvas	Canvases	Yes	Yeses
Coach	Coaches	Switch	Switches
Fix	Fixes	Tax	Taxes
Dish	Dishes	Brush	Brushes
Match	Matches	Peach	Peaches

Rule 3 :-

Nouns in which the ending consonants “c & h” both are pronounced as “/ k /” instead of “/ tʃ /” form their “PLURAL” by having “s” at the end. Basically these words are added to English language from other languages such as “Scottish”, “Latin” and “French”.

As :-

Singular Noun	Plural Noun	Singular Noun	Plural Noun
Clarsach	Clarsachs	Cromlech	Cromlechs
Triptych	Triptychs	Diptych	Diptychs
Epoch	Epochs	Eunuch	Eunuchs
Hemistich	Hemistichs	Loch	Lochs
Matriarch	Matriarchs	Patriarch	Patriarchs
Czech	Czechs	Monarch	Monarchs
Oligarch	Oligarchs	Pibroch	Pibrochs
Sassenach	Sassenachs	Stomach	Stomachs
Tech	Techs

This table shows all the Nouns in which the ending consonants “c & h” both are pronounced as “/ k /” not as “/ tʃ /”.

Rule 4 :-

Nouns ending with “o” and the ending “o” is preceded by any consonant form their “PLURAL” by having “es” at the end.

As :-

Singular Noun	Plural Noun	Singular Noun	Plural Noun
Hero	Heroes	Go	Goes
Potato	Potatoes	Tomato	Tomatoes
Echo	Echoes	Embargo	Embargoes
Torpedoes	Torpedoes	Veto	Vetoes
Jingo	Jingoes	No	Noes
Bubo	Buboes	Dingo	Dingoes
Domino	Dominoes	Fatso	Fatsoes
Gusto	Gustoes	Stomach	Stomachs
Tech	Techs

Exception :Babygro Do(A party/A social event)
1 We add (S) to the common nouns ending
with (O).
2. We add (S) to the short forms
Nouns ending with (O).
3. We add (S) to the LOAN WORDS ending with (O).
(Loan words are those words that have come from another languages with no change of spelling.)
4. We add (S) to the words that are newer to English and end with (O).

Rule 5 :-

In the Nouns ending with “y” preceded by a consonant we replace “y” with “ies”to form their “PLURAL”.

As :-

Singular Noun	Plural Noun	Singular Noun	Plural Noun
Cry	Cries	Pony	Ponies
Family	Families	City	Cities
Country	Countries	Box	Boxes
Dictionary	Dictionaries	Reply	Replies
Fly	Flies	Lady	Ladies
Army	Armies	Enemy	Enemies
Baby	Babies	Story	Stories
Cherry	Cherries	Navy	Navies
Bevy	Bevies	Body	Bodies
Envy	Envies	Duty	Duties

Rule 6 :-

In the Nouns ending with “y” preceded by a vowel we add “s” to that Noun to form the “PLURAL”.

As :-

Singular Noun	Plural Noun	Singular Noun	Plural Noun
Boy	Boys	Toy	Toys
Way	Ways	Day	Days
Ray	Rays	Key	Keys
Monkey	Monkeys	Donkey	Donkeys
Journey	Journeys	Valley	Valleys
Army	Armies	Enemy	Enemies
Bay	Bays	Storey	Storeys
Prey	Preys	Tray	Trays
Buoy	Buoys	Guy	Guys

Note :-

In English there are three Nouns ending with “quy”. To make the “PLURAL” of these three words we remove the “y” in the end and add “ies”. These three words are :-

Singular Noun	Plural Noun	Singular Noun	Plural Noun
Colloquy	Colloquies	Obloquy	Obloquies
Soliloquy	Soliloquies	-------	-------

Rule 7 :-

In the Nouns ending with “double vowel” we add “s” to that Noun to form the “PLURAL”.

As :-

Singular Noun	Plural Noun	Singular Noun	Plural Noun
Tree	Trees	Radio	Radios
Bee	Bees	Sea	Seas
Studio	Studios	Tattoo	Tattoos
Zoo	Zoos	Stereo	Stereos
Cuckoo	Cuckoos	Cameo	Cameos
Portfolio	Portfolios	Woe	Woes
Bamboo	Bamboos	Queue	Queues
Antique	Antiques	Cheque	Cheques
Canoe	Canoes	Flea	Fleas

Rule 8 :-

Nouns ending with “f” or “fe” are made “PLURAL” by adding “s” at the end of that Noun or by replacing “f” with “ves”. The next question is, “Where to use “s” and where to use “ves” to form the plural.” For this we can follow some helpful steps given below.

Rule 8 a :-

Nouns ending with “ff” are made “PLURAL” by adding “s” at the end of that Noun.

As :-

Singular Noun	Plural Noun	Singular Noun	Plural Noun
Bailiff	Bailiffs	Buff	Buffs
Cliff	Cliffs	Cuff	Cuffs
Rebuff	Rebuffs	Sniff	Sniffs
Tariff	Tariffs	Plaintiff	Plaintiffs

Rule 8 b :-

Nouns ending with “lf” are made “PLURAL” by replacing “f” at the end of that Noun with “ves”. The only exception to this rule is Gulf = Gulfs.

As :-

Singular Noun	Plural Noun	Singular Noun	Plural Noun
Bookshelf	Bookshelves	Calf	Calves
Elf	Elves	Half	Halves
Shelf	Shelves	Self	Selves
Werewolf	Werewolves	Wolf	Wolves

Rule 8 c :-

Nouns ending with “mf” are made “PLURAL” by adding “s” at the end of that Noun.

As :-

Singular Noun	Plural Noun	Singular Noun	Plural Noun
Bumf	Bumfs	------	------

Rule 8 d :-

Nouns ending with “of” or “oof” are made “PLURAL” by adding “s” at the end of that Noun. The only exceptions to this rule are :-
1).Hoof = Hoofs/Hooves
2). Yoof = Yooves

As :-

Singular Noun	Plural Noun	Singular Noun	Plural Noun
Goof	Goofs	Hoof	Hoofs
Poof	Poofs	Prof	Profs
Proof	Proofs	Roof	Roofs
Spoof	Spoofs	Woof	Woofs

Rule 8 e :-

Nouns ending with “rf” are made “PLURAL” by adding either “s” or “ves” at the end of that Noun.

As :-

Singular Noun	Plural Noun	Plural Noun
Dwarf	Dwarfs	Dwarves
Scarf	Scarfs	Scarves
Turf	Turfs	Turves
Wharf	Wharfs	Wharves

The only exceptions to this rule are :-
1).Serf = Serfs
2). Surf = Surfs
3). Headscarf = Headscarves

Rule 9 :-

The following 8 Nouns form their “PLURAL” by a change of the inside vowel.

As :-

Singular Noun	Plural Noun	Singular Noun	Plural Noun
Man	Men	Woman	Women
Foot	Feet	Goose	Geeese
Mouse	mice	Louse	Lice
Dormouse	Dormice	Tooth	Teeth

Rule 10 :-

The following 4 Nouns form their “PLURAL” by adding “ren” “en” “ne”.

As :-

Singular Noun	Plural Noun	Singular Noun	Plural Noun
Child	Children	Brother	Brotheren
Ox	Oxen	Cow	Kine

Rule 11 :-

Compound Nouns generally form their “PLURAL” by adding “s” to the head word (main word about which we are talking).

As :-

Singular Noun	Plural Noun	Singular Noun	Plural Noun
Brother-in-law	Brothers-in-law	Sister-in-law	Sisters-in-law
Step-mother	Step-mothers	Step-father	Step-fathers

Exceptions to this rule are :-
1).Man servant = Men servants
2). Woman servant = Women servants
3). Lord justice = Lords justices
4). Knight Templar = Knights Templars

But Compound Nouns written without a hyphen form their “PLURAL” by having “s” at the end.

As :-

1).Handful = Handfuls
2). Mouthful = Mouthfuls

Plural of Foreign Words

1). If the word ending in “a” is Latin in origin, the plural ending tends to be -ae.
Words that always take the Latin plural :-

Larva = Larvae
Alumna = Alumnae
Vertebra = Vertebrae

Some other Latin words ending in “a” take either Latin or English plurals:-

Amoeba = Amoebas / Amoebae
Formula = Formulas / Formulae
Cicada = Cicadas / Cicadae
Tibia = Tibias / Tibiae
Trachea = Tracheas / Tracheae
Verruca = Verrucas / Verrucae


2). Greek words ending in “es” do not change in the plural. To express their plural we use the following way :-

One Series = Two Series/Several Series
One Species = Two Species/ Several Species

3). If the word ending in “ix” or “ex” is Latin in origin, we change the ending “ix” or “ex” with “ices”.

Matrix = Matrices
Codex = Codices
Index= Indices

4). Some Greek words ending in “on” always take the English -s ending in the plural:-

Electron=Electrons
Lexicon=Lexicons
Neutron=Neutrons
Proton=Protons
Skeleton =Skeletons

5). Some take either the English “s” plural or the Greek “a” plural :-

Automaton = Automatons/Automata
Phenomenon = Phenomenons/Phenomena

6). Some can take only the Greek “a” plural :-

Criterion = Criteria
Ephemeron = Ephemera

7). Some words ending in “um” always take the Latin “a” ending in the plural :-

Addendum = Addenda
Erratum = Errata
Ovum = Ova
Bacterium =Bacteria

8). Other words ending in “um” take either English “s” or Latin “a” ending in the plural :-

Memorandum = Memorandums / Memoranda
Stratum = Stratums / Strata
Forum = Forums / Fora
Gymnasium = Gymnasiums / Gymnasia

9). Some words ending in “um” always take the English “s” ending in the plural :-

Album = Albums
Asylum = Asylums
Museum = Museums
Pendulum = Pendulums
Premium = Premiums

10). Many words ending in “us” always take the English “es” ending in the plural :-

Census = Censuses
Circus = Circuses
Hiatus = Hiatuses
Prospectus = Prospectuses
Sinus = Sinuses
Virus = Viruses
Apparatus = Apparatuses

11). While with some words ending in “us”, the Latin “i” is usually preferable in the plural:-

Cactus = Cacti
Narcissus = Narcissi
Radius = Radii
Alumnus = Alumni
Bacillus = Bacilli
Fungus = Fungi
Stimulus = Stimuli

MISCELLANEOUS

Axis = Axes
Crisis = Crises
Analysis = Analyses
Basis = Bases
Hypothesis = Hypotheses
Madame (Madam) = Mesdames
Curriculum = Curricula
Synopsis = Synopses
Thesis = Theses
Agenda = Agendas
Medium = Media
Datum = Data(Now a days DATUM is rarely used as singular.)

Some Other Rules

Rule 1 :-

Some nouns have two plural forms. Both the plural forms have a different meaning :-

As :-

Brother

1). Brothers = Sons of the same parents.
2). Brethren = Members of a society or community.

Cloth

1). Cloths = Kinds or pieces of cloth.
2). Clothes = Garments.

Die

1). Dies = Stamps for coins .
2). Dice = Small cubes used in a game.

Staff

1). Staves = Walking sticks or the lines used in music.
2). Staffs = Employees of an organization .

Penny

1). Pennies = Number of coins
2). Pence = Sum of money

Some nouns have different meanings in their singular and plural forms :-

As :-

Singular Meaning	Plural Meaning
Advice = Counsel	Advices = Information
Air = An invisible gaseous substance surrounding the earth	Airs = Annoyingly affected and condescending manner