{"id":380,"date":"2014-07-25T20:09:59","date_gmt":"2014-07-25T20:09:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.candelalearning.com\/writershandbook\/?post_type=chapter&p=380"},"modified":"2014-07-25T21:19:06","modified_gmt":"2014-07-25T21:19:06","slug":"21-5-singulars-and-plurals","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-mcc-styleguide\/chapter\/21-5-singulars-and-plurals\/","title":{"raw":"21.5 Singulars and Plurals","rendered":"21.5 Singulars and Plurals"},"content":{"raw":" \r\n
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21.5<\/span> Singulars and Plurals<\/h2>\r\nEnglish count nouns have singular and plural forms. Typically, these nouns are formed by adding -s<\/em> or -es<\/em>. Words that end in -ch<\/em>, -sh<\/em>, or -s<\/em> usually require the addition of -es<\/em> to form the plural. Atypical plurals are formed in various ways, such as those shown in the following table.\r\n
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Singular Nouns<\/th>\r\nPlural Nouns<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
dog<\/td>\r\ndogs (-s<\/em> added)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
table<\/td>\r\ntables (-s<\/em> added)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
peach<\/td>\r\npeaches (-es<\/em> added)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
wish<\/td>\r\nwishes (-es<\/em> added)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
kiss<\/td>\r\nkisses (-es<\/em> added)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
man<\/td>\r\nmen (atypical)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
sheep<\/td>\r\nsheep (atypical)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
tooth<\/td>\r\nteeth (atypical)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
child<\/td>\r\nchildren (atypical)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
alumnus<\/td>\r\nalumni (atypical)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
leaf<\/td>\r\nleaves (atypical)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\nProper nouns are typically either singular or plural. Plural proper nouns usually have no singular form, and singular proper nouns usually have no plural form.\r\n
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Singular Proper Nouns<\/th>\r\nPlural Proper Nouns<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
Kentucky<\/td>\r\nSawtooth Mountains<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Alex<\/td>\r\nThe Everglades<\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\nNoncount nouns typically have only one form that is basically a singular form. To quantify them, you can add a preceding phrase.\r\n
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Noncount Nouns<\/th>\r\nSentences with Noncount Nouns and Quantifying Phrases<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
gas<\/td>\r\nWe put twelve gallons of gas in the car this morning.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
anguish<\/td>\r\nAfter years of anguish, he finally found happiness.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n \r\n\r\n ","rendered":"

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21.5<\/span> Singulars and Plurals<\/h2>\n

English count nouns have singular and plural forms. Typically, these nouns are formed by adding –s<\/em> or –es<\/em>. Words that end in –ch<\/em>, –sh<\/em>, or –s<\/em> usually require the addition of –es<\/em> to form the plural. Atypical plurals are formed in various ways, such as those shown in the following table.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Singular Nouns<\/th>\nPlural Nouns<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
dog<\/td>\ndogs (-s<\/em> added)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
table<\/td>\ntables (-s<\/em> added)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
peach<\/td>\npeaches (-es<\/em> added)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
wish<\/td>\nwishes (-es<\/em> added)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
kiss<\/td>\nkisses (-es<\/em> added)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
man<\/td>\nmen (atypical)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
sheep<\/td>\nsheep (atypical)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
tooth<\/td>\nteeth (atypical)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
child<\/td>\nchildren (atypical)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
alumnus<\/td>\nalumni (atypical)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
leaf<\/td>\nleaves (atypical)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Proper nouns are typically either singular or plural. Plural proper nouns usually have no singular form, and singular proper nouns usually have no plural form.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Singular Proper Nouns<\/th>\nPlural Proper Nouns<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Kentucky<\/td>\nSawtooth Mountains<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Alex<\/td>\nThe Everglades<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Noncount nouns typically have only one form that is basically a singular form. To quantify them, you can add a preceding phrase.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Noncount Nouns<\/th>\nSentences with Noncount Nouns and Quantifying Phrases<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
gas<\/td>\nWe put twelve gallons of gas in the car this morning.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
anguish<\/td>\nAfter years of anguish, he finally found happiness.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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