The 33 rules of pluralization|| singular and plural nouns || Concept of Number in English grammar || Rules to form Plurals || by sahil sharifdin English

Crash course in English language

Part 10

Topic : The 33 rules of pluralization :

I) WHAT IS "NUMBER" IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE?
_Number in English language indicates whether a noun is one or more than one in number. If a noun indicates one person or thing, it is called singular noun and if it indicates more than one person or thing, it is called plural noun. In English language, one plus a fraction is also considered a plural noun. For example ; one and a half cakes, not one and a half cake. Or, one and a quarter hours, not one and a quarter hour.
Some examples :
Singular            plural
Book                  Books
Boy                    Boys
Apple                Apples
Tooth                 Teeth
Goose                Geese
Stratum             strata
D                         D's
7                         7's
MA                    MAs
Crisis                 crises

II) List of nouns having two plurals :

Cactus _ cacti/cactuses
Focus_ Foci/focuses
Bandit _ Banditti/Bandits
Index_ indexes / indices
Fungus_ fungi/funguses
Nucleus_ nuclei/ nucleuses
Radius_ Radii/radiuses
Stylus _ Styli/styluses
Syllabus _ syllabi/syllabuses
Terminus_ termini/terminuses
Automaton_ automatons/automata
Antenna _antenae/antennas
Formula _ formulae/ formulas
Nebula _ nebulae/ nebulas
Vertebra _ vertebrae/ vertebras
Plateau _ plateaus /plateaux
Bureau _ bureaus / bureaux
Governor-General__Governor-Generals/governors-General
Cow_kine/cows
Brother_ brethren /brothers
Calico_ calicos/calicoes
Hoof _ hoofs/hooves
Mosquito _ mosquitos / mosquitoes
Money _ monies /moneys
Banjo_ banjos/banjoes
Cargo _cargos/cargoes
Halo_halos/haloes
Mango_ Mangos/Mangoes
Maestro_ Maestros/maestri
Scarf_ scarfs / scarves
Medium _media /mediums
Volcano _ volcanos / volcanoes
Appendix _appendices/appendixes

III) The 33 rules of pluralization :

RULE No. 1  Adding "s" to the singular :
Hand _ Hands
Book _ Books
Boy_ boys

RULE NO. 2, Adding "es" to the singular nouns ending in S, SS, X, SH, CH or Z :
Gas _ gases
Glass_ Glasses
Box_ boxes
Bush _ bushes
Bench _ benches
Blitz _Blitzes

Rule No. 3,  If "CH" gives "k" sound, add "S", not "ES" :
Monarch _ Monarchs
Stomach _ Stomachs

Rule No. 4, Changing  "Y" into " ies" if  Y is preceded by a consonant :
Army_ Armies
Baby_ babies
Study _ studies

Rule No. 5,  changing "Y" into "S" if Y is preceded by a vowel :
Day _ days
Monkey _ monkeys
Toy _ toys 

Rule No. 6, changing " quy" into "quies" :
Colloquy _ colloquies
Soliloquy _ soliloquies
Obsequy _ obsequies 

Rule No. 7, changing "O" into "es" if O is preceded by a consonant :
Buffalo _ buffaloes
Echo _ echoes
Negro_ negroes
Tomato _ tomatoes
Mango_ mangoes
Hero _heroes

EXCEPTIONS :
Photo_ photos
Piano_ pianos

Rule No. 8, Adding "s" to singular nouns ending in "EO", "io", "oo" or "yo" :
Studio _ Studios
Bamboo _ Bamboos
Cuckoo _ cuckoos

Exceptions :
Calico _ calicoes /calicos
Portico_ porticoes/ porticos 

Rule No. 9, proper nouns ending in "O" and used as common nouns take "S" :
Galileo _ Galileos
Nero _ Neros

Rule No. 10,  changing "F" or "fe" into  "ves" :
Calf _ calves
Life _ lives
Knife _ knives 
Exceptions :
Chief _ chiefs
Proof _ proofs
Still life _ still lifes

Rule No. 11, Changing internal vowels :
Man _ men
Foot_ feet
Mouse _ mice
Goose _ geese

Rule No. 12,  Nouns ending in "man" take "s" :
Brahman_ Brahmans
Roman_ Romans
Talisman _ talismans

Rule No. 13, Adding "en" or "ren" :
Ox_oxen
Child_ children

Rule No. 14, Adding  "s" to the principal word :
Brother-in-law _ Brothers-in-law
Commander-in-chief__ commanders-in-chief
Land lady _ Land ladies 
Boyfriend - boyfriends
Exceptions:
Lord justice _ Lords justices
Man servant _ Men servants 
Man driver - men drivers
Woman doctor - women doctors

Rule No. 15, Irregular plurals 
Mr _ Messrs
Mrs _ Mesdames
Miss _ Misses
Miss khanna _ Miss khannas / misses khanna 

Rule No. 16, Adding ('S)  or (s) to form Plural of digits, letters and acronyms  :
7 _ 7's
D_ D' s
1990- 1990's
T_ T's
MA_ MA's /MAs

Exceptions :
P _ PP (pages)
L_ LL ( lines)

Rule No. 17, If the principal word in a compound noun is a Verb, add "S" at the end of the word:
Hold-all __ Hold-alls
Go-between __Go-betweens
Runaway _ Runaways

Rule No. 18, Foreign singular nouns ending in "Um" take "a" in plural :
Addendum _ addenda
Bacterium _ bacteria
Ovum _ ova
Stratum _ strata
Memorandum _ memoranda
Curriculum _ curricula 

Exceptions :
Album _ albums
Asylum_ asylums
Museum _ museums
Referendum _ referendums

Rule No. 19,  singular nouns end in "is" change into "es" in plural form :
Analysis _ Analyses
Axis _ Axes
Basis_ bases
Crisis _ crises
Synthesis _ syntheses
synopsis_ synopses 

Rule No. 20, singular nouns ending in "US" take "i" or "uses" in plural :
Focus _ foci
Locus _ loci
Syllabus _ syllabi / syllabuses
Radius _ Radii / Radiuses 

Rule No. 21,  some Foreign plurals end in "Ae" :
Antenna _ Antennae
Formula _ formulae
Nebula _ nebulae
Vertebra _ vertebrae 

Rule No. 22,  Same form in both the numbers :
Deer _ deer
Sheep _ sheep
Species _ species
Fish_ fish

Rule No. 23, Nouns always used as SINGULAR :
Furniture, information, offspring, poetry, scenery, vacation, audience, fruit,
Exceptions :
We enjoyed winter vacation.
We enjoyed winter and summer vacations.
I target TV audience.
I target TV, FACEBOOK and Twitter audiences.
The fruit of kashmir is cheap.
The fruits of kashmir, France and Shimla are cheap.

Rule No. 24, Nouns always used as Plural :
A) Tools consisting of two parts : Bellows, arms (weapons), fetters, pincers, scissors, tongs, shears, spectacles etc
B) Articles of dress : Breeches, drawers, shoes, pantaloons, socks, shorts, trousers, stockings etc
C) Diseases : Measles, mumps
D) parts of body : Bowels, intestines
E) Other nouns :  Alms, annals, ashes, assets, auspices, cares, quarters, premises, contents, proceeds, riches, thanks, pains, odds, earnings, vegetables etc

Rule No. 25, Nouns plural in form but singular in use :
News, gallows, mathematics, politics, summons, innings,
This news is bad.
He received a summons.

Rule No. 26,   Nouns singular in form but plural in use :
Cattle, cavalry, crew, folk, gentry, infantry, mankind, people, perfumery, poultry etc
The village folk are poor.
Our crew are smart. 

Rule No. 27, Nouns used both as singular and plural :
Government, council, committee, police, jury, amends, means, pains, tidings, wages,
The jury has /have given its/their decision.

Rule No. 28, A proper noun ending in Y takes S, not "ies" :
Henry _Henrys
Mary_ Marys

Rule No. 29, Nouns ending in "ful' take
"S" in plural :
Armful_ armfuls
Cupful_ cupfuls
Mouthful_ mouthfuls

Rule No. 30, Nouns ending in "US" take "i" :
Alumnus _ Alumni
Bacillus _ Bacilli
Locus_ Loci
Stimulus _ stimuli
Exception :
Genus _ genera

Rule No 31, Nouns ending in "on" take "a"  or "s" :
Criterion _ criteria
Phenomenon _ phenomena
Demon _ demons
Proton _ protons 

Rule No. 32, Nouns with one meaning in singular and another in plural :
Singular____________plural
Air (Atmosphere)                     
Airs   (Showy manners)
Good (benefit)
Goods ( movable things)
Water ( a liquid)
Waters ( sea)

Rule No. 33, Nouns with one meaning in singular and two in plural :
Custom (habit)
Customs ( habits + tax on imports)

Ground (Reason)
Grounds ( Reasons + enclosed land)

Spectacle ( a sight)
Spectacles (Sights + glasses)

IV) Some common errors :
1) The judge has passed order for his release. ( ❌ )
The judge has passed orders for his release. ✔️

2) Have you taken your meals? ( ❌ )
Have you taken your meals? ✔️

3)He has no offsprings. ( ❌ )
He has no offspring. ✔️

4) My right shoes pinch my foot. ( ❌ )
My right shoe pinches my foot. ✔️

5) Thirty-two kilometres are a long distance. ( ❌ )
Thirty-two kilometres is a long distance. ✔️

6) His hair is black. ✔️
His hairs are partly black and partly grey. ✔️

__________________
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