This instructional handout provides information on singular and plural nouns and pronouns and the appropriate use of apostrophes when making nouns possessive

Parkland College Center for Academic Succes

Wallace, Sally

Williams, Lori

English

Scholarship at Parkland

 Singulars and Plurals Handout courtesy of Lori Williams and Sally Wallace  A noun or pronoun is singular when it refers to one person or item.  boy girl captain  A noun or pronoun is plural when it refers to more than one person or item.  boys girls captains  Most nouns in English form their plurals by simply adding s to the singular. However, nouns that end in s, sh, ch, x, and z need an e before the plural s in order to make the plural form of the word possible to pronounce: the es provides another syllable. one witch two witches one dress two dresses one bush two bushes one box two boxes one buzz two buzzes  The plural of common nouns ending in y following a consonant is formed by changing the y to i and adding the ending es: one county, ten counties (Consonants are all the letters of the alphabet except a, e, i, o, and u, which are vowels.)  This rule doesn't apply to proper nouns: The Flannerys live next door. If the final y follows a vowel, you don't change the y. To form the plural, simply add s to the singular: toy + s = toys  The plural of most nouns ending in f is formed by changing the f to v and adding es. one knife two knives one wife two wives one loaf two loaves one scarf two scarves one leaf two leaves  Note: For some strange reason, the nouns roof, proof, belief, safe, and chief don't follow this rule, so you have roofs, proofs, beliefs, safes, and chiefs.  Some nouns have the same form for both singular and plural: one deer two deer one trout two trout one sheep two sheep one moose two moose one fish two fish The Writing Lab     Singular Possessives   To form the possessive of a singular noun, simply add an apostrophe (') and s. the monkey's paw = the paw of the monkey  Don't worry if the singular form of the noun already ends in s; to make the noun possessive, add the letter “s.” the waitress's smile = the smile of the waitress the fortress's walls = the walls of the fortress Mr. Jones's alligator = the alligator of Mr. Jones  Plural Possessives   To form the plural possessive of a noun, first form the plural; if the plural ends in s, merely add an apostrophe after the s.  Singular Plural Ending Add Plural Possessive boy boys s ' boys' boss bosses s ' bosses' country countries s ' countries' church churches s ' churches'  the boys' bikes = the bikes of more than one boy the bosses' limousines = the limousines of more than one boss the countries' treaty = the treaty of more than one country the churches' steeples = the steeples of more than one church    If the plural DOESN'T end in s, add an apostrophe and s to form the plural possessive.  Singular Plural Ending Add Plural Possessive man men not s 's men's women women not s 's women's child children not s 's children's  the men's parachutes = the parachutes of more than one man the women's portfolios = the portfolios of more than one woman the children's pizza = the pizza of more than one child         

Singulars and Plurals

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 Singulars and Plurals 
Handout courtesy of Lori Williams and Sally Wallace 
 
A noun or pronoun is singular when it refers to one person or item.  
boy girl captain 
 
A noun or pronoun is plural when it refers to more than one person or item.  
boys girls captains 
 
Most nouns in English form their plurals by simply adding s to the singular. However, nouns 
that end in s, sh, ch, x, and z need an e before the plural s in order to make the plural form of 
the word possible to pronounce: the es provides another syllable. 
one witch two witches 
one dress two dresses 
one bush two bushes 
one box two boxes 
one buzz two buzzes 
 
The plural of common nouns ending in y following a consonant is formed by changing the y to 
i and adding the ending es: one county, ten counties 
(Consonants are all the letters of the alphabet except a, e, i, o, and u, which are vowels.)  
This rule doesn't apply to proper nouns: The Flannerys live next door. 
If the final y follows a vowel, you don't change the y. To form the plural, simply add s to the 
singular: toy + s = toys 
 
The plural of most nouns ending in f is formed by changing the f to v and adding es. 
one knife two knives 
one wife two wives 
one loaf two loaves 
one scarf two scarves 
one leaf two leaves 
 
Note: For some strange reason, the nouns roof, proof, belief, safe, and chief don't follow 
this rule, so you have roofs, proofs, beliefs, safes, and chiefs. 
 
Some nouns have the same form for both singular and plural: 
one deer two deer 
one trout two trout 
one sheep two sheep 
one moose two moose 
one fish two fish 
The Writing Lab 
  
 
 
Singular Possessives 
 
 
To form the possessive of a singular noun, simply add an apostrophe (') and s. the 
monkey's paw = the paw of the monkey 
 
Don't worry if the singular form of the noun already ends in s; to make the noun 
possessive, add the letter “s.” 
the waitress's smile = the smile of the waitress 
the fortress's walls = the walls of the fortress 
Mr. Jones's alligator = the alligator of Mr. Jones 
 
Plural Possessives 
 
 
To form the plural possessive of a noun, first form the plural; if the plural ends in s, merely 
add an apostrophe after the s. 
 
Singular Plural Ending Add Plural Possessive 
boy boys s ' boys' 
boss bosses s ' bosses' 
country countries s ' countries' 
church churches s ' churches' 
 
the boys' bikes = the bikes of more than one boy 
the bosses' limousines = the limousines of more than one boss 
the countries' treaty = the treaty of more than one country 
the churches' steeples = the steeples of more than one church 
 
 
 
If the plural DOESN'T end in s, add an apostrophe and s to form the plural possessive. 
 
Singular Plural Ending Add Plural Possessive 
man men not s 's men's 
women women not s 's women's 
child children not s 's children's 
 
the men's parachutes = the parachutes of more than one man 
the women's portfolios = the portfolios of more than one woman 
the children's pizza = the pizza of more than one child 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  


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Singulars and Plurals

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