Writing for Grammar: Plurals - Part 1

The formation of noun plurals ranges from straightforward to downright nutty. Here are a few examples:

1) Most nouns just add s – cars, trucks, trains

2) Some nouns ending in f, fe, and ff form their plurals by adding s to the singular - chiefs, giraffes, proofs

3) Some nouns ending in f or fe change these letters to v and add es - leaves, lives, wives

4) Common nouns ending in s, sh, ch, x, and z form plurals by adding es to the singular if an extra syllable is needed in pronouncing the plural - businesses, taxes, hoaxes

5) Nouns ending in y preceded by a consonant form plurals by changing y to i and adding es - companies, industries, utilities

6) Nouns ending in y preceded by a vowel, except those ending in quy, form their plurals in the usual way - attorneys, keys, valleys

7) Some nouns form plurals by changing an internal vowel - feet, geese, mice

8) Some nouns are always plural - earnings, goods, proceeds

9) Some nouns have two plurals different in meaning - indices (mathematics) and indexes (TSE, VSE, Dow Jones)

10) Some nouns plural in forms are singular in use and take a singular verb - economics, news, physics