How to Use Plural Nouns

A noun is a person, place or thing. Nouns can be a subject or an object. You can also use a noun as an object of a preposition. Most of the time it is easy to use plural nouns--you just add an s; however, there are exceptions to this rule.

Instructions

1. Write using plural nouns. The most common way to do this is by adding an s to the noun, such as nouns, doors, chairs, tables and beds.

2. Understand how to make a noun plural when it ends in s, ch, z, sh and x. When you have a noun end in one of these letters or group of letters, you need to add es to make the noun plural. For example, you make box plural by adding es, as in boxes.

3. Add ies to some nouns to make them plural. When you have a noun that ends in y that has a consonant in front of it, drop the y and add ies. An example is the noun lady, which becomes ladies. However if the noun ends in y and has a vowel in front of it, you just add s--such as toy becomes toys.

4. Deal with nouns that end in o, such as potato and tomato. With these nouns, you add es. However, some nouns that end in o have just s added to them. Examples are autos and memos--there isn't any rule to follow to understand whether you add es or s to nouns ending in o, you just have to remember them or look them up in the dictionary.

5. Check out nouns that are the same whether they are singular or plural such as trout or moose.

6. Memorize the other plural nouns that do not follow these rules. There are other exceptions to adding s to make a noun plural. Some of them are child--which becomes children when plural--shelf, which becomes shelves, mouse, which is mice and knife, which is knives. Many nouns that end in f or the f sound change to ves after you drop the f.

Tips & Warnings

• Using plural nouns becomes routine over time.