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12 Plurals
A. The plural
of a noun is usually made by adding s to the singular:
day, days dog, dogs house,
houses s is
pronounced /s/ after a p, k or f sound. Otherwise it is pronounced
Izl.
When s is placed after ce, ge, se or
ze an extra syllable (/iz/) is added to the spoken word.
Other plural forms
B. Nouns ending in o or ch, sh, ss or x
form their plural by adding es:
tomato, tomatoes brush, brushes box, boxes
church, churches kiss,
kisses
But words of foreign origin or
abbreviated words ending in o add s
only:
dynamo, dynamos kimono,
kimonos piano, pianos kilo, kilos photo,
photos soprano, sopranos
When es is placed after ch, sh, ss
or x an extra syllable (/iz/) is added
to the spoken word
C. Nouns
ending in y following a consonant form their plural by dropping the y and adding
ies'
baby, babies country,
countries fly, flies lady, ladies
Nouns ending in y following a vowel
form their plural by adding s-
boy, boys day, days
donkey, donkeys guy, guys
D. Twelve nouns ending in f or fe drop the
f or fe and add ves
These nouns are
calf, half, knife, leaf, life, loaf, self, sheaf,
shelf, thief, wife, wolf:
loaf, loaves wife, wives
wolf, wolves etc
The nouns hoof, scarf and wharf take
either s or ves in the plural: hoofs or hooves scarfs
or scarves wharfs or
wharves
Other words ending in f or fe add s in the
ordinary way: cliff, cliffs
handkerchief, handkerchiefs safe, safes
E. A few nouns
form their plural by a vowel change:
foot, feet louse,
lice mouse, mice woman, women
goose, geese man, men
tooth, teeth
The plurals of child and ox are
children, oxen.
F. Names of
certain creatures do not change in the plural fish is normally unchanged,
fishes exists but is uncommon. Some types of fish do not normally change
m the plural:
carp pike
salmon trout
cod plaice
squid turbot
mackerel
but if used in a plural sense they
would take a plural verb. Others add s:
crabs herrings sardines
eels lobsters sharks
deer
and sheep do not
change: one sheep, two sheep. Sportsmen who shoot duck, partridge,
pheasant etc. use the same form for singular and plural But other people
normally add s for the plural: ducks,
partridges, pheasants.
The word game, used by
sportsmen to mean an animal/animals hunted, is always in the singular,-and takes
a singular verb
G. A few other
words don't change-
aircraft, craft
(boat/boats) quid
(slang for £1)
counsel
(barristers working in court)
Some measurements and numbers do not
change (see chapter 36). For uncountable nouns, see 13
H. Collective
nouns, crew, family, team etc., can take a singular or plural verb;
singular if we consider the word to mean a single group or unit:
Our team is the best
or plural if we take it to mean a
number of individuals:
Our team are wearing their new
jerseys.
When a possessive adjective is
necessary, a plural verb with their is more usual than a singular verb
with its, though sometimes both are possible:
The jury is considenng its verdict.
The jury are considenng their
verdict
I. Certain
words are always plural and take a plural verb:
clothes police
garments consisting of two parts:
breeches pants pyjamas
trousers etc and
tools and instruments consisting of two parts:
binoculars pliers
scissors spectacles
glasses
scales shears
etc.
Also certain other words including:
arms
(weapons) particulars
damages
(compensation)
premises/quarters
earnings nches
goods/wares
savings
greens
(vegetables)
spirits (alcohol)
grounds stairs
outskirts surroundings
pains
(trouble/effort) valuables
J.
A number of words ending in ics,
acoustics, athletics, ethics, hysterics, mathematics, physics, politics etc
, which are plural in form, normally take a plural verb
His mathematics are weak
But names of sciences can sometimes
be considered singular:
Mathematics is an exact science
K. Words plural in form but singular in meaning include
news:
The news is good
certain diseases:
mumps rickets shingles
and certain games.
billiards darts draughts
bowls dominoes
L. Some words
which retain their original Greek or Latin forms make their plurals according to
the rules of Greek and Latin'
crisis, crises I
kraisis/, /'kraisnz/
phenomenon, phenomena erratum,
errata radius, radii
memorandum,
memoranda terminus, termini
oasis, oases
/au'eisis/, /au'eisrz/
But some follow the English rules
dogma, dogmas gymnasium,
gymnasiums
formula, formulas
(though formulae is used by
scientists)
Sometimes there are two plural forms
with different meanings appendix, appendixes or appendices
(medical terms) appendix, appendices (addition/s to a book) index,
indexes (in books), indices (in mathematics)
Musicians usually prefer Italian plural forms for
Italian musical terms: libretto,
libretti tempo, tempi
But s is also possible,
librettos, tempos.
M. Compound nouns
1. Normally
the last word is made plural:
boy-friends break-ins
travel agents
But where man and woman is prefixed
both parts are made plural: men
drivers women drivers
2, The first
word is made plural with compounds formed of verb + er nouns + adverbs:
hangers-on lookers-on
runners-up
and with compounds composed of noun + preposition + noun:
ladies-in-waiting sisters-in-law wards
of court
3. Initials
can be made plural:
MPs
(Members of Parliament) VIPs
(very important persons) OAPs (old age pensioners) UFOs
(unidentified flying objects)
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