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    Learn English > English lessons and exercises > English test #678: Plural





    > Other English exercises on the same topic: Plural [Change theme]
    > Similar tests: - Plural forms - Countable or Uncountable? - Plural of words - Verb-singular or plural? - Plural - Plural of nouns - Plural: Nouns ending in -ff, -f, -fe - Irregular plurals
    > Double-click on words you don't understand


    Plural


    Plurals

     

    > As a general rule, the plural is formed by adding '-s' to the singular form of nouns.
    shoe --> shoes | book --> books | river --> rivers

    > Nouns ending in 's' or 'ss' will generally take the ending '-es' :
    bus --> buses | kiss --> kisses

    > Words ending in consonant + 'y' will generally take the ending '-ies' in place of the 'y':
    party --> parties | supply --> supplies

    > A few words have very irregular forms in the plural:
    one man --> two men
    one woman --> two women
    one person --> two people
    one foot --> two feet
    one mouse (the animal) --> two mice
    For the computer device, a few dictionaries accept "mouses" but "mice" is more popular.

    one goose --> two geese
    one tooth --> two teeth
    one wife --> two wives
    one child --> two children
    one knife --> two knives
    one thief --> two thieves
    one dwarf --> two dwarves (or: dwarfs)
    one potato --> two potatoes
    one leaf --> two leaves
    one life --> two lives
    one loaf --> two loaves
    one half --> two halves

    > A small set of words do not change form in the plural:
    one moose --> two moose
    one sheep --> two sheep
    one aircraft --> two aircraft


    > Words of Greek or Latin origin which have retained their original endings will generally take the plural form associated with the language they are drawn from:
    one alumnus --> two alumni
    one syllabus --> two syllabi
    one alumna --> two alumnae
    one alga --> many algae
    one criterion --> many criteria
    one forum --> many fora (or : forums)
    one thesis --> two theses
    one hypothesis --> two hypotheses
    one phenomenon --> two phenomena
    one cactus --> two cacti (or : cactuses)
    one diagnosis --> two diagnoses
    one oasis --> two oases
    one analysis --> two analyses

     

    > A few nouns are invariable or collective, always indicating a plural meaning:
    She gave me some information.
    Michelle has a lot of clothes.




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    English exercise "Plural" created by webmaster with The test builder. [More lessons & exercises from webmaster]
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    1. table

    2. child

    3. thief

    4. mouse (the animal)

    5. potato

    6. tooth

    7. alga

    8. goose

    9. wife

    10. life










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