COUNTABLE NOUNS
Countable nouns can be counted and have singular and plural forms. They are
defined by a / an, one in the singular and some, any, (a) few, etc. In the plural it
would be in the following ways:
PLURAL FORMATION
REGULAR NOUNS
Most nouns take -s: (Banana –
Bananas)
Nouns ending in -ch, -sh, -x,
-s, -ss, take -es: (book, books; table,
tables; box, boxes)
Nouns ending in -f or -fe form their
plural in -ves: (Life, lives; Knife,
knives)
But: Some nouns just take -s and
some others form their plural in
both ways: (giraffe- giraffes; proof,
proofs, sheriff, sheriffs)
Nouns ending in -o, normally takes -
es: (potato, potatoes)
But: nouns ending in vowel + -o (e.g
patio); musical instruments (e.g
bongo), take -s: (patio, patios;
bongo, bongos).
Nouns ending in -y, drop the -y and
take -ies: (country – countries)
But: nouns ending in vowel + -y, take
-s: (day, days)
IRREGULAR NOUNS
Some nouns change completely in
the plural: (person, people; knife,
knives; quiz, quizzes)
Certain nouns are always in the
plural form. These are:
a) Shoes, Sheep, Bison
b) All nouns that consist of two
parts: (Shorts, jeans,
With these nouns we often use a
pair of.
Some nouns of Greek or Latin origin
form their plural by adding Greek or
Latin suffixes: (aquaticus, acuatico;
accentus, acento; litteratura,
literature).
Some nouns are the same in the
singular and the plural form:
(umbrella, glasses, twister,
parachute)
Collective nouns describe groups of
people: audience, class committee,
crew, family, etc. These nouns take a
plural verb if they refer to the
members of the groups individually,
and a singular verb in the group is
considered as a until:
My family is organizing a trip to
Zorritos beach (The family is seen as
a group of individuals).
Nouns preceded by cardinal
numbers and used before other
nouns are always in the singular
form:
A ten pound not (noy a ten pounds
note) .