Heyo Pwips! Let’s talk about plurals!

Most nouns are made plural by simply adding -s to the end. However, there are some special English  nouns and nouns that come from Latin or Greek that we use. These nouns do not follow the pattern of simply adding -s. Lets take a look at the singular and the plural forms of these nouns.

Special English Plurals:

• child=children
• Woman=women
• man=men

There are also special plurals for common animals

• bull/cow=cattle
• sheep=sheep
• mouse=mice
• deer=deer

 

Latin and Greek Plurals

Latin and Greek nouns sometimes form their plurals based on Latin and Greek rules. Here are examples of such plurals:

Words that end in –us usually make their plurals in –i

• fungus=fungi
• nucleus=nuclei
• focus=foci
• alumnus=alumni

Words that end in –a, have a plural –ae

• alumna=alumnae
• emerita=emeritae

Words that end in –um (Latin) or –on (Greek) form their plural in -a

• erratum=errata
• criterion=criteria
• corrigendum=corrigenda

Exception: Often writers identify the -a plural of this type as the singular form. For example, criteria and phenomena are often used as singular nouns (the criteria/the phenomena is…) but not always. Agenda, however, has become a singular form. (see page 149)

Words that end in –is form the plural with –es.

• crisis=crises
• analysis=analyses