Do you know the difference between plural and singular nouns (and which plural nouns in English are irregular)? Read on to find out!
Making singular nouns plural
Most singular nouns in English are easy to make plural: simply add an “-s.”
- One dog
- Two dogs
- One bottle
- Five bottles
For nouns that end in s, x, z, ch, and sh, we add “-es.”
- One bus
- Two buses
- One watch
- Two watches
- One fox
- Two foxes
For nouns that end in consonant + y, we remove the y and add “-ies.”
- One baby
- Two babies
However, there are some irregular nouns in English that do not follow these simple rules. The following list includes the common irregular noun plurals in English.
Common Irregular Noun Plurals in English
Singular Plural
Analysis Analyses
Basis Bases
Child Children
Crisis Crises
Data Datum
Deer Deer (or deers)
Diagnosis Diagnoses
Fish Fish (or fishes)
Goose Geese
Half Halves
Loaf Loaves
Man Men
Moose Moose
Mouse Mice
Scarf Scarves
Self Selves
Series Series
Sheep Sheep
Thief Thieves
Tooth Teeth
Wife Wives
Wolf Wolves
Woman Women
Practicing Common Irregular Noun Plurals in English
Can you complete the chart?
Analysis ________
________ Bases
Child ________
Crisis ________
Data ________
Deer Deer (or deers)
________ Diagnoses
Fish Fish (or fishes)
Goose ________
Half ________
________ Loaves
Man ________
Moose ________
________ Mice
Scarf ________
Self ________
________ Series
Sheep ________
________ Thieves
________ Teeth
Wife ________
Wolf ________
________ Women