How to change countable nouns from the singular to the plural Examples

Most nouns: add s serviette ➔ serviettes; gift ➔ gifts; photo ➔ photos (not photo's)

OR add es (nouns ending -s, -sh, -ch, -x and some words ending in -o) SMS ➔ SMSes; glass ➔ glasses; brush ➔ brushes; church ➔ churches; box ➔ boxes; potato ➔ potatoes

Nouns ending in a consonant followed by y (e.g. baby): change y to -ies lady ➔ ladies

Nouns ending in -f: change f to -ves loaf ➔ loaves; scarf ➔ scarves; EXCEPTIONS: roof ➔ roofs; chief ➔ chiefs; dwarf ➔ dwarfs or dwarves

Some nouns from other languages generally follow the rules of the original language, but increasingly follow English rules. plateau (French) ➔ plateaux (often plateaus); octopus (Latin) ➔ octopi (now often octopuses)

Some nouns have the same form for singular and plural. deer ➔ deer; fish ➔ fish; series ➔ series

Some words change a great deal. woman ➔ women; tooth ➔ teeth; mouse ➔ mice; child ➔ children; ox ➔ oxen

Compound nouns usually change the main word. (Check in your dictionary.) travel agent ➔ travel agents; boyfriend ➔ boyfriends; attorney-general ➔ attorneys-general; passerby ➔ passersby; cake box ➔ cake boxes BUT: spoonful ➔ spoonfuls

Initials and abbreviations: add s. If the abbreviation ends in a full stop, drop the full stop and add s (e.g. gr. ➔ grs). VIPs, Drs, CDs, grs

Most nouns: add s

serviette ➔ serviettes; gift ➔ gifts; photo ➔ photos (not photo's)

OR add es (nouns ending -s, -sh, -ch, -x and some words ending in -o)

SMS ➔ SMSes; glass ➔ glasses; brush ➔ brushes; church ➔ churches; box ➔ boxes; potato ➔ potatoes

Nouns ending in a consonant followed by y (e.g. baby): change y to -ies

lady ➔ ladies

Nouns ending in -f: change f to -ves

loaf ➔ loaves; scarf ➔ scarves; EXCEPTIONS: roof ➔ roofs; chief ➔ chiefs; dwarf ➔ dwarfs or dwarves

Some nouns from other languages generally follow the rules of the original language, but increasingly follow English rules.

plateau (French) ➔ plateaux (often plateaus); octopus (Latin) ➔ octopi (now often octopuses)

Some nouns have the same form for singular and plural.

deer ➔ deer; fish ➔ fish; series ➔ series

Some words change a great deal.

woman ➔ women; tooth ➔ teeth; mouse ➔ mice; child ➔ children; ox ➔ oxen

Compound nouns usually change the main word. (Check in your dictionary.)

travel agent ➔ travel agents; boyfriend ➔ boyfriends; attorney-general ➔ attorneys-general; passerby ➔ passersby; cake box ➔ cake boxes BUT: spoonful ➔ spoonfuls

Initials and abbreviations: add s. If the abbreviation ends in a full stop, drop the full stop and add s (e.g. gr. ➔ grs).

VIPs, Drs, CDs, grs