The word that specifies the number of person or thing is called number.

There are two types of numbers. 

They are: 

(i) Singular (ii) Plural

Singular number: The noun that indicates only one person or one thing is called a singular number.

Example: man, boy pen

Plural number: The noun that indicates more than one person or things is called a plural number.

Example: men, boys, pens

The rules for turning a singular number into a plural number are as follows:

1. The plural form of a noun is usually created by adding-s to the singular form.

Pen Pens

Book Books

Dog Dogs

Boy. Boys

Girl Girls

House Houses

2. Nouns ending-s, -ss, -sh, -ch(soft) - x and z takes es in the plural.

Singular Plural

Bus Buses

Dish Dishes

Branch Branches

Glass Glasses

Box Boxes

Fez Fezes

Ass Asses 

But when ch is pronounced as k, only s is added to form the plural.

Singular Plural

Monarch - Monarchs

Stomach- Stomachs

Patriarch Patriarchs

Matriarch Matriarchs

3. Noun ending in y, preceded by a consonant, form their plural by changing-y into -ies.

Singular Plural

Baby Babies

Story Stories

Army Annies

Fly Flies

But if y is preceded by a vowel, only -s is added to form the plural.

Singular Plural

Toy Toys

Boy Boys

Monkey Monkeys

Day Days

Play Plays

4. Nouns ending in -f or -fe form their plural by changing -f or -fe into v and adding - es.

Singular Plural

Leaf Leaves

Loaf Loaves

Wife Wives

Knife Knives

But if a singular noun ends in -ief, -if, off, -fe, -ff, or -eef, only - s is added to the plural. 

Singular- plural

Belief - Beliefs

Safe -Safes

Gulf -Gulfs

Roof -Roofs

Chief- Chiefs

Cliff -Cliffs

Reef Reefs

Note: The singular nouns hoof, scarf, wharf form their plural by adding -s or -es.

Singular - Plural

Hoof-Hoofs/Hooves

Scarf -Scarfs /Scarves

Wharf Wharfs/Wharves

Staff Staffs/Staves

5. Singulars nouns ending in -o and preceded by a consonant form their plural by adding - es

Singular Plural

Potato Potatoes

Mango Mangoes

Hero Heroes

Tomato Tomatoes

But if o is preceded by a vowel, -s is added to form the plural.

 Singular Plural 

Cuckoo Cuckoos

Bamboo Bamboos 

Studio Studios 

Note: The following nouns formed their plural by adding -» or -es

Singular Plural

Photo Photos

Piano Pianos

Radio Radios

Mosquito Mosquitos/Mosquitoes

6. Some singular nouns form their plural by changing the inside vowel of the singular.

Singular Plural

Man Men Woman Women

Foot Feet

Goose geese

Mouse Mice

Louse Lice

Tooth Teeth

7. Some singular nouns form their plural by adding -rn, -ren, or -ne to the singular.

Singular Plural

Ox Oxen

Child Children

Brother Brethren

Cow Kine (Cows)

8. If the compound noun ends in man and if that man means human beings, men are used in place of man to form the plural.

Singular Plural

Fisherman Fishermen

Boatman Boatmen

Workman Workmen

Man-of-war Men-of-war

Salesman Salesmen

But if man indicates caste or citizen, only -» is added to form the plural.

Singular Plural

Mussalman Mussalmans

Brahman Brahmans

German Germans

Norman Normans

9. Nouns ending in ful takes only -s to form the plural.

Singular Plural

Glassful Glassfuls

Armful Armfuls

Plateful Platefuls

Handful Handfuls

Mouthful Mouthfuls

Spoonful Spoonfuls

10. Compound nouns consisted of more than one words only -» is added to their principal part to form the plural.

Singular Plural 

Brother-in-law- Brothers-in-law

Passer-by Passers-by

Step-brother Step-brothers

Father-in-law Fathers-in-law

Maid-servant Maid-servants

But -s is added to each part of some compound nouns.

Singular Plural

Lord-justice Lords-justices

Man-servant Men-servants

Woman-servant Women-servants

11. Some compound nouns take-s at the end to form the plural.

Book-shelf Book-shelfs

Book-case Book-cases

Major-general Major-generals

Forget-me-not Forget-me-nots

12. Letters, figures and other symbols are made plural by adding an apostrophe and -a

Singular Plural

B. A. => B. A's

M. A. M. A's

t . t's

i i's

five five's But in modern uses only - a is used to form the plural.

Singular Plural

B.Sc. B.Sc.S

MA. M.A.S

B.