The rules for forming the plural of the English nouns
| RULES | EXAMPLES | NOTES |
| 1. The general rule for forming | tables, books, | -s is pronounced: |
| the plural of English nouns | ties, plans | [z] after voiced |
| is by addinq the endinq -s | And also: | consonants and vowels: |
| to the singular | baths, paths, smooths, | flowers, beds, boys |
| doths, months. | [s] after voiceless consonants: caps, books, hats [iz] after sibilants: noses, horses, bridges, houses |
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| 2. If the noun ends in -s, -ss, -x, -z, -sh, -ch, -tch, -o the plural is formed by adding -es [iz], [z] after -o | buses, glasses, boxes, brushes, benches, matches, cargoes. potatoes | But: pianos, photos, cuckoos,, videos, zoos |
| 3. There are seven nouns which form the plural by changing the root vowel | man - men woman - women ['woman] - ['wimin] foot - feet tooth - teeth goose - geese mouse - mice louse - lice | |
| 4. There are two nouns which form the plural in -en | ox - oxen child - children | |
| 5. In some nouns the plural form does not differ from the sinqular | deer, sheep, swine, fish, trout, dozen, score, aircraft, salmon | But: Pack the books in dozens; scores of people. |
| 6. Some words borrowed from Latin or Greek keep their Latin or Greek plural forms | In the technical languages of science: phenomenon - phenomena datum - data crisis - crises stimulus - stimuli formula - formulae index - indices antenna - antennae | In fiction and colloquial English some of these nouns have acquired English plural forms: memorandums, formulas, indexes, terminuses. |
| 7. In compound nouns the plural is formed in different ways: a) adding -s to the head-word b) the final element takes the plural form c) if the compound begins with the words man/woman both words are plural d) if there is no noun-stem in the compound -s is added to the last element | a) editors-in-chief brothers-in-law lookers-on b) lady-birds. hotel-keepers housewives postmQn c) men-servants women-doctors d) forget-me-nots merry-go-rounds |
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SPELLING RULES
| RULES | EXAMPLES | NOTES |
| 1. If the noun ends in -y preceded by a consonant, -y is changed into - / - before -es | fly - flies army-armies lady - ladies | In proper names there is no change: Mary - Marys |
| 2. If the final -y is preceded by a vowel there is no vowel change | day - days, boy - boys, play - plays, toy- toys key - keys, | |
| 3. The nouns ending in -f, -fe change it into -v (both in spelling and pronunciation) | wife - wives leaf - leaves knife - knives thief - thieves life - lives half - halves | scarf <-scarfs ~ ^ scarves wharf <£ » **& - ^-wharves |
there are, however, many peculiarities
1. Nouns consisting of two or more parts are used only in the plural (as in Russian). They are:
trousers □ Your trousers are too long.
spectacles □ Where are my spectacles?
scissors □ These scissors are sharp.
scales
tongs
2. Remember the nouns which are used in the plural in English whereas they are singular in
Russian:
wages □ His wages are high.
contents □ The contents have not been changed.
3. There are nouns which are used in the singular in Russian, but they are plural in English.
clothes □ His clothes were wet as he had been caught in the rain.
arms
stairs □ The stairs are steep.
riches
goods □ The goods have arrived from France.
potatoes □ Potatoes are very cheap in autumn.
onions □ Spanish onions are sweet.
carrots U Carrots are very healthy.
oats But: a potato (one)
an onion
a carrot
4. The noun vacation is used only in the singular in English (it is plural in Russian).
□ Our summer vacation lasts 2 months. But: We have two vacations a year.
5. In English the nouns gate, sledge, watch, clock are used both in the singular and in
the Plural (in Russian they are only plural):
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□ The gate is open.
□ All the gates were closed.