SPELLING PLURAL NOUNS

Nouns that take -es: Nouns ending with -ch, -s, -sh, -x (xe) ,-z (ze), add -es:

+ Match --> matches

+ Glass --> glasses

+ Flash --> flashes

+ Tax --> taxes

+ Blaze --> blazes

Nouns that end in -o: Most add -es:

+ Hero --> heroes

+ Potato --> potatoes

è here are some exceptions:

+ kangaroo --> kangaroos

+ piano --> pianos

+ studio --> studios

+ zoo --> zoos

è some can follow either form:

+ buffalo --> buffalos or buffaloes

+ cargo --> cargos or cargoes

+ motto --> mottos or mottoes

+ volcano --> volcanos or volcanoes

Nouns ending consonant + -y: Change -y to -i and add -es:

+ Baby --> babies

+ Therapy --> therapies

Nouns that end in -f or -fe: Change the -f to -v and add -es

+ Leaf --> leaves

+ Shelf --> shelves

è NB: There are some exceptions:

+ Belief --> beliefs

+ Cliff --> cliffs

+ Cuff --> cuffs

+ Dwarf --> dwarfs

+ Gulf --> gulfs

+ Roof --> roofs

Nouns ending -is: Change -is to -es

+ Analysis --> analyses

+ Basis --> bases

+ Thesis --> theses

Nouns ending -um: Either change -um to -a

+ Datum --> data

+ Forum --> fora

è NB- Nowadays, simply adding -s is often used (forums, etc), but less so with technical words, and never with 'datum'.

Nouns ending -on: Change -on to -a:

+ Criterion --> criteria

+ Phenomenon --> phenomena

Nouns ending -a: Add -e:

+ Antenna --> antennae

+ Formula --> formulae

Nouns ending -ex or -ix: Replace the last two letters with -ices:

+ Appendix --> appendices

+ Index --> indices

Nouns ending -us: There are two ways we make the plural:

è Replace the last two letters with -i:

+ Stimulus --> stimuli

è Replace the last two letters with -a:

+ Corpus --> corpora

Nouns ending -eau: Add -x

+ Bureau --> bureaux