Singular and Plural Nouns. Notes On Generalizations For Spelling/Forming Plural Nouns.

Transcription

1 Singular and Plural Nouns Notes On Generalizations For Spelling/Forming Plural Nouns.

2 Singular vs. Plural A singular noun names one person, place, thing, or idea. One cat, one store, one item A plural noun names two or more persons, places, things, or ideas. Two cats, four stores, fifteen items

3 Generalizations for forming plural nouns: 1. For most singular nouns, add s. Singular teacher street pencil book elephant Plural teachers streets pencils books elephants

4 Generalizations for forming plural nouns: 2. For nouns ending with s, x, z, sh, or ch, add es. Singular gas wax waltz dish church Plural gases waxes waltzes dishes churches

5 Generalizations for forming plural nouns: 3. For nouns ending with a consonant and y, change the y to i and add es. For nouns ending with a vowel and y, add s. Singular sky army penny boy alley Plural skies armies pennies boys alleys

6 Generalizations for forming plural nouns: 4. For some nouns ending with f or fe, add s. For others, change the f to v and add s or es. (You will need to memorize the spellings for such words or look them up in a dictionary to check. Singular belief roof loaf life knife Plural beliefs roofs loaves lives knives

7 Generalizations for forming plural nouns: These are a little more tricky For nouns that end with o, add s or es. (Again, you would need to memorize the spellings of such words or look them up in a dictionary to double-check.) One trick to remember: if it has to do with sound ( music ), just add s. Ex: cello. piano, radio Singular cello piano radio zoo potato / tomato Plural cellos pianos radios zoos potatoes / tomatoes

8 Generalizations for forming plural nouns: 6. Some nouns have irregular plural forms. You will have to memorize the spelling for irregular plurals. Singular child foot tooth mouse man / woman Plural children feet teeth mice men / women

9 Generalizations for forming plural nouns: 7. A few nouns have the same singular and plural forms. Singular sheep Chinese moose grapefruit deer salmon Plural sheep Chinese moose grapefruit deer salmon

10 Generalizations for forming plural nouns: 8. A few nouns have only plural forms. Plural scissors jeans savings dues

11 Generalizations for forming plural nouns: 9. A few nouns that end with s look plural but are considered singular. Singular measles news economics dues

12 Generalizations for forming plural nouns: Compound Nouns 10. For most compound nouns, make the most important word plural. For a compound noun written as one word, make the last part plural. For a compound noun written with hyphens or as separate words, make the key word plural.

13 Generalizations for forming plural nouns: One word compound nouns Separate words Hyphenated compound nouns Singular billboard cupful campground maid of honor attorney-at-law step-brother Great-grandma Plural billboards cupfuls campgrounds maids of honor attorneys-at-law step-brothers Great-grandmas

14 Generalizations for forming plural nouns: 11. Letters, numbers, symbols, and words used as words are made plural by adding an apostrophe ( ) and s. Singular Plural # # s A A s s and & and s & s ABC & 123 ABC s & 123 s

15 Using a Dictionary: Nouns that are made plural in other ways besides just adding -s or -es can be looked up in a dictionary to check the correct spelling. Sample Dictionary entries: dic-tion-ar-y (dik she ner e), n., pl. aries, a book containing words of a language, usually arranged alphabetically, with their meanings, pronunciations, etymologies, etc. en-try (en tre), n., pl. -tries. 1. entrance. 2. the act of recording something in a book, register, etc. 3. the item so recorded. 4. a person or thing entered in a contest. 5. a word, phrase, etc. listed alphabetically in a dictionary or reference book, usually with its definition or explanation.

16 Multiple Choice Which 2 words correctly complete these sentences? We bought a pair of and some at the yard sale. A. ski... dishes B. skis... dishs C. skies... dish D. skis... dishes

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18 CORRECT! We bought a pair of _skis_ and some _dishes_ at the yard sale.

19 Multiple Choice One of her is studying in the wild. A. hobbys... monkeyes B. hobbyes... monkies C. hobbies... monkeys D. hobbys... monkees

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21 CORRECT! One of her _hobbies_ is studying _monkeys_ in the wild.

22 Multiple Choice A team of pulled a wagon with three inside. A. ox... woman B. oxen... women C. oxes... women D. oxens... womans

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24 CORRECT! A team of _oxen_ pulled a wagon with three _women_ inside.

25 Multiple Choice Near the campsite they saw two and several. A. deer... moose B. deers... moose C. deers... mooses D. deer... meese

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27 CORRECT! Near the campsite they saw two _deer_ and several _moose_.

28 Newspaper Nouns Use a newspaper or magazine article for this activity: In the article, find at least 25 singular nouns. Circle them with a colored pencil. On your own paper, make a T-chart... on the left side write Singular and write Plural on the right side of the T-chart. List the singular nouns you found in the article on the left side of the T-chart, then write the correct plural form of each on the right side.

29 Scoring Guide: You should find at least 25 singular nouns. Each of the plural nouns formed correctly from these 25 singular nouns is worth 4 points, for a total of 100. Opportunity for BONUS points: For every 5 additional singular nouns you identify, list, and form the plural of correctly, you can earn one bonus point. up to a maximum of 5 bonus points (i.e. it takes 25 additional singular nouns correctly made plural to earn all 5 bonus points but you can do it!!!)

30 Scoring Guide: 100% = 25 singular nouns identified and listed with plural form spelled correctly. 96% = 24 singular nouns identified and listed with plural form spelled correctly. 92% = 23 singular nouns identified and listed with plural form spelled correctly. Etc. 4 points each = total points 100 Grading: A = %, B = 80-89%, C = 70-79%, D = 60-69%, F = Below 60%