Grammar: Plurals

Revised as of
14 Feb 2023

No. No, no, no, no, nooooooo. Plural words are not ‘s.

Plurals are created by adding an s on the end of the word. NOT an ‘s. And, sigh, yes, there are exceptions — depending upon the style guide you’re using AND IF you are pluralizing single letters, numbers, or words. Lol, yes, there is a difference between making a singular word plural and pluralizing a word.

Fortunately, most words which can be made plural are nouns; pronouns have their own subset of plurals — none of which you need to change; and, adjectives have been employed as somewhat generic plural nouns. Now that you’re aware of the possibility, I’m sure more will jump out at you. Preferably when you’re not driving . . . *grin* . . .

A great many nouns will have irregular plural endings . . . a myriad of them, which require you to swap out the singular ending and add in a different set of letters to make it plural. Sometimes, the irregular ending is due to the word’s origins.

I must confess I do not understand how creating a plural can possibly be so difficult; it is mind boggling. And the number of times I encounter the conflict within the novels I read and out in the world scares me to death. Where in god’s name are the teachers????

The needs of the plural outweigh the needs of the singular.

Besides the General Plural Concept

Some singular nouns are treated as plurals while certain plural nouns are treated as singulars — and keep an eye on those collective nouns. Numbers have their own set of rules when it comes to plurals while titles using plural nouns (and it’s more than simply book titles, but also company names, organizations, sports teams, family names, and more) are always singular. Don’t’cha just love English!? Compound nouns present their own issues with some being pluralized by the first head, some by the last, and some with all of the heads.

Other Grammatical Issues to Consider

A number of other aspects of grammar are affected by whether a word is plural or singular, including subject-verb agreement, determiners, and personal pronouns.

Grammar Explanations is . . .

. . . an evolving list of the structural rules and principles that determines where words are placed in phrases or sentences as well as how the language is spoken. Sometimes I run across an example that helps explain better or another “also known as”. Heck, there’s always a better way to explain it, so if it makes quicker and/or better sense, I would appreciate suggestions and comments from anyone on an area of grammar with which you struggle or on which you can contribute more understanding.

If you found this post on “Plurals” interesting, consider subscribing to KD Did It, if you’d like to track this post for future updates.

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Plurals
Part of Speech: Language
Definition: Indicates more than one. Post Contents Adjective as a Plural Noun as a Plural: Singular Noun Irregular Noun Endings: s-like Sounds -f, -fe, -ff -is -y -vowel+y Really Irregular Noun Plurals Ablaut Plurals Abbreviation, Acronym Singular & Plural Abstract Nouns Archaic, Dialectical, Rare Plural Endings Common Archaic Plurals Uncommon Archaic Plurals Attributive Noun Compound Nouns Two-Compound Noun One Noun Head Two Noun Heads Head 1 is Irregular Plural Noun Head 1 is Standard Plural Head 2 is Irregular “General” Noun Head Three-Compound Nouns Two Noun Heads O’ Compound Noun Headless Compound Noun French-Based Compound Words Two-Compound Nouns Three-Compound Nouns Noun as a Plural (continued) Family Names Foreign Origin Plurals: French Origin -eau Greek Origin Hebrew Origin Inuktitut Origin Japanese Origin Latin Origin: Latin Nouns that Stay the Same Ending in -ies -a -as -e -ex, -ix -is -ma -o -on, -ion -um -us New Zealand Māori Origin Slavic Origin Italicized Noun as Plural Measure Noun Nouns That Stay the Same . . . sort of Singular is Also the Plural . . .and Sometimes Not Plural-Only Noun Plural Noun Used as Singular Singular/Plural Noun That Depends Upon Context Noun Number Quote a Plural Single Letter, Number, Word Title Using a Plural Noun Years (in the Plural) Pronoun as a Plural
Adjective as a Plural
Rule: Denotes a designated type of people.
Return to top or post contents	Adjective As a Noun It Means . . . unemployed the unemployed unemployed people homeless the homeless homeless people
Noun as a Plural
Singular Noun	Rule: Add an s on the end of the singular noun. Naturally, there are exceptions. This is the English language, so exceptions are the rule.
Return to top or post contents	ball balls bat bats boy boys cat cats dog dogs girl girls lake lakes popsicle popsicles river rivers tree trees
Irregular Noun Endings
Definition: Any plural ending other than simply adding an -s at the end. A.k.a. mutated plural, mutating plural
Nouns Ending in an S-like Sound	Rule: Singular noun ending in: -ch -o -s -sh -us -x -z any other s-like sound tack on an -es to make that word plural Exceptions can be found in the Latin origins of words ending in: -ex, -ix -is
Return to top or post contents	Singular Nouns Ending in . . . Singular Noun Plural Noun -ch church churches couch couches coach coaches -o hero heroes obo oboes no nos noes potato potatoes volcano volcanoes -s boss bosses bus buses (preferred) busses buss busses cuss cusses dress dresses yes yeses (not commonly used) yesses (preferred plural) -sh bush bushes crush crushes shush shushes -us octopus octopuses octopodes platypus platypuses platypus -x fox foxes box boxes complex complexes phalanx phalanxes (military) phalanges (medical) tax taxes wax waxes -z buzz buzzes chintz chintzes quiz quizzes * razz razzes waltz waltzes Other Latin words that, through habit, accept an English plural. virus viruses Words of Italian origin that end in -o do not add the -es. canto cantos photo photos piano pianos portico porticos pro pros quarto quartos zero zeros * And sometimes ya gotta double up that last z.
Noun Ending in: -f -fe -ff	Rule: Eliminate the -f or -fe and use -ves.
Return to top or post contents	calf calves roof rooves (archaic) roofs dwarf dwarfs dwarves staff (stick of wood) staves elf elves staff * (people) staff flagstaff * flagstaffs turf turves hoof hooves wife wives knife knives half halves leaf leaves loaf loaves life lives * There are exceptions.
Noun Ending in: -is	Rule: Convert the -is to an -es.
Return to top or post contents	crisis crises oasis oases thesis theses analysis analyses diagnosis diagnoses amaryllis amaryllises
Noun Ending in: -y	Rule: Convert using an -ies.
Return to top or post contents	cherry cherries party parties Germany Germanies Sicily Sicilies lady ladies Scilly Scillies money monies moneys penny pennies baby babies daisy daisies
Exceptions For: -y	Rule: Add -s.
Return to top or post contents	Harry Harrys Mary Marys Kennedy Kennedys Larry Larrys lay-by lay-bys standby standbys
-vowel+y	Rule: Add -s.
Return to top or post contents	day days monkey monkeys boy boys toy toys birthday birthdays alley alleys valley valleys ploy ploys
Really Irregular Noun Plurals	This is the catch-all category of nouns don’t fit anywhere else!
Return to top or post contents	Singular Plural Plural (Use in more formal situations) person persons people persons people people peoples dice dice die * * Not in common usage
Ablaut Plurals	Definition: Found in Indo-European languages, it is the regular alternation within a word, especially of a vowel, as it changes its grammatical function or a combination of such. For example: sing, sang, sung, song; ride, rode, ridden; or fly, flew, flown. Rule: Changes the vowel sound of the singular. A.k.a. mutated plural
Return to top or post contents	fireman firemen louse lice foot feet man men goose geese mongoose mongeese mongooses mouse mice * house houses * policeman policemen policewoman policewomen postman postmen tooth teeth woman women wimmin child children * Not all -ouse ending words use the same plural ending.
Abbreviation, Acronym	Rule: Add a lowercase s.
Return to top or post contents	CDs DVDs OSs CSIs B.S.s M.A.s Ph.D.s Mps 1099s IQs URLs MREs POWs RBIs
Singular & Plural	Rule: Some abbreviations or acronyms are treated as singular or plural without requiring an -s.
Return to top or post contents	rpm mpg
Abstract Nouns	Rule: A collective grouping of singular nouns without plurals and uncountable nouns.
Return to top or post contents	audience beauty curiosity cunning data deceit freshness good / bad goodness / badness graffiti honesty hot / cold information intelligence laziness poverty specie (refers to coinage, not as a singular for species) stupidity wisdom
Archaic, Dialectical, Rare Plural Endings	Rule: Nouns that use -e OR -en as the plural ending.
Common Archaic Plurals	Definition: Old English words with a weak masculine declination.
Return to top or post contents	Single Noun Archaic Plural Today’s Plural aurochs aurochsen aurochs brother brethren brothers child children children ox oxen oxen
Uncommon Archaic Plurals	Tip: If writing an historical novel, it can be handy to know the dialectical, rare, or archaic usage of plural nouns.
Return to top or post contents	Dialect, Archaic, Obsolete Singular Plural Ireland, dialectal bee been Scots, archaic, regional From a much earlier Scots form, kye cow kine Rare Some regional dialects eye eyen Rare, dialectal house housen Rare, archaic hose hosen Archaic, obsolete knee kneen Rare, dialectal shoe shoon Archaic, obsolete tree treen Huh? I collect treenware, and I knew it meant wooden ware; now I know where its name comes from!
Attributive Noun	Definition: A noun that comes before a head noun. It is joined directly to a modified noun. The opposite of predicative.
Return to top or post contents	dog catcher someone who catches dogs department store has more than one department trouser mangle a type of iron to press pants twenty-dollar bill a paper note that has a value of $20 ten-foot pole a long, slender, flexible rod that χ feet high two-man tent a tent that holds two people glasses case case for eyeglasses glass case case made of glass arms race when two or more groups compete in military superiority to have superior armed forces arm wrestling a trial of strength in which two people sit opposite each other with one elbow resting on a table, clasp each other’s hands, and try to force each other’s arm down on to the table women killers women who kill woman killers killers who kill women
Compound Nouns
Anatomy of a Compound Noun	Definition: A compound begins with a noun head and an adjective as a secondary word. Read more about compound nouns in the post, “Grammar Explanation: Noun.
Two-Compound Noun
Rule: Compound words ending in -one, -body, or -thing are always singular.
One Noun Head	Rule: Whether the head noun is the first or last word, only the head noun is plural.
Return to top or post contents	Compound Noun Its Plural attorney general attorneys general bill of attainder bills of attainder court martial courts martial director general directors general fee simple absolute fees simple absolute governor general governors general passerby passersby ship of the line ships of the line son-in-law sons-in-law minister-president ministers-president yellow-dog contract yellow-dog contracts able seaman able seamen Legend: Green indicates the head noun
Two Noun Heads
Head 1 is Irregular Plural Noun	Rule: If both nouns are heads AND the first head has an irregular plural form, generally pluralize both.
Return to top or post contents	Head Noun with an Irregular Plural Pluralized man–child men-children manservant menservants woman doctor women doctors Legend: Green indicates the head noun with an irregular plural form
Head 1 is Standard Plural Head 2 is Irregular	Rule: Two-headed compound noun with the first head using a standard plural form only pluralizes the second head.
Return to top or post contents	Compound Noun Plural city-state city-states nurse-practitioner nurse-practitioners scholar-poet scholar-poets Legend: Green indicates the noun head
“General” Noun Head	Rule: While general (military only), when combined into a two-part military title is technically an adjective, it is treated as a noun, which makes it a head. Pluralize general.
Return to top or post contents	“General” Compound Noun Plural brigadier general brigadier generals major general major generals Legend: Green indicates the “general” head noun
Three-Compound Nouns
One Noun Head	Rule: The head noun with an irregular plural form is pluralized.
Return to top or post contents	Noun Head with Irregular Plural Pluralized man-about-town men-about-town man-of-war men-of-war woman of the street women of the street Legend: Green indicates the head with irregular plural form
Two Noun Heads	Rule: There are two ways to pluralize a three-word compound noun: Pluralize the first head noun Pluralize the last head noun and hyphenate all three words Pluralize first and last head nouns
Return to top or post contents	Option 1: Option 2: Compound Noun Pluralize First Noun Head Pluralize Last Noun Head AND Hyphenate ham on rye hams on rye ham-on-ryes jack-in-the-box jacks-in-the-box jack-in-the-boxes jack-in-the-pulpit jacks-in-the-pulpit jack-in-the-pulpits
	Option 1 / 2: Option 3: Compound Noun Pluralize First Noun Head Pluralize Both Noun Heads head of state heads of state heads of states son of a bitch sons-of-a-bitch sons of bitches
O’ Compound Noun	Rule: Compounds that include O’ pluralize only the last term. If it’s already plural, leave it alone.
Return to top or post contents	Compound Noun, Singular Compound Noun, Plural cat-o’-nine-tails cat-o’-nine-tails jack-o’-lantern jack-o’-lanterns will-o’-the-wisp will-o’-the-wisps
Headless Compound Noun	Rule: When the common form of the word is singular, treat it as though it were a basic plural.
Return to top or post contents	flatfoot flatfoots lowlife lowlifes sabertooth sabertooths still life still lifes tenderfoot tenderfoots Toronto Maple Leaf (sport teams) Toronto Maple Leafs
	Pluralize Sports Teams with -s
	Rule: Sports teams are usually pluralized with -s no matter how the noun is generally treated.
	Team Name Normally Individual Team Member More than One Member Toronto Maple Leafs leaves a Maple Leaf Maple Leaf players the Maple Leafs Florida Marlins marlin a Marlin Marlin players the Marlins Minnesota Lynx lynxes a Lynx Lynx players Boston Red Sox socks a Red Sox Red Sox players Sox players Cincinnati Reds red, reds a Red a Cincinnati Red Red players the Reds
French-Based Compound Words
Two-Compound Nouns
If Noun Head is First	Rule: Pluralize both words with the head noun at the beginning.
Return to top or post contents	Compound Noun Compound Noun, Plural agent provocateur agents provocateurs entente cordiale ententes cordiales fait accompli faits accomplis idée fixe idées fixes
If Noun Head is Last	Rule: Pluralize either both or only the last noun when the noun head is at the end.
Return to top or post contents	Compound Noun, Singular Compound Noun, Plural beau geste beaux gestes beau gestes belle époque belles époques belle époques bel homme beaux hommes bon mot bons mots bon mots bon vivant bons vivants bon vivants film noir film noirs Legend: Green indicates the noun head
Three-Compound Nouns (French)
If Noun Head is First	Rule: Usually pluralizes only the beginning noun head.
Return to top or post contents	Compound Noun, Singular Compound Noun, Plural aide-de-camp aides-de-camp cri du coeur cris du coeur coup d’état coups d’état tour de force tours de force An Exception: tête-à-tête tête-à-têtes Legend: Green indicates the pluralized head noun
Family Names	Rule: Add an -s if the name ends in a vowel or consonant. If the name ends in an -s, add an -es.
Return to top or post contents	Smith Smiths Adams Adamses Brown Browns Jones Joneses
	Examples:
	Did you hear about the Joneses? The Greens put in a swimming pool.
Foreign Origin Plurals
French Origin
-eau	Rule: The French form = -x. The Anglicized form = -s.
Return to top or post contents	Original French, Singular Original French, Plural Anglicized, Singular Anglicized Plural beau beaux   beaux beaus bureau bureaux   bureaux bureaus château châteaux   châteaux châteaus tableau tableaux   tableaux tableaus
Greek Origin
Return to top or post contents	Original Greek, Singular Original Greek, Plural Anglicized, Singular Anglicized Plural gyro gyros gyros gyro is coming into use gyros kudo kudos kudos kudo is coming into use kudos
Hebrew Origin
Rule: Add -im, -ot, or -s.
Return to top or post contents	Original Hebrew, Singular Original Hebrew, Plural Anglicized, Singular Anglicized Plural cherub cherubim   cherubim cherubs seraph seraphim   seraphim seraphs kibbutz kibbutzim   kibbutzim kibbutzes matzah matzot   matzot matzahs
Inuktitut Origin
Rule: Best to retain original plurals.
Return to top or post contents	Original Inuktitut, Singular Original Inuktitut, Plural Inuksuk inukshuk (inhabitant of Iqaluit)) inuksuit Iqalummiuq (inhabitant of Iqaluit) Iqalummiut Nunavimmiuq (inhabitant of Nunavik) Nunavimmiut Nunavummiuq (inhabitant of Nunavut) Nunavummiut
Japanese Origin
No Plural Form	Rule: Do nothing.
Return to top or post contents	Original Japanese, Singular Original Japanese, Plural benshi benshi otaku otaku samurai samurai
Uses a Regular English Plural	Rule: Add an -s.
Return to top or post contents	Original Japanese, Singular Anglicized Plural futon futons kimono kimonos ninja ninjas tsunami tsunamis
Latin Origin
Rule: A good rule of thumb when working with words of a Latin origin is to: Use the Latin plural in an academic or scientific context Use the Anglicized form in daily speech
Latin Nouns that Stay the Same	Rule: Do nothing.
Return to top or post contents	Original Latin, Singular Original Latin, Plural Anglicized, Singular Anglicized Plural meatus meatus   meatus meatuses status status   status statuses
Noun Ending in: -ies	Rule: Do nothing.
Return to top or post contents	Singular Plural series series species species
-a	Rule: The Latin form = -ae or æ. The Anglicized form = -as.
Return to top or post contents	Original Latin, Singular Original Latin, Plural Anglicized, Singular Anglicized Plural alga algae algae algae antenna antennae   antenna (radio or radar engineer) antennas (US) antennae (entomologist) encyclopaedia encyclopediae encyclopedia (US) encyclopaedia (British) encyclopedias (US) encyclopaedias (British) formula formulae   formulas supernova supernovae   supernovas
-as	Rule: The Latin form = -antes. The Anglicized form = -es.
Return to top or post contents	Original Latin, Singular Original Latin, Plural Anglicized, Singular Anglicized Plural Atlas (statues of the Titans) Atlantes Exceptions include: atlas atlant atlante (map collections) atlases atlantes
-e	Rule: The -e is replaced by ia.
Return to top or post contents	Original Latin, Singular Original Latin, Plural Anglicized, Singular Anglicized Plural insigne insignia insignia insignias
-ex -ix	Rule: The Latin form = -ices. The Anglicized form = -ixes or -exes.
Return to top or post contents	Original Latin, Singular Original Latin, Plural Anglicized, Singular Anglicized Plural appendix appendices   appendices (linguist) appendixes (doctors) index indices   indices indexes matrix matrices     vertex vertices
-is	Rule: Replace with -es.
Return to top or post contents	Original Latin, Singular Original Latin, Plural axis axes crisis crises testis testes
-ma	Rule: The Latin form = -ata. The Anglicized form = -as.
Return to top or post contents	Original Latin, Singular Original Latin, Plural Anglicized, Singular Anglicized Plural anathema anathemata   anathemata anathemas dogma dogmata   dogmata dogmas lemma lemmata   lemmata lemmas schema schemata   schemata schemas stigma stigmata   stigmata stigmas stoma stomata   stomata stomas
-o	Rule: Replace -o with -i. And there are exceptions. Also see the Italian -o endings above.
Return to top or post contents	Original Latin, Singular Original Latin, Plural Anglicized, Singular Anglicized Plural graffito graffiti graffiti graffiti panino panini panini panini (Italian and US) paninis (US) paparazzo paparazzi paparazzi paparazzi spaghetto spaghetti spaghetti spaghetti
-on, -ion	Rule: Replace: -on with -a -ion with -ia
Return to top or post contents	Original Latin, Singular Original Latin, Plural automaton automata phenomenon phenomena polyhedron polyhedra criterion criteria
-um	Rule: The Latin form = -a. The Anglicized form = -s. Exceptions-wise, there are too many to list.
Return to top or post contents	Original Latin, Singular Original Latin, Plural Anglicized, Singular Anglicized Plural addendum addenda     agendum agenda agenda agendas bacterium bacteria bacteria bacteria candelabrum candelabra candelabra candelabras corregendium corrigenda     datum data (Verify as to whether your organization uses datum or data as the singular.) data forum fora forum forums medium (art, communications & digital computers) media medium mediums stratum (spiritualists & referring to size) strata
-us	Rule: Swaps the -us for -i, -era, or -ora. * Non-Latin words that, through habit, accept a Latin pluralization.
Return to top or post contents	Original Latin, Singular Original Latin, Plural Anglicized, Singular Anglicized Plural alumnus alumni alumnae     cactus cacti   cacti cactuses cactus campus campi   campuses census censi   censuses corpus corpora corpora corpuses focus foci foci focuses fungus fungi   fungi funguses genus genera     hippopotamus hippopotami   hippopotami hippopotamuses octopus ocotpodes   ocotpodes (rare) octopuses octopi opus opera opera operas platypus platypi platypus platypodes prospectus prospectus prospectus prospectuses radius radii   radii radiuses stylus styli   styli styluses succubus succubi   succubi succubuses syllabus syllabi (Old Latin) syllabūs syllabi syllabuses terminus termini   termini terminuses uterus uteri   uteri uteruses viscus viscera     virus virii   virii viruses
New Zealand Māori Origin
No Plural Form	Rule: Words connected to Māori culture and used in that context.
Return to top or post contents	Original Māori, Singular Original Māori, Plural waka waka
Uses a Regular English Plural	Rule: Names of flora and fauna may end with an -s, depending upon context.
Return to top or post contents	Original Māori, Singular Anglicized Plural kiwi (fruit, bird) kiwi kiwis Kiwi (New Zealander) Kiwis kowhai kowhai kowhais Māori Māori Māoris * tui tui tuis * Many use Māori as an adjective and NOT as a noun.
Slavic Origin
Rule: Replace: The Slavic singular ending in: -o is replaced by -a for the Slavic plural -ar pr -st adds -i The Anglicized plural uses either the Slavic plural or adds an -s to the original singular
Return to top or post contents	Original Slavic, Singular Original Slavic, Plural Anglicized, Singular Anglicized Plural kniazhestvo kniazhestva   kniazhestva kniazhestvos kobzar kobzari   kobzari kobzars oblast oblasti   oblasti oblasts
Italicized Noun as Plural	Rule: Do not italicize the s.
Return to top or post contents	CSIs The David Copperfields are in the back corner.
Measure Noun	Definition: Nouns that measure length, weight, currency, etc. Rule: In most cases, a measure noun combined with a number will be a zero plural with the “measure” acting as a singular or plural depending on the context. The measure nouns foot (length unit), pound (unit of weight or of British currency), and stone (British weight unit) optionally take zero plurals: six foot two, twenty pound, fifteen stone.”
Return to top or post contents	He tops out at six-foot two. Mary claims she’s lost twenty pounds. That’ll be twenty pound, tuppence. At fourteen pounds to the stone, a person weighing 140 pounds would also weigh ten stone.
Nouns That Stay the Same . . . sort of
Singular is the Plural	Rule: Do nothing. Verb-wise, it depends upon the context as to whether it uses a singular or plural verb. A.k.a. null morpheme, zero morpheme, zero plural
Return to top or post contents	Nationalities British Chinese Danish Dutch English Finnish French Japanese Māori Swedish Swiss Welsh Native American Tribes Blackfoot Cherokee Comanche Cree Crow Delaware Hopi Iroquois Kiowa Navajo Dine Ojibwa Sioux Zuni Music blues jazz rock’n roll Animals bison buffalo cattle deer moose sheep swine Marine Life Exceptions include: pike salmon cod trout plankton lampreys sharks rays Miscellaneous equipment furniture barracks Chemical Elements aluminum (US) aluminium (British) carbon copper earth / air / fire gold nitrogen
Singular is Also the Plural . . . and Sometimes Not	Rule: Do nothing or add an -s. Verb-wise, it depends upon the context as to whether it uses a singular or plural verb.
Return to top or post contents	Certain Native American Tribes Algonquin Algonquin Algonquins Apache Apache Apaches Aztec Aztec Aztecs Black Hawk Black Hawk Black Hawks Chippewa Chippewa Chippewas Huron Huron Hurons Incan Incan Incans Mayan Mayan Mayans Mohawk Mohawk Mohawks Oneida Oneida Oneidas Seminole Seminole Seminoles Miscellaneous cannon cannon cannons aircraft watercraft spacecraft hovercraft ocean-going craft Sciences iris iris irises stone stone stones
Plural-Only Noun	Definition: Plural nouns that don’t have a singular form. Rule: Do nothing. Do use plural-only nouns with a plural verb form.
Return to top or post contents	clothes glasses pants panties pantyhose pliers scissors shorts suspenders thanks tongs trousers
Plural Noun Used as Singular	Rule: These are plural nouns that are used as singular nouns, and therefore use a singular verb.
Return to top or post contents	acoustics aerodynamics billiards chemistry computer graphics electronics ethics geometry impressionism linguistics mathematics (Bitish) maths measles mechanics news (information) optics physics robotics surrealism
Singular/Plural Noun That Depends Upon Context	Rule: Certain elements may add an -s depending upon the context.
Return to top or post contents	sand sands Two grains of sand does not mean you have two sands, however, geologists or builders may distinguish between types of sand or sands. Or, consider the various sands of Africa. water waters Waters has the same distinction. oxygen oxygens Several isotopes of a chemical may exist, so in the relevant fields, you may refer to oxygens.
Noun Number	Rule: Without Numbers: Use -s when not modified by a number; if modifying a noun, include of With Numbers: Use the singular noun form (no -s), if placing a number in front of the number word Vague Numbers: May or may not use the same rules as “without numbers” Plural Numbers: When the number has a specific meaning and not a simple expression of quantity, treat it like a regular noun that’s pluralized Naturally, there are exceptions.
Return to top or post contents	Without Numbers With Numbers Vague Numbers Pluralized as Noun dozens of three dozen cheaper by the dozen ten fives three twelves hundreds of six hundred several hundred(s) eight hundreds (sport reference) millions of ten million got millions thousands six thousand thousands and thousands of plural scores of four score some score of years grosses of two gross head of (livestock) fifty-two head (of)
	Examples:
	I’ve got three hundreds, four fifties, and ten ones. Can you believe the chickens laid three hundred eggs today? There were thousands of them! Pft, he’s got millions. Peterson runs some five thousand head of cattle. The box office grosses mounted. They shipped ten gross of the rulers. Honey, pick up three dozen eggs for me, please.
Quote a Plural	Rule: The s goes inside the quotation mark.
Return to top or post contents	How many “to be continueds” should we expect? There was a chorus of “oohs” and “ahhs”. The “hellos” echoed throughout the room. Okay, I have three “okays” and one “no”.
Single Letter, Number, Word	Rule: Some style guides simply add an s while others require an ‘s. If using the s addition, consider putting the letter, number, or word in either italics or within quote marks.
Return to top or post contents	Add -s Use ‘s APA Style Guide: Chicago Manual of Style: Oxford University Style Guide: I got all As. Mary got Bs and Cs. Dot your is and cross your ts. Dot your “i”s and cross your “t”s. Mind your ps and qs. Mind your “p”s and “q”s. dos and don’ts “do”s and “don’t”s ifs, ands, and buts “if”s, “and”s, and “but”s maybes “maybe”s Hit all the 7s Hit all the sevens Hit all the “7”s 60s MLA: MLA: Rule: Uppercase case letters and numbers use only s. Rule: Lowercase case letters use ‘s. I got all As. Mary got Bs and Cs. Hit all the 7s 60s Dot your i’s and cross your t’s Mind your p’s and q’s
Title Using a Plural Noun	Rule: When using a noun as the title of something or is a word being used as a word, it is singular whether the word takes a singular form or not.
Return to top or post contents	Faces is the name of the new restaurant downtown. Okies, which most people regard as a disparaging word, was first used to describe the residents of Oklahoma during the 1930s. Chelmsley Brothers is the best moving company in town. Postcards is my favorite novel. Legend: Green indicates the singular verb form used with a title noun
Years in the Plural	Rule: Add -s whether the year is in a four-digit format or abbreviated. Never use ‘s to pluralize years in any format; it makes the year possessive.
Return to top or post contents	YES NO 1980s 80s 1980’s 80’s 1860s 1860’s
Pronoun as a Plural
Rule: Plural personal pronouns can be separated into: Person: 1st, second, third Gender: female, male, neutral Case: subject, object, possessive
Person Point-of-View Gender Case (Personal Pronouns) Subject / Nominative Objective Possessive / Genitive 1st male female we us our ours 2nd male female you you your yours 3rd male female neuter they them their theirs who whoever whom whomever whose

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C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!

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Resources for Plurals

“English Plural.” Wikipedia. n.d. Web. n.d. <http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_plural#section_4>.

“Plural Text.” LearnEnglish.de. n.d. Web. n.d. <http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/pluraltext.html>.

“Plurals.” Capital Community College. n.d. Web. n.d. <http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/plurals.htm>.

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