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When a noun means one only, it is said to be singular and when it means more than one, it is said to be plural.

Rule #1
The plural of nouns is usually formed by adding - s to a singular noun.
Examples:
lamp: lamps
cat: cats
fork: forks
flower: flowers
pen: pens

Rule #2
Nouns ending in s, z, x, sh, and ch form the plural by adding - es.
Examples:
moss: mosses
buzz: buzzes
box: boxes
dish: dishes
church: churches
topaz: topazes
match: matches
ash: ashes
box: boxes
Exception: monarch - monarchs, stomach - stomachs
Note: If you add - s to such nouns as fox, bush, and bench, you will find that you cannot pronounce them without making an additional syllable. This is why such nouns form the plural by adding - es.

Rule #3
Nouns ending in - y preceded by a consonant is formed into a plural by changing - y to - ies.
Examples:
lady: ladies
city: cities
army: armies
story : tories
pony: ponies

Rule #4
Nouns ending in y preceded by a vowel form their plurals by adding - s.
Examples:
boy: boys
day: days
key: keys
toy: toys

Rule #5
Most nouns ending in o preceded by a consonant is formed into a plural by adding es.
Examples:
Singular: Plural
buffalo: buffaloes
calico: calicoes
cargo: cargoes
domino: dominoes
echo: echoes
flamingo: flamingoes
hero: heroes
magnifico: magnificoes
manifesto: manifestoes

mosquito: mosquitoes
motto: mottoes
mulatto: mulattoes
negro: negroes
no: noes*
potato: potatoes
tomato: tomatoes
tornado: tornadoes
volcano: volcanoes
However, the following most nouns ending in o preceded by a vowel is formed into a plural by adding - s.

Examples
Singular: Plural
bravo: bravos
canto: cantos
cento: centos
duodecimo: duodecimos
embryo: embryos
grotto: grottos
octavo: octavos
portico: porticos
quarto: quartos
rondo: rondos
solo: solos
stiletto: stilettos
tyro: tyros
virtuoso: virtuosos
folio: folios
nuncio: nuncios
oratorio: oratorios
portfolio: portfolios

Rule #6
Some nouns ending in f or fe are made plural by changing f or fe to - ves.
Examples:
beef, beeves; wife, wives
However, the following nouns form their plurals by adding - s.
Examples:
chief → chiefs

fife → fifes
mischief → mischiefs

hoof → hoofs
roof → roofs

grief → griefs
kerchief → kerchiefs

safe → safes
cliff → cliffs

dwarf → dwarfs
gulf → gulfs

strife → strifes

Rule # 7
The following nouns are irregularly changed into plural forms:
Examples:
man → men

foot → feet
mouse → mice

woman → women
tooth → teeth

louse → lice
child → children

ox → oxen
goose → geese

dormouse → dormice

Rule # 8
The following foreign nouns are changed into plural as follows:
Examples:
Singular: Plural

formula (L.): formulae
larva (L.): larvae
nebula (L.): nebulae
focus (L.): foci
genius (L.): genii
magus (L.): magi
radius (L.): radii
terminus (L.): termini

tumulus (L.): tumuli
addendum (L.): addenda
animalculum (L.): animalcule
datum (L.): data
desideratum (L.): desiderata
dictum (L.): dicta
effluvium (L.): effluvia
erratum (L.): errata

memorandum (L.): memoranda
stratum (L.): strata
automaton (Gr.): automata
phenomenon (Gr.): phenomena
genus (L.): genera
axis (L.): axes
ellipsis (G.): ellipses
metamorphosis (Gr.): metamorphoses
parenthesis (Gr.): parentheses

index (L.): indices
vertex (L.): vertices
appendix (L.): appendices
cherub (Hebr.): cherubim (also cherubs)
seraph (Hebr.): seraphim (seraphs)
bandit: banditti (Ital.) (bandits)
beau (Fr.): beaux
bureau: bureaux
flambeau (Fr.): flambeaux
savant (Fr.): savants

Rule # 9
Compound nouns are generally changed into a plural by adding (-s) to their principal words
Examples:
Father-in-law → fathers-in-law
mother-in-law → mothers-in-law
maid-servant → man-servants
foot-man → foot-men
step-son → step-sons
washer-man → washer-men
step-daughter → step-daughters
looker-on → lookers-on
knight-errant → knight-errants
passer-by → passers-by
cost-of-mail → coats-of-mail
Court-martial → courts-martial
Commander-in-chief → Commanders-in-chief

But, the following compound nouns take a double plural:
Examples:
man-servant → men-servants
woman-servant → women-servants
lord-justice → lords-justices
knight-templar → knights-templars

The following words are used as plural forms:
peasantry, admiralty, nobility, cavalry, infantry, yeomanry, cattle, folk, vermin, swine, people, poultry, gentry, public, clergy, police, etc.

The following plural forms ending with '–s' are commonly used in the singular.
ethics, linguistics, phonetics, mathematics, physics, politics, news, mumps, tuberculosis, rabies, scabies, economics, measles, athletics, mechanics, rickets etc.
(Note: Determiner/Article + -ics = singular verb)
Examples:
Physics is his favourite subject.
His physics are very poor.

The following nouns are used in the singular forms:
stationary, drapery, dirt, knowledge, sultry, haltage, baggage, luggage, furniture, equipment, traffic, information, rubbish, scenery, poetry, issue etc.

The following nouns have no singular forms:
scissors, oats, tongs, dregs, trousers, pinchers, bellows, snuffers, cattle, shears, measles, mumps, victuals, tweezers, vespers, trousers, spectacle, fetters, arms, bellows, annals, thanks, etc.

The following nouns have the same form in singular and plural:
deer, sheep, fish, means, series, yoke, salmon, apparatus, cannon, aircraft, dozen, species, etc.

Some collective nouns are also used in a singular form:
orchestra, crew, cabinet, class, organization, jury, club, firm, fleet, army, government, staff, team, family, audience, committee, company etc.

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Also, Read our other Notes of English for Entrance Exams:

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