NOUNS & ADJECTIVES → PLURALS · RULE 15
Plurals
One cat, two cats. Most nouns simply take -s. A few endings change the spelling — and a small gang refuses all rules.
FORMULA
+s / +es / -ies
cat→catsmost nouns
box→boxesafter -s -x -ch -sh
city→citiesconsonant + y
leaf→leaves-f → -ves
man→menno rules at all
THE PATTERNS
+s
cat → cats · dog → dogs
most nouns
+es
box → boxes · watch → watches
after -s -x -ch -sh -o
-ies
city → cities · baby → babies
consonant + y
After a vowel, y just stays: boy → boys, day → days.
F BECOMES V
leaf → leaves
knife → knives
wife → wives
shelf → shelves
THE REBELS
man → men
woman → women
child → children
person → people
foot → feet
tooth → teeth
mouse → mice
goose → geese
fish → fish
sheep → sheep
COMMON MISTAKES