b. Singular nouns ending in -s, -x, -z, -sh, or -ch formed the plural by adding -es: kisses, misses;
taxes, waxes, mazes, blazes, dishes, wishes; churches, birches.
NOTE: The ending -s, is added when the plural has no more syllables than the singular; the ending -es is added when the plural has one more syllable than the singular. Thus the singular book and the plural books alike have one syllable; therefore, -s only is to be added in forming the plural. But singular kiss has one syllable and plural kisses has two syllables; therefore, -es is to be added in forming the plural. As a cue to spelling, pronounce the singular and plural of the noun.
c. Singular nouns ending in -y preceded by a consonant form the plural by changing the -y to -i and adding-es: fly - flies; vanity - vanities; soliloquy - soliloquies.
(NOTE: Singular nouns ending in -y preceded by a vowel form the plural by adding -s: day - days; chimney - chimneys; monkey - monkeys.)
d. Singular nouns ending in -o preceded by a consonant general form the plural by adding es: hero - heroes; Negro - Negroes; potato - potatoes. (But there are many exceptions to the generalization: solo - solos; halo - halos; piano - planos.)
e. Singular nouns ending in -o preceded by a vowel form the plural by adding -s: seraglio - seraglios; curio - curios; cuckoo - cuckoos.
f. Singular nouns ending in -f or fe generally form the plural by changing the f to v and adding es: thief - thieves; calf-calves; self-selves; wife - wives; life - lives; knife - knives (But there are many exceptions to the generalization; grief - griefs; turf - turfs; cliff - cliffs; fife - fifes; safe - safes; trife - strifes.)
g. Eight nouns form their plural by mutation - by changing an inside vowel: man - men; woman - women; tooth-teeth; foot-feet; mouse - mice; dormouse - dormouse; louse - lice; goose -geese.
h. Four nouns form their plural by adding -en or -ne, ox - oxen; cone - kine; child - children; brother - brethren. (The u of soliloquy has the sound of the consonant w and so does not violate the principles.)
i. Compound nouns form their plurals by adding -s to the most important word of the compound: mother-in-law - mothers-in-law; court-martial - courts-martial; commander-in-chief - commanders-in-chief. will-o-the wisp-will-o-the-wisps; hand-me-down - hand-me-downs; good -by-good-bys.
(NOTE: Compounds written solidly regularly add -s to form the plural; pickpocket-pickpockets; spoonful - spoonfuls; stepmother-stepmothers.)
j. Foreign nouns, unless they have been thoroughly naturalized, from their plurals according to their native declension. There are several thousand foreign nouns in occasional English use:
SINGULAR PLURAL
LATIN
addendum addenda
alumna alumnae
alumnus alumni
datum data
erratum errata
GREEK
analysis analyses
basis bases
crisis crises
Phenomenon Phenomena
Thesis Theses
FRENCH
bandeau bandeaux
Monsieur Messieurs
g. Eight nouns form their plural by mutation - by changing an inside vowel: man - men; woman - women; tooth-teeth; foot-feet; mouse - mice; dormouse - dormouse; louse - lice; goose -geese.
h. Four nouns form their plural by adding -en or -ne, ox - oxen; cone - kine; child - children; brother - brethren. (The u of soliloquy has the sound of the consonant w and so does not violate the principles.)
i. Compound nouns form their plurals by adding -s to the most important word of the compound: mother-in-law - mothers-in-law; court-martial - courts-martial; commander-in-chief - commanders-in-chief. will-o-the wisp-will-o-the-wisps; hand-me-down - hand-me-downs; good -by-good-bys.
(NOTE: Compounds written solidly regularly add -s to form the plural; pickpocket-pickpockets; spoonful - spoonfuls; stepmother-stepmothers.)
j. Foreign nouns, unless they have been thoroughly naturalized, from their plurals according to their native declension. There are several thousand foreign nouns in occasional English use:
SINGULAR PLURAL
LATIN
addendum addenda
alumna alumnae
alumnus alumni
datum data
erratum errata
GREEK
analysis analyses
basis bases
crisis crises
Phenomenon Phenomena
Thesis Theses
FRENCH
bandeau bandeaux
Monsieur Messieurs
