Number

“If a noun tells about one or more than one is called Number .

1. Singular Number

“ If a noun tells about only one . It is called Singular Number .

Ex. Student, Teacher etc.

2. Plural Number

“ If a noun tells about more than one . It is called Plural Number.

Ex. Pens, Boys, Teachers etc.

Rule No. 1 :-

• Generally we add “ s ” to make a noun plural.

Ex. chair → chairs, play → plays

Rule No. 2 :-

• If a noun ends with ch, sh, ss, x, z, s then we add “ es ”.

Ex. Brush → Brushes, Box → Boxes, Dash → Dashes, Class → Classes, Fix → Fixes, Quiz → Quizes etc.

Note : A noun which ends with “ ch ” and the pronunciation of this noun ends with "ka" not "cha" then we add “ s ” to make plural.

Rule No. 3 :-

• A noun which ends with “ o ” and before “ o ” any consonant letters (21) given we add “ es ”.

Ex. Mosquito → Mosquitoes, Tomato → Tomatoes, Mango → Mangoes etc.

Rule No. 4 :-

• Expectation :- A noun which ends with “ o ” and before “ o ” vowel letters given we only add “ s ”.

Ex. photo → photos, piano → pianos, bamboo → bamboos, radio → radios etc.

Rule No. 5 :-

• A noun which ends with 'y' and before 'y' consonant letters is given we add “ ies ” by changing 'y'.

Ex. Lady → Ladies, Duty → Duties, Nursery → Nurseries etc.

Rule No. 6 :-<

• A noun which ends with 'y' and before 'y' vowel letters are given we only add “ s ” after 'y'.

Ex. Key → Keys, Pay → Pays, Journey → Journeys etc.

Rule No. 7 :-

• A noun which ends with 'f' or 'fe' by replacing 'f' or 'fe' we add 'ves'.

Ex. Life → Lives, Knife → Knives, Shelf → Shelves etc.

Rule No. 8 :-

• Expectation :- A noun which ends with 'f' or 'fe' then we only add “ s ” with the noun.

Ex. Proof → Proofs, Belief → Beliefs, Gulf → Gulfs, Safe → Safes etc.

Rule No. 9 :-

• Some nouns which having fixed plural it does not follow any rule of number.

Ex. Man(sing.)   → Men(plu.), Child(sing.)   → Children(plu.) etc.

Rule No. 10 :-

• If a latin word ends with 'um' then 'um' changed in “ a ”.

Ex. Bacterium → Bacteria, Medium → Media/Mediums, Minimum → Minima, Ovum → Ova, Pendulum → Pendulums etc.

Exceptions :- Forum → Forums/Fora, Dictum → Dicta, Auitorium → Auditoriums, Formula → Formulas/Formulae etc.

Rule No. 11 :-

• Some noun which ends with 'is', 'is' is changed into “ es ” to make plural.

Ex. Axis → Axes, Basis → Bases, Oasis → Oases, Synopsis → Summary, Metamorphosis → Metamorphoses, Narcosis → Narcoses etc.

Rule No. 12 :-

• A latin words which ends with 'us' by changing 'us' add “ i ”.

Ex. Fungus → Fungi, Radius → Radii, Cactus → Cacti, Nucleous → Nuclei etc.

Exception :- Syllabus → Sullabi/Syllabus, Propectus → Propecti/Propectus, Bonus → Bonuses, Virus → Viruses, Genius → Genuises.

Rule No. 13 :-

• Some noun which has no plural but we make plural or meaning will be different.

Ex.

Wit(ability to talk)(sing.) → Wits(intelligences)(plu.)

Advice(sing.) → Advices(plu.)

Iron(sing.) → Irons(plu.)

Good(sing.) → Goods(plu.)

Vesper(sing.) → Vespers etc.

Rule No. 14 :-

• Some noun which having 'on' at last 'on' is changed into “ a ” to make plural.

Ex.Phenomenon → Phenomaena, Criterion → Criteria etc.

Rule No. 15 :-

• Some noun which having 'ful' at last we add “ s ” at last.

Common Noun + ful → n(c/s) + s → N(e/plu)

Ex.

Glass + ful → Glassfuls

Mouth + ful → Mouthfuls

Rule No. 16 :-

• Compound nouns are made plural by adding “ s ” to the main word.
Ex.

Son-In-Law → Sons-In-Law

Brother-In-Law → Brothers-In-Law

Chief Minister → Chief Ministers etc.