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Irregular plurals
Generally speaking, going from the singular form to the plural one is quite simple: simply add an -s to the singular.
- a table => tables ; an orange => oranges.
There are MANY, VARIED IRREGULAR FORMS OF the PLURAL:
Some special endings:
A) Words ending with "Y"
🔹 If the Y is preceded by a vowel ( a, e, i, o, u, y.) the plural is in - s.
a day=> days; toy => toys.
🔹 If the Y is preceded by a consonant: the plural form is in -ies.
- a spy=> 2 spies( espions) ; a country= 2 countries.
B) Words ending with -s, -sh, -ch, and -x and some words ending with -o. (plural forms in -es.)
- a match => 2 matches; a flash=> 2 flashes; a mass=> 2 masses; a tomato=> 2 tomatoes.
C) Words ending with -f which have their plurals in -ves:
a calf | ->calves | a self | ->selves |
a knife | ->knives | a loaf | ->loaves |
a leaf | ->leaves | a wife | ->wives |
a life | ->lives | awolf | ->wolves |
Some other words ending with -f have a regular plural:
roof => roofs; cliffs ; chiefs.
D) The words "deer", "fish" and "sheep" have no "s" in the plural.
one sheep => two sheep => a herd of sheep
E) A few words have a different form of plural, or don't change from singular to plural:
a man | 2 men | a woman | 2 women |
a foot | 2 feet | a tooth | 2 teeth |
a child | 2 children | a mouse | 2 mice |
a crisis | 2 crises | a criterion | 2 criteria |
a species | 2 species | a means | 2 means |
Some of these words have Greek or Latin origin:
- the endings in -on have their plurals in -a: criterion, phenomenon => criteria, phenomena.
- the endings in -is have their plurals in -es: a basis, thesis, hypothesis, analysis => bases, theses, hypotheses, analyses.
Well well! That's it! You should be ready to face the test! it's a bit long, but quite easy! Go for it!

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