Plural Nouns - All Rules and Examples

A plural noun is a grammatical category that talks of number (quantity of a noun). Plural nouns represent a quantity that is greater than that of the noun's natural quantity. Plural nouns are made from singular nouns applying some certain rules to singular nouns. Read the entire article to learn plural noun definition, plural noun rules and examples.

This article covers:

• What are plural nouns?
• Plural Noun Examples
• Examples of Plural Nouns in Sentences
• Singular Noun vs. Plural Noun 
• Regular and Irregular Plural Noun Rules
• Plural Nouns Exercises

Let's jump into the topic without any further delay!

What are plural nouns?

Plural nouns are the nouns that refer to more than one person, place, thing, idea, etc., such as people, cities, laptops and freedom. Singular nouns are converted into plural nouns using some standard rules.

According to the definition, plural nouns are:

• Nouns that refer to more than one person, place, thing or idea.
• Nouns that follow certain rules for pluralization (making a plural noun).
• Nouns that show plurality-more than one. That is, unlike Arabic, English plural nouns are the ones which refer to more than one which suggests that two persons, places, things or ideas fall under the category of plural. (Think deeply.).

Plural Noun Examples

• Boys
• Girls
• Men
• Women
• Wives
• Wolves
• Children
• Oxen
• Armies
• Mangoes
• Photos

Examples of Plural Nouns in Sentences

a. There are five boys in the room.

b. Where are your classmates?

c. How many students are there in the school?

d. You have two mangoes.

e. Men will be men.

Singular Noun vs. Plural Noun 

Similarity

•  Both singular and plural nouns are the types of noun. That is, both singular and plural nouns fall under the grammatical category of noun. 
• Both singular and plural nouns refer to persons, places, things or ideas.

Difference 

• While a singular noun shows "oneness", a plural noun shows "more-ness". That is, a singular noun refers to only one person, place, thing, idea, etc., and a plural noun refers to more than one person, place, thing, idea, etc.
• Plural nouns follow some rules in the process of pluralization (when making plural), singular nouns on the other hand do not follow.

Regular and Irregular Plural Noun Rules

Rule 1: Most of the nouns accept an -s at the end to become plural.

Examples:

• Birds
• Girls
• Laptops
• Phones
• Groups 
• Bottles 
• Beds
• cars
• tables

Rule 2: Add an -es to the end of nouns that end with s, ss, sh, ch, z, x.

Examples:

• Buses
• Grasses 
• Branches 
• Quizzes
• Boxes
• Crushes

Rule 3: Add -ies to the end of nouns ending in "y" that have consonants before that "y".

Examples:

• Army becomes armies.

Rule 4: Add an -s to nouns ending in "y" that have vowels before that "y".

Examples:

• Boy becomes boys

Rule 4: Add -ves to nouns that end in -f and -fe.

Examples:

• Calf becomes calves.
• Wife becomes wives.

Rule 5:  Replace -us with -i.

Examples:

• Syllabus becomes syllabi.
• Alumnus becomes alumni.

Rule 6: Replace -is with -es.

Examples:

• Analysis becomes analyses 
• Diagnosis becomes diagnoses.

Rule 7: Replace -on with -a.

Examples:

• Criterion becomes criteria.
• Phenomenon becomes phenomena.

Rule 8: Replace -a of "man" with -e.

Examples:

• Policeman becomes policemen.
• Watchman becomes watchmen.
• Woman becomes women.

Plural Nouns Exercises

Question 1: What is the difference between singular and plural nouns? explain.

Question 2: Give the plural forms of the below-given singular nouns.

a. Wife

b. Man

c. Child

d. Army

e. Photo

Question 3: Identify the plural nouns used in the plural noun examples. 

a. A yoke is usually pulled by two oxen.

b. The troop contained 200 armies.

c. The brethren of the organization finalized the meeting.

d. There are different foci in the diagram.

e. Arabic and English are the media of communication in this university. 

FAQs- Plural Nouns

What is a plural noun?

A plural noun is a noun that refers to more than one person, place, thing or idea. Plural nouns are formed using some particular rules mentioned in the article above.

10 Examples of Plural Noun 

a. A yoke is usually pulled by two oxen.

b. The Ind-troop contained 200 armies .

c. The brethren of the organization finalized the meeting.

d. There are different foci in the diagram.

e. Arabic and English are the media of communication in this university.

f. There are around 50 students in the class.

g. How many friends do you have?

h. I own 3 laptops.

i. How many dollars do you need for this project?

j. Men will be men.