All about using plurals in English

Forming plurals in English involves several rules, with some exceptions. Here are the main guidelines:

1. Add -s:

• Most nouns form their plural by simply adding an “s” to the singular form.
  • Examples: dog → dogs, book → books, house → houses

2. Add -es:

• If a noun ends in -s, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, or -z, you add “-es” to form the plural.
  • Examples: bus → buses, dress → dresses, brush → brushes, church → churches, box → boxes, quiz → quizzes

3. Change -y to -ies:

• When a noun ends in a consonant followed by “y”, change the “y” to “i” and add “-es”.
  • Examples: city → cities, baby → babies
• But if “y” follows a vowel, just add “s”.
  • Examples: boy → boys, key → keys

4. Words ending in -f or -fe:

• For some words ending in -f or -fe, change the “f” or “fe” to “ves”.
  • Examples: leaf → leaves, knife → knives
• However, many words simply add “-s” or “-es”:
  • Examples: chief → chiefs, roof → roofs, safe → safes

5. Irregular plurals:

• Some nouns change their form completely in the plural:
  • Examples: man → men, woman → women, child → children, tooth → teeth, foot → feet, mouse → mice

6. Same for singular and plural:

• Some nouns have the same form in both singular and plural:
  • Examples: sheep, deer, fish (though “fishes” can be used for different species), series, species

7. Latin and Greek origins:

• Many words of Latin or Greek origin retain their original plural forms:
  • Examples:
    • Latin: cactus → cacti, fungus → fungi, datum → data, medium → media (although some of these are becoming regularized with “-s” plurals in common usage)
    • Greek: criterion → criteria, phenomenon → phenomena, analysis → analyses

8. Compounds:

• With compound nouns, usually only the main noun is pluralized:
  • Examples: mother-in-law → mothers-in-law, passerby → passersby

9. Numbers, letters, and symbols:

• When pluralizing numbers, letters, and symbols, add an apostrophe followed by “s” (though this is less common in modern usage):
  • Examples: A’s, 1990s (or just 1990s without the apostrophe)

10. Hyphenated words:

• For hyphenated compound nouns, pluralize the principal word:
  • Example: attorney general → attorneys general

Notes:

• English pluralization can be inconsistent, especially with words from other languages or with historical forms.
• Context often dictates which form is more commonly accepted or understood.
• Some words have multiple acceptable forms (e.g., octopus can be octopuses, octopi, or octopodes).

Remember, while there are rules, there are also many exceptions, and the best way to learn is often through exposure and practice with the language.