Plurals Definition

The plural is the form of a verb, pronoun, noun, etc., used when talking or writing about something of which there as more than one:

She arrived yesterday. (She = one person - singular)

They are leaving soon. (They = more than one person - plural)

Count Nouns have singular and plural forms. The regular plural form is made by the addition of an -s inflection to the end of the word.

one day; two days

Nouns ending -ch, -sh, -s, -ge, -x take -es in the plural.

A church; two churches

A smash; two smashes

A bus; two buses

Nouns ending -consonant + y and change the -y to -ie in the plural.

A ferry; two ferries

A lady; two ladies

Nouns ending -vowel + y do not change the -y, forming plurals the normal way.

A way; two ways

A play; two plays

Exceptions: i) Proper Nouns- the Kennedys

ii) Compounds ending with the preposition 'by'; layby laybys.

Nouns ending -o

Most can have either -os or -oes.

Cargoes cargos

A noun ending vowel +o or an abbreviation take only -os.

Radios studios

kilos photos

The following nouns take only -oes:

echoes; embargoes; goes; heroes; noes; potatoes; tomatoes; torpedoes; vetoes