I. Singular and plural

Rule 1Most nouns at the end

Book booksCar cars

Rule 2Nouns that end in s, ss, sh, ch, and x: add es

Class classesDish dishesBox boxes

Rule 3

Nouns that end in vowel + y: add s

Boy boysKey keys

Rule 4Nouns that end in consonant + y : ies

Party partiesBabybabies

Rule 5Nouns that end in o: add es

EchoHeroPotatoTomato

Rule 6Some nouns that end in o add only s:

Auto piano videoGhetto radio zooKangaroo soloKilo sopranoMemo studioPhoto tatoo

Rule 7Some nouns that end in o and add s or es:

MementoMosquitoTornadoVolcanoZero

Rule 8Nouns that end in f or fe change to ves:

Calf shelfHalf thiefKnife wolfLeaf scarf scarves/scarfsLifeLoafSelf

exceptionsBelief beliefsChief chiefsCliff cliffsRoof roofs

Other exceptionsman menwoman womenChild childrenOx oxenFoot feetGoose geeseTooth teethMouse miceLouse lice

Some that stay the same

Deer deerFish fishMeans meansOffspring offspringSeries seriesSheep sheepShrimp shrimpSpecies species

More exceptionsCriterion criteriaPhenomenon phenomena

Cactus cacti/catusesFungus fungiNucleus nucleiStimulus stimuliSyllabus syllabi/syllabuses

Analysis analysesBasis basesCrisis crisesHypothesis hypothesesOasis oasesParenthesis parenthesesThesis theses

Latin rootBacterium bacteriaCurriculum curriculaDatum dataMedium mediaMemorandum memoranda

Formula formulaeVertebra vertebrae

Appendix appendices/appendixesIndex indices/indexes

Possessive nounsSingular noun+apostrophe+s+possessionBoy’s eyesCarlos’s house

Plural nouns that end in sPlural noun+apostrophe+possession

The boys’ carThe girls’ sport

Plural noun exceptionPlural noun+apostrophe+s+possession

The children’s toysThe mice’s tails

Using nouns as modifiersWhen a noun is used as modifiers, it is used

in its singular form:

Vegetable soup> they add as adjectives and adjectives never take s

A five-year-old son

Count nounsMay be preceded by a/an in the singularIt can change to plural

Chair chairsA book three books

Noncount nounsMany nouns refer to a whole that is made up

of different parts:Furniture fruit mailSugar garbage makeupCoffee hardware moneyBaggage jewelry cash/changeClothing junk postageEquipment luggage sceneryFood machinery traffic

A phenomenon of natureSunshine rainWeather sleetDew snowFog thunderHail windHeat darknessHumidity lightLightning electricityRain fire

fluidsWater CoffeeTeaMilkOilSoupGasolineBlood

solidsIce paperBread woodButter cottonCheese woolMeatGoldIronSilverglass

gasesSteamAirOxygenNitrogenSmokeSmogPollution

particlesRiceChalkCornDirtDustFlourGrassHairPepperSaltSandSugarwheat

abstractionsBeauty, confidence, courage, education,

enjoymentFun, happiness, health, help, honesty, hospitality,Importance, intelligence, justice, knowledge,

laughter, luck, music, patience, peace, pride, progress, sleep,

Recreation, significance, truth, violence, wealthAdvice, information, news, evidence, proofTime, space, energyHomework, workGrammar, slang, vocabulary

languagesArabic, Chinese, English

Fields of studyChemistryEngineeringHistoryLiteratureMathematics

recreationBaseballSoccer\tennisChessBridgepoker

Activities : gerundsDrivingStudyingSwimmingTraveling

Some can be count or noncountAna has brown hair.

I found a hair in the soup.

I let the light in.

Don’t forget to turn on the light of the room.

Guidelines for article usageThe: 1. when you assume the listener is familiarPlease open the door.

2. for the second mention of an indefinite noun

The man was outside.

3. don’t use the for plural count or noncount when are making a generalization

Gold is a metal.

Expressions used with count nounsOne a number ofEach noEvery some/anyTwo plentyBoth mostA couple of allA fewSeveralmany

Expressions used with noncountsA littleMuchA great deal ofNoSome/anyA lot/lots ofPlenty ofMostall

A few and a littleGive a positive idea, they indicate that

something exists:

She has a few friends.I’m glad, I have saved a little money.

Few and littleGive a negative ideaThey indicate that something is largely absentI feel sorry for her, she has few friends.

I have little money.

Very+ few/littleI have very little money. I don’t even have

money to buy food.

Expressions of quantity that always contain ofA lot ofLots ofA number ofA great deal ofA majority ofPlenty of

Expressions that sometimes have of and sometimes notAll bothMost severalAlmost all someMany anyMuch when the noun is specific

preceded:A few myA little thisOne theTwo

Don’t use of with nonspecificMany books are here.

All of/ both ofSpecific: of is optional

All of the students are here.All students are here.

Both of those men are here.