Category of Number of the Noun
2. Category of Number of the Noun.
Regular – one.
Plural – more than one.
Regular Plurals:
1. Nouns ending in vowels & voiced consonants - -s(bee-bees, dog-dogs, [z])
2. Voiceless consonants - -s(book-books, [s])
3. –s,-sh,-ss,-ch,-x,-z - -es (actress-actresses, [iz])
4. –o: -es-hero-heroes. But:
-os:
after a vowel – bamboos, embryos, folios, kangaroos, radios, studios, zoos.
In proper names – Romeos, Eskimos, Filipinos.
In abbreviations - kilos, photos, pros(professional).
Also: pianos, concertos, dynamos, quartos, solos,tangos, tobaccos.
In other cases the spelling is -oes (tomatoes, echoes, Negroes, potatoes, vetoes, torpedoes, embargoes)
–oes/-os : cargo(e)s, banjo(e)s, halo(e)s
5. Consonant+y - -ies (sky-skies). But:
-ys
After vowels, except nouns ending –quy(day-days, soliloquy-soliloquies)
In proper names: the two Germanys, the Kennedys, the Gatsbys
In compounds: stand-bys, lay-bys.
Penny: pence-the British currency(денежная сумма), pennies-for individual coins.
6. –f(e)
–ves: wife-wives, life-lives, leaf-leaves, knife-knives, wolf-wolves, calf-calves, half-halves, loaf-loaves, self-selves, shelf-shelves.
–s: other nouns(proof-proofs, chief-chefs, safe-safes, cliff-cliffs, gulf-gulfs, dwarf-dwarfs, reef-reefs, grief-griefs
–ves/-s: scarf-scarfs/scarves, dwarf-dwarfs/dwarves, hoof-hoofs/hooves.
7. –th - -ths (mouth-mouths)
8. in abbreviations - -s(M.P.-M.P.s) But: Ms(manuscript)-MSS, p.(page)-pp., Mr-
Irregular Plurals.
1. By vowel change (Man-men, woman-women, tooth-teeth, foot-feet, goose-geese, mouse-mice, louse-lice).
2. –en (ox-oxen, child-children)
3. Identical
(sheep-sheep, swine-swine(свинья), deer-deer, grouse-grouse(куропатка). But: 2 variants: fish-fish/fishes, pike-pile/pikes, trout-trout(s), carp-carp(s), salmon-salmon(s). The zero plural is more common to denote hunting quarries. (We caught a few fish, five salmon); the regular plural – different individuals, species.
Nationality nouns in –ese, -ss: Chinese,
Regular – one.
Plural – more than one.
Regular Plurals:
1. Nouns ending in vowels & voiced consonants - -s(bee-bees, dog-dogs, [z])
2. Voiceless consonants - -s(book-books, [s])
3. –s,-sh,-ss,-ch,-x,-z - -es (actress-actresses, [iz])
4. –o: -es-hero-heroes. But:
-os:
after a vowel – bamboos, embryos, folios, kangaroos, radios, studios, zoos.
In proper names – Romeos, Eskimos, Filipinos.
In abbreviations - kilos, photos, pros(professional).
Also: pianos, concertos, dynamos, quartos, solos,tangos, tobaccos.
In other cases the spelling is -oes (tomatoes, echoes, Negroes, potatoes, vetoes, torpedoes, embargoes)
–oes/-os : cargo(e)s, banjo(e)s, halo(e)s
5. Consonant+y - -ies (sky-skies). But:
-ys
After vowels, except nouns ending –quy(day-days, soliloquy-soliloquies)
In proper names: the two Germanys, the Kennedys, the Gatsbys
In compounds: stand-bys, lay-bys.
Penny: pence-the British currency(денежная сумма), pennies-for individual coins.
6. –f(e)
–ves: wife-wives, life-lives, leaf-leaves, knife-knives, wolf-wolves, calf-calves, half-halves, loaf-loaves, self-selves, shelf-shelves.
–s: other nouns(proof-proofs, chief-chefs, safe-safes, cliff-cliffs, gulf-gulfs, dwarf-dwarfs, reef-reefs, grief-griefs
–ves/-s: scarf-scarfs/scarves, dwarf-dwarfs/dwarves, hoof-hoofs/hooves.
7. –th - -ths (mouth-mouths)
8. in abbreviations - -s(M.P.-M.P.s) But: Ms(manuscript)-MSS, p.(page)-pp., Mr-
Irregular Plurals.
1. By vowel change (Man-men, woman-women, tooth-teeth, foot-feet, goose-geese, mouse-mice, louse-lice).
2. –en (ox-oxen, child-children)
3. Identical
(sheep-sheep, swine-swine(свинья), deer-deer, grouse-grouse(куропатка). But: 2 variants: fish-fish/fishes, pike-pile/pikes, trout-trout(s), carp-carp(s), salmon-salmon(s). The zero plural is more common to denote hunting quarries. (We caught a few fish, five salmon); the regular plural – different individuals, species.
Nationality nouns in –ese, -ss: Chinese,