Do you know the difference between plural and singular nouns (and which plural nouns in English are irregular)? Read on to find out!

Common Irregular Noun Plurals in English

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

Common Irregular Noun Plurals in English

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