In this lesson you will learn the rest of the rules for spelling plural nouns.
Rule | Examples | |
---|---|---|
Nouns that end in vowel + y | Add s to form the plural. | donkey ⇒ donkeys highway ⇒ highways |
Nouns that end in vowel + o | Add s to form the plural. | oreo ⇒ oreos scenario ⇒ scenarios |
Nouns that end in consonant + y | Change the y to i and add es to form the plural. | family ⇒ families trophy ⇒ trophies |
Nouns that end in consonant + o | Easy rule: Usually add es except for musical terms. Complicated rule: Some nouns that end in consonant + o add es. Many can be spelled either way. Look in the dictionary if you want to be sure. These nouns always add es: potato, tomato, hero, echo, banjo, embargo, veto, torpedo. Here are the preferred spellings of some plural nouns: buffaloes, dominoes, mosquitoes, volcanoes, tornadoes, ghettos, mangos, mottos, cargos, halos, mementos. |
Regular examples: potato ⇒ potatoes dingo ⇒ dingoes piano ⇒ pianos soprano ⇒ sopranos |
The chart below explains some exceptions to the rules.
Exceptions | Examples | |
---|---|---|
Words from foreign languages, including musical terms | Simply add s. | taco ⇒ tacos kimono ⇒ kimonos aria ⇒ arias |
Words that are proper nouns | Simply add s. | Eskimo ⇒ Eskimos Picasso ⇒ Picassos |
Words that are short forms of longer words | Simply add s. | photo (photograph) ⇒ photos kilo (kilogram) ⇒ kilos memo (memorandum) ⇒ memos |
Hint: If a musical term or proper noun ends in s still add es. | chorus ⇒ choruses Jones ⇒ Joneses |
- Hint:
- Are you confused yet? The easiest way to handle the plural nouns in this lesson is to remember a few shortcuts:
- Memorize the short list of words that must end in es.
- Add es to words that end in consonant + o.
- For words that end in consonant + y, change y to i and add es.
- Remember that foreign words usually end in s, not es.