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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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