Plural Form

Usually add s Examples: wave=waves hat=hats table=tables Write the correct plural cat= teacher= flower=

If the word ends in o, usually add es Examples: Hero=heroes Potato=potatoes Try this: Tomato= Sometimes there are exceptions (banjo=banjos)

If the word ends in s, x, z, ch, or sh, add es Examples: glass=glasses church= churches Try these: box= bush = mass= watch=

If the word ends in y and there’s a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) before the y, add s Examples: play=plays monkey=monkeys Try this: key=

If the word ends in y and there is a consonant before the y, change the y to i and add es Example: party=parties candy=candies Try this: baby=

If a proper noun (someone’s name) ends in y, just add s Examples: the Kennedy family=the Kennedys the Finley family=the Finleys Try this: the Lundy family=

Add s to other proper names as well to make them plural Examples: the Smith family=the Smiths Olive Garden restaurants=Olive Gardens Make the following plural: Johnson= Red Lobster=

If a compound noun has a main noun in it, add s to the main noun: Examples: father-in-law=fathers-in-law chief of police=chiefs of police

If the compound noun has no main noun in it, add the s at the end Examples: follow-up=follow-ups trade-in=trade-ins

For irregulars Use the dictionary. If the dictionary shows more than 1 plural form, the first is preferred. If it shows no plural form, use the rules. Note: The dictionary often lists only what changes. Example: shelf (-ves)

Use an apostrophe ONLY for numbers, letters, symbols, and “words used as words.” Examples: Numbers—6’s, 10’s Letters—B’s, D’s Symbols--#’s Words used as words—I had too many the’s in my sentence. ***When you write about decades, both 1990s and 1990’s are acceptable, 1990s is preferred.