NOUNS: NUMBER
Number: In nouns, number means the method representing whether we are talking of one thing or of more than one. Language has two numbers – Singular and Plural. The singular number shows that one thing is meant; the plural, more than one.
There are only two numbers in English:
1. Singular Number
2. Plural Number
1. Singular Number : A noun is singular in number, when it indicates only one person, object or thing.
Example: a man, a girl, a boy, a kite, a chair, and so on.
2. Plural Number : A noun is plural in number, when it points to more than one person or thing.
Example: four mangoes, two horses, ten books, and so on.
Example: table – tables Book – Books
GET FREE Study Material For CTET 2020 Exam
However, the plural of some nouns are made differently. Such nouns are called Irregular nouns.
Ways of forming the plural of nouns:
Rule– 1:
Singular |
Plural | Singular |
Plural |
Chair |
Chairs | Cow | Cow |
Rose | Roses | Pen |
Pens |
Window |
Windows | Table | Tables |
Shop | Shops | Cap |
Caps |
Book |
Books | Bottle | Bottles |
Boy | Boys | Coat |
Coats |
Desk |
Desks |
Rule– 2:
Noun ending in -s, -ss, -x, -sh or -ch form their plurals by adding -es to the singular.
Singular |
Plural | Singular |
Plural |
Ass |
Asses | Watch |
Watches |
Loss |
Losses | Fish |
Fishes |
Box |
Boxes | Fox |
Foxes |
Class |
Classes | Dress |
Dresses |
Dish |
Dishes | Bush |
Bushes |
Branch |
Branches | Bunch |
Bunches |
Match |
Matches | lash |
Lashes |
Practice English Quiz with CTET Latest Study Plan For 60 Days
Rule – 3:
If the noun ends in -y and the -y has a consonant before it, its plural is formed by changing -y into -ies.
Singular |
Plural | Singular |
Plural |
Army |
Armies | Fairy | Fairies |
Baby | Babies | Story |
Stories |
City |
Cities | Lady | Ladies |
Country | Countries | Family |
Families |
Duty |
Duties | Copy | Copies |
Reply | Replies | Fly |
Flies |
Rule – 4:
But if the noun ends in -y and the -y has a vowel before it, its plural is formed by adding -s to the singular.
Singular |
Plural | Singular |
Plural |
Boy |
Boys | Toy | Toys |
Monkey | Monkeys | Day |
Days |
Donkey |
Donkeys | Way | Ways |
Joy | Joys | Valley |
Valleys |
How to Learn English For Teaching Exams
Rule – 5:
Noun ending in -f or -fe form their plurals by changing -f or -fe into -ves.
Singular |
Plural | Singular | Plural |
Thief | Thieves | Wolf |
Wolves |
Life |
Lives | Knife | Knives |
Loaf | Loaves | Wife |
Wives |
Half |
Halves | Elf |
Elves |
Rule – 6:
But the following nouns form their plural by simply adding -s to the singular.
Singular |
Plural | Singular | Plural |
Dwarf | Dwarfs | Roof |
Roofs |
Chief |
Chiefs | Proof | Proofs |
Gulf | Gulfs | Belief |
Beliefs |
English Study Notes For All Teaching Exams
Rule – 7:
Nouns ending in –o; if they have a consonant before them generally form their plural by adding -es to the singular.
Singular |
Plural | Singular | Plural |
Hero | Heroes | Potato |
Potatoes |
Mango |
Mangoes | Mosquito | Mosquitoes |
Cargo | Cargoes | Volcano |
Volcanoes |
Rule – 8:
But the nouns ending in -oo form their plurals by adding -s to the singular as bamboo – bamboos (The plurals of piano, photo, dynamo are pianos, photos, dynamos).
Rule – 9:
Some nouns form their plurals by a change of inside vowels.
Singular |
Plural | Singular | Plural |
Foot | Feet | Mouse |
Mice |
Goose |
Geese | Tooth | Teeth |
Man |
Men | Woman |
Women |
Child | Children | Ox |
Oxen |
More CTET English Quizzes Attempt Here
Rule – 10:
The singular nouns having two or more words are changed into plural by changing the principal word into plural form.
Singular |
Plural | Singular |
Plural |
Maid – servant |
Maids – servant | Father – in – law |
Fathers – in – law |
Man of – war |
Men of – war | Step – son |
Step – sons |
Commander in – chief |
Commanders in – chief | Washer man |
Washer men |
Son – in law |
Sons – in law | Passer – by |
Passers – by |
Rule -11:
Some nouns remain same in their both singular forms. (cattle – cattle)
Singular | Plural | Singular | Plural |
Duty | Duty | Deer | Deer |
Aircraft | Aircraft | Swine | Swine |
Equipment | Equipment | Sheep | Sheep |