Singular & Plural
Nouns & Vocabulary: Singular & Plural
Singular & Plural
Singular & Plural
What you'll learn
- Singular means one; plural means more than one.
- Most nouns add -s: cat → cats.
- Nouns ending in -s, -sh, -ch, -x add -es: box → boxes.
- Nouns ending in consonant + y change y to i and add -es: baby → babies.
- Some plurals are irregular: child → children, mouse → mice, sheep → sheep.
Key concepts
Level 1 — Core idea
Verbal: One cat, many cats — just add -s.
Symbolic: box + es = boxes. baby → bab(y→i) + es = babies.
Visual: Rule chart: -s (most words), -es (s/sh/ch/x endings), -ies (consonant + y).
Level 2 — Going deeper
Some words ending in -f/-fe change to -ves: leaf → leaves, knife → knives. Irregular plurals do not follow any rule and must be memorised: man → men, foot → feet, sheep → sheep.
NCERT anchor
NCERT Class 3 English grammar sections practise plural rules with everyday classroom objects and animals.
| Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| add -s | book → books |
| add -es | bus → buses |
| y → ies | city → cities |
| irregular | child → children |
Worked example
What is the plural of 'city'?
Step 1 — Ends in consonant + y (t + y)
Step 2 — Change y to i, add -es
Step 3 — Answer: cities ✓
What is the plural of 'child'?
Step 1 — 'child' does not follow the -s rule
Step 2 — It is an irregular plural
Step 3 — Answer: children ✓
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Why | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| babys instead of babies | Forgetting y → i rule | Change y to i before adding -es |
| boxs instead of boxes | Forgetting -es after x | Add -es after s, sh, ch, x |
| sheeps or childs | Applying -s to irregular words | Memorise the irregular list |
Quick check
- What is the plural of 'dish'?
- What is the plural of 'story'?
- What is the plural of 'foot'?
- Stretch: Write the plural of 'leaf' and use it in a sentence.
Revision tip: Check the last letter(s) of the word before choosing -s, -es, or -ies.
Open the Practice tab for graded questions on Singular & Plural.
Key Takeaways (TL;DR)
- What you'll learn
- Key concepts
- Worked example
- Common mistakes
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