Practice
Plural nouns: rules and examples
One receipt, two receipts. The change looks small, but the noun tells your reader whether you mean one thing or more than one.
Choose and write a plural noun that matches the number and spelling pattern in a sentence.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
plural nouns /ˈplʊrəl naʊnz/
The short answer
Use a plural noun when you mean more than one. Add -s to many nouns, use -es after endings such as -s, -sh, -ch, -x, and -z, and learn common irregular forms separately.
The manager checked three invoices before lunch.
Why it works: Three shows that invoice needs its plural form, invoices.
5 more examples
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Two visitors waited near the reception desk.
The number two requires the plural noun visitors.
Not this:
One visitorwaited near the reception desk. What changes: One takes the singular noun visitor. -
The new boxes are under the counter.
Box ends in -x, so its regular plural adds -es.
Not this:The new
box isunder the counter. What changes: A singular subject uses box and the singular verb is. -
Several families joined the evening class.
Family changes y to i before adding -es because the y follows a consonant.
Not this:
The familyjoined the evening class. What changes: One family keeps the singular spelling. -
The children left their coats by the door.
Children is an irregular plural of child.
Not this:
The childleft a coat by the door. What changes: Child is the singular form. -
Three sheep crossed the field before sunset.
Sheep has the same form for one and for more than one.
Not this:
One sheepcrossed the field before sunset. What changes: The noun sheep does not change when the number changes.
Read the full guide
Start by finding the number word or the meaning of the sentence. Words such as two, several, many, and these usually call for a plural noun. If the number is one, use the singular form. Then choose the spelling pattern that fits the noun.
Decide whether you mean one or more than one
Look for a number word or a word that signals quantity. Two, many, several, these, and those usually need a plural noun. One, each, and this usually need a singular noun. The noun must show the same number as the meaning of the sentence.
Several customers asked for a printed receipt.
Several needs customers, while one customer needs the singular form.
Which noun form fits after four?
Use a plural noun, as in four chairs or four messages.
Add -s or -es to regular plurals
For many countable nouns, add -s: table becomes tables and message becomes messages. Nouns ending in -s, -sh, -ch, -x, or -z usually add -es. This extra ending makes the final sound easier to say.
The workshop has six benches near the windows.
Bench ends in -ch, so the plural is benches, not benchs.
What is the regular plural of brush?
The plural is brushes because brush ends in -sh.
Check nouns ending in y, f, or fe
When a consonant comes before a final y, change y to i and add -es: city becomes cities. When a vowel comes before y, usually add -s: key becomes keys. Some nouns ending in f or fe change to -ves, such as leaf to leaves, but others simply add -s, such as roof to roofs.
The company opened two offices in nearby cities.
City becomes cities, but key becomes keys because the y follows a vowel.
Why is the plural of baby written babies?
Baby has a consonant before y, so change y to i and add -es.
Learn irregular and unchanged forms
Some common nouns do not follow the regular spelling rules. Man becomes men, woman becomes women, and person becomes people. A few nouns do not change at all, including sheep and deer. Learn these forms as complete pairs, and check a dictionary when a familiar rule does not work.
Two people were waiting outside the clinic.
People is the plural of person, so persons is not the usual general plural.
What is the plural of mouse when you mean the animal?
The plural is mice. It is an irregular form.
Match words around the plural noun
A plural noun often changes the words around it. Use these or those instead of this or that. Use are instead of is when the plural noun is the subject. These changes help the whole sentence show the same number.
These documents are ready for the client.
This document is ready refers to one document, while these documents are ready refers to more than one.
Which verb fits after the plural subject the reports?
Use are, as in The reports are ready to send.
Before you go
Remember this
Use a plural noun for more than one. Check the number first, then the noun's spelling pattern. Add -s or -es when the regular rule fits, change y to ies after a consonant, and check irregular or unchanged forms in a dictionary.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Plural nouns: rules and examples"
What is a plural noun?
A plural noun refers to more than one person, place, thing, or idea. In many cases, English adds -s to the singular noun, as in visitor and visitors. The sentence's meaning or a number word such as two tells you that the plural form is needed.
Two visitors waited near the reception desk.
When do I add -es to a noun?
Add -es to many nouns ending in -s, -sh, -ch, -x, or -z. For example, box becomes boxes and brush becomes brushes. The ending helps form a pronounceable plural. Check a dictionary for a word that has an unfamiliar spelling or pronunciation.
One visitor waited near the reception desk.
Why does family become families?
When a singular noun ends in consonant plus y, change the y to i and add -es. Family becomes families and city becomes cities. If a vowel comes before y, the usual pattern is different: key becomes keys and day becomes days.
The new boxes are under the counter.
Which plural nouns are irregular?
Irregular plural nouns do not use the usual -s or -es pattern. Common examples include child and children, person and people, and mouse and mice. Learn each irregular pair together, because the spelling cannot always be predicted from the singular noun.
The new box is under the counter.
Do plural nouns change the verb?
A plural noun used as the subject usually takes a plural verb form. Write The boxes are ready, not The boxes is ready. Other nearby words may change too: this document becomes these documents when you mean more than one.
Several families joined the evening class.