Plurals
| Singular | Plural | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| General rule | +s |
cell → cells, molecule → molecules |
| Words ending in -ch, -s, -ss, -x, -z, -o | +es |
virus → viruses, pharynx → pharynxes |
| Abbreviations ending in -o or words with a vowel before the final -o | +s |
piano → pianos, video → videos |
| Words with a consonant before the final -y | +ies |
body → bodiesBUT boy → boys (-y preceded by vowel) |
| Most words ending in -f and -fe | +ves |
half → halves, life → livesBUT roof → roofs, safe → safes (exceptions) |
| Some irregular plurals of Anglo-Saxon origin | ox → oxen, child → childrenfoot → feet, goose → geese | |
| Some words ending in -ouse | -ice |
mouse → mice, louse → lice |
| Words with a Greek origin ending in -on or a Latin origin ending in -um | -a |
phenomenon → phenomena, medium → media |
| Words with a Greek origin ending in -ma | -mata |
schema → schemata |
| Words with a Latin origin ending in -a | -ae |
larva → larvae |
| Words with a Latin origin ending in -us | -i |
fungus → fungi |
| Words with a Latin origin ending in -is | -es |
axis → axes |
| Word with a Latin origin ending in -x | -ces/-ges |
matrix → matrices; pharynx → pharynges |
| Invariable plurals | sheep → sheep, fish → fish* | |
| Some words ending in -ouse -ice mouse ---+ mice, louse---+ /ice | ||
| Words with a Greek origin ending in -on or a Latin -a phenomenon ---+ phenomena | ||
| origin ending in -um medium ---+ media | ||
| Words with a Greek origin ending in -ma -mata schema ---+ schemata | ||
| Words with a Latin origin ending in -a -ae larva ---+ larvae | ||
| Words with a Latin origin ending in -us -i fungus ---+ fungi | ||
| Words with a Latin origin ending in -is -es axis---+ axes | ||
| Word with a Latin origin ending in -x -ces/-9es matrix---+ matrices; pharynx---+ pharynges | ||
| lnvariable plurals sheep ---+ sheep, fish ---+ fish* |
- fish is the usua/ plura/ form, but fishes is sometimes used to referto different kinds of fish.
- For some words there are sometimes two forms, the originai and the English one, but sometimes the English plural is used only for a narrow definiti on of the term. A classicaI example is mouse---> mice (= the animai) and---> mouses (= a pointing device for a computer).
31 Write the plural of the words below with the help of a dictionary.
1. neuroma: .....................
2. cicatrix: .....................
3. stimulus: .....................
4. vertebra: .....................
5. datum: .....................
6. fungus: .....................
7. appendix: .....................
8. compendium: .....................
9. formula: .....................
10. nucleus: .....................
11. stratum: .....................
12. analysis: .....................
13. bacterium: .....................
14. atrium: .....................
15. reticulum: .....................
16. mitochondrion: .....................
17. tibia: .....................
18. ilium: .....................
19. flagellum: .....................
20. larynx: .....................