Number: Types, Rules & Examples
In grammar, the number refers to the count of a noun or pronoun.
Example: Boy-boys, wife-wives, my-our, ox-oxen, it-they, etc.
Types of Number:
Two types exist
Singular Number
It refers to the count of only one of a noun or pronoun.
Example: pen, table, aunt, father, goose, etc.
Plural Number
It refers to the count of more than one of a noun or pronoun.
Example: pens, tables, aunts, fathers, geese, etc.
How to change number
Numerous RULES are there to change the number from singular to plural. They are as follows-
Rule 1:
In general “s” is used at the end of a singular noun to make it plural
Example:
| Singular | Plural |
| Pencil | Pencils |
| Cow | Cows |
| House | Houses |
| Dog | Dogs |
| Mobile | Mobiles |
Rule 2:
If there exist s, sh, ch, x and z in the end, “es” gets to be used.
Examples:
| Singular | Plural |
| Bus | Buses |
| Dish | Dishes |
| Branch | Branches |
| Fox | Foxes |
| Fez | Fezes |
Rule 3:
While pronunciation of ch is like “k”, just “s” is added at the end
Example:
| Singular | Plural |
| Monarch | Monarchs |
| Patriarch | Patriarchs |
| Matriarch | Matriarchs |
| Stomach | Stomachs |
| Hierarch | Hierarchs |
Part 1: when there’s a “y” in the end and a Consonant before that “y”, “i” substitutes it and an “es” thereafter.
Example:
| Singular | Plural |
| Story | Stories |
| Hobby | Hobbies |
| Army | Armies |
| Fly | Flies |
| Baby | Babies |
Part 2: but if there’s a vowel ahead of that “y”, no need to change it, only “s” to add.
| Example | |
| Singular | Plural |
| Donkey | Donkeys |
| Toy | Toys |
| Day | Days |
| Joy | Joys |
| Play | Plays |
Rule 4:
“v” replaces f or fe and then adds an “es” to finish it.
Example:
| Singular | Plural |
| thief | Thieves |
| Wife | Wives |
| Knife | Knives |
| Wolf | Wolves |
| Leaf | Leaves |
Part 1: “es” to be added if the noun is finished by “o” and a consonant places ahead.
Example:
| singular | Plural |
| Hero | Heroes |
| Mango | Mangoes |
| Zero | Zeroes |
| Potato | Potatoes |
| Echo | Echoes |
Part 2: but when there’s a vowel before that “o”, only “s” is enough.
Example
| Singular | Plural |
| Cuckoo | Cuckoos |
| Bamboo | Bamboos |
| Studio | Studios |
| Portfolio | Portfolios |
| Cameo | Cameos |
Exception 1: though there’s an “o” and a consonant ahead of it, some nouns use only “s”.
Example:
| Singular | Plural |
| Photo | Photos |
| Piano | Pianos |
| Radio | Radios |
| Canto | Cantos |
| Memo | Memos |
Exception 2: for some, “s” and “es” both are correct.
| Singular | Plural |
| Mosquito | Mosquitos/mosquitoes |
| Commando | Commandos/commandoes |
| Portico | Porticos/porticoes |
| Calico | Calicos/calicoes |
| Memento | Mementos/mementoes |
Rule 5:
Some require changing the middle-vowel of the word to make it plural.
Example:
| Singular | Plural |
| Man | Men |
| Woman | Women |
| Foot | Feet |
| Mouse | Mice |
| Tooth | Teeth |
Rule 6:
Some require en, ren and ne to add at last.
Example:
| Singular | plural |
| Ox | Oxen |
| Child | Children |
| Brother | Brethren (brothers also correct) |
| Cow | Kine (cows also correct) |
| Sister | Sistren (sisters also correct) |
Part 1: if “man” means human being in a compound noun(a noun that contains two or more words that jointly make a single noun), “men”replaces that “man”.
Example:
| singular | plural |
| Fisherman | Fishermen |
| Workman | Workmen |
| Boatman | Boatmen |
| Man-of-war | Men-of-war |
| Salesman | salesmen |
Part 2: but when “man” is just a part of the word, or it refers to any ethnic group, race or civilian, there comes “s”.
| Singular | Plural |
| Mussalman | Mussalmans |
| Brahman | Brahmans |
| German | Germans |
| Norman | Normans |
Rule 7:
“s” to be added when there’s a “ful” in the end.
Example:
| singular | plural |
| Handful | Handfuls |
| Mouthful | mouthfuls |
| Spoonful | Spoonfuls |
| armful | Armfuls |
| cupful | cupfuls |
Part 1: If compound noun contains several words, “s” comes to join with the main part of that noun.
Example:
| Singular | Plural |
| Brother-in-law | Brothers-in-law |
| Passers-by | Passers-by |
| Step-brother | Step-brothers |
| Commander-in-chief | Commanders-in-chief |
| Maid-servant | Maid-servants |
Part 2: in some cases,“s”comes in every part to make it so.
Example:
| Singular | Plural |
| Lord-justice | Lords-justices |
| Man-servant | Men-servants |
| Woman-servant | Women-servants |
Rule 8:
Besides, adding “s” only in the end gets it done for few.
Example:
| Singular | Plural |
| Book-shelf | Book-shelves |
| Book-case | Book-cases |
| Major-general | Major-generals |
| Poet-laurete | Poet-lauretes |
| Forget-me-not | Forget-me-nots |
Rule 9:
Some singular nouns have no plural form, only used in singular.
Example:
| Furniture |
| Scenery |
| Issue |
| Bread |
| expenditure |
Rule 9:
Adversely, some are always used as a plural form.
Example:
| Mumps |
| Scissors |
| Trousers |
| Spectacles |
| Assets |
Rule 10:
Though some nouns seem like singular, but actually they are plural.
Example:
| Government |
| Peasantry |
| People |
| Cattle |
| Mankind |
Rule 11:
Similarly, some nouns seem like plural though they are singular.
Example:
| Physics |
| Politics |
| Ethics |
| News |
| Wages |
Rule 12:
Some have the same singular and plural form.
Example:
| Deer |
| Sheep |
| Species |
| Corps |
| Canon |
Rule 12:
In case of letters, numbers and other symbols, it takes an apostrophe and s to change it.
Example:
| Sam, write your g’s and y’s clearly. |
| John, add two 5’s and three 8’s. |
Rule 13:
There is no specific rule for changing the number of pronouns. It’s all about memorizing.
| Singular | plural | singular | plural |
| I | We | Him/her | Them |
| My | Our | Your | Your |
| Mine | Ours | This | These |
| Me | Us | That | Those |
| You | You | It | They |
| He/she | they | His/her | their |
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