Plural vs. Possessive "S"

English grammar materials provided by English4Today.com

Most nouns form the plural by adding -s or -es.

A noun ending in -y preceded by a consonant makes the plural with -ies.

There are some irregular formations for noun plurals. Some of the most common ones are listed below.

Examples of irregular plurals:

Some nouns have the same form in the singular and the plural.

Examples:

Some nouns have a plural form but take a singular verb.

Examples:

news — The news is on at 6.30 p.m.
athletics — Athletics is good for young people.
linguistics — Linguistics is the study of language.
darts — Darts is a popular game in England.
billiards — Billiards is played all over the world.

Some nouns have a plural form and take a plural verb.

Examples:

trousers — My trousers are too tight.
jeans — Her jeans are black.
glasses — Those glasses are his.

others include:

savings, thanks, steps, stair, customs, congratulations, tropics, wages, spectacles, outskirts, goods, wits

© English4Today.com : All rights reserved. Full English grammar available here.