Singular and Plural Nouns Notes On Generalizations For Spelling/Forming Plural Nouns.
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
Generalizations for forming plural nouns: 1. For most singular nouns, add s. Singular teacher street pencil book elephant Plural teachers streets pencils books elephants
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
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
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
Generalizations for forming plural nouns: These are a little more tricky... 5. 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
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
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
Generalizations for forming plural nouns: 8. A few nouns have only plural forms. Plural scissors jeans savings dues
Generalizations for forming plural nouns: 9. A few nouns that end with s look plural but are considered singular. Singular measles news economics dues
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.
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
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 25 25 s and & and s & s ABC & 123 ABC s & 123 s
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.
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
CORRECT! We bought a pair of _skis_ and some _dishes_ at the yard sale.
Multiple Choice One of her is studying in the wild. A. hobbys... monkeyes B. hobbyes... monkies C. hobbies... monkeys D. hobbys... monkees
CORRECT! One of her _hobbies_ is studying _monkeys_ in the wild.
Multiple Choice A team of pulled a wagon with three inside. A. ox... woman B. oxen... women C. oxes... women D. oxens... womans
CORRECT! A team of _oxen_ pulled a wagon with three _women_ inside.
Multiple Choice Near the campsite they saw two and several. A. deer... moose B. deers... moose C. deers... mooses D. deer... meese
CORRECT! Near the campsite they saw two _deer_ and several _moose_.
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.
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!!!)
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 = 90-100%, B = 80-89%, C = 70-79%, D = 60-69%, F = Below 60%