Alþough engliſh nouns are not affected by caſes, þey are neverþeleſs inflected by number. Þere are a few ſimple rules for plural nouns in engliſh. Pleaſe note þat becauſe engliſh is not a phœnetic language, þe rules for pluraliſing nouns does not always rely on orþography but inſtead on þe phœnetic properties of þe laſt phœneme of þe word beïng modifyd; þerefore, a ſilent -e at þē end of a word does not change when beïng made plural. A final -s following an unvoiſt conſonant is unvoiſt (s), while an -s following a voiſt consonant is voiſt (z). Pleaſe alſo note þat þē unvoiſt dental fricative (θ) often becomes voiſt (ð) when a plural ending is added.

To make a noun plural:

  • Add -s.
    • SingularPlural
    cabcabs (bilabial ploſives)
    napnaps
    ladlads (alveolar ploſives)
    hathats
    pigpigs (velar ploſives)
    ſtickſticks
    baþbaþs (dental fricatives)
    hamhams (nasals)
    pinpins
    ſongſongs
    furfurs (liquids)
    bellbells
    polkapolkas (vowels)
    coffeecoffees
    wi-fiwi-fis
    pianopianos
    emuemus
  • Add -es when the last sound of the singular noun is an alveolar or postalveolar fricative (z, s, , or ) unleſs a ſilent -e is already preſent. In engliſh, þis is uſually after the letters or combinations -dg-, -j, -z, -s, -(t)ch, -ſh, or -x.
    • SingularPlural
    glaſsglaſses
    boxboxes
    witchwitches
    craſhcraſhes
    fezfezes
  • When þe laſt letter of þe ſingular noun is an -f, unless doubled, its plural form will be voiſt (v), and þe letter f will change to v, which is followed by a ſilent -e. Exceptions to þis rule, alþough þey may look regular, are to be found in þē irregular list, below (i.e. roofs).
    • SingularPlural
    wolfwolves
    lifelives
    calfcalves
  • When a ſingular noun ends in -y, two things can happen. If the -y is preceded by a vowel, an -s is added as usual. However, if preceded by a conſonant, it changes to -i and -es is added. (This is also the rule when inflecting verbs.) Þis rule no longer applys in þe Reformation
    SingularPlural
    boyboys
    daydays
    flyflys/flies
    buggybuggys/buggies

    Irregular Nouns

    The following is a liſt of engliſh nouns which have irregular plurals. Many of þeſe plurals are now obſolete, and þe uſual plural may be ūſd as well. Þeſe are marked as ſuch.
    SingularPlural
    addendumaddenda2
    aircraftaircraft
    algaalgae3
    alumnaalumnae3
    alumnusalumni1
    amoebaamoebae3
    analysisanalyses4
    animaanimae3
    animusanimi1
    antennaantennae3
    apexapices or apexes5
    apparatusapparati or apparatuses1
    appendixappendices5
    auditoriumauditoria2
    automatonautomata5
    axisaxes4
    bacillusbacilli1
    bacteriumbacteria2
    basisbases4
    beaubeaux
    brotherbrethren (archaic) or brothers
    brother-in-lawbrothers-in-law
    buffalobuffalo or buffaloes or buffalos
    bureaubureaux or bureaus
    cactuscacti1
    candelabrumcandelabra2
    cervixcervices5
    cherubcherubim
    childchildren
    codexcodices5
    concertoconcerti or concertos
    corpuscorpora
    creatrixcreatrices5
    crisiscrises4
    criterioncritera6
    curriculumcurricula2
    datumdata2
    diagnosisdiagnoses4
    diedice
    dominatrixdominatrices5
    echoechoes
    ellipsisellipses4
    embargoembargoes
    emphasisemphases4
    erratumerrata2
    father-in-lawfathers-in-law
    fishfish or fishes
    flagellaflagellae3
    focusfoci1
    footfeet
    formulaformulae3
    fungusfungi1
    ganglionganglia6 or ganglions
    gentlemangentlemen
    genusgenera
    goosegeese
    heroheroes
    hoofhoofs or hooves
    hypothesishypotheses4
    incubusincubi1
    indexindices5
    kibbutzkibbutzim
    larvalarvae3
    lexiconlexica6
    louselice
    manmen
    matrixmatrices5
    meansmeans
    mediummedia2
    memorandummemoranda2
    milleniummillenia2
    moosemoose
    moratoriummoratoria2
    mother-in-lawmothers-in-law
    mousemice
    narcissusnarcissi1
    nebulanebulae3
    neurosisneuroses4
    nimbusnimbi1 or nimbuses
    nucleusnucleii1
    oasisoases4
    octopusoctopuses or octopedes - NOT octopi!7
    ovumova2
    oxoxen
    paralysisparalyses4
    parenthesisparentheses4
    passerbypassersby
    pennypence or pennies
    personpeople8
    phenomenonphenomenon6
    platypusplatypuses or platypedes - NOT platypi!7
    potatopotatoes
    radiusradii1
    referendumreferenda2
    roofroofs
    salmonsalmon
    sanitoriumsanitoria2
    scarfscarfs or scarves
    schemaschemata
    seraphseraphim
    sheepsheep
    shrimpshrimp
    sistersistren (obsolete) or sisters
    sister-in-lawsisters-in-law
    solosoli or solos
    speciesspecies
    spectrumspectra
    spoonfulspoonsful
    staffstaffs or staves
    stigmastigmata
    stimulusstimuli1
    stratumstrata2
    succubussuccubi1
    syllabussyllabi1
    symposiumsymposia2
    synopsissynopses4
    synthesissyntheses4
    tableautableaux or tableaus
    tempotempi or tempos
    terminustermini1
    thesistheses4
    tomatotomatoes
    toothteeth
    torpedotorpedoes
    umbrellaumbrellae3 or umbrellas
    vertebravertebrae3
    vetovetoes
    virusviri1 or viruses
    vitavitae3
    volcanovolcanoes or volcanos
    vortexvortices5
    wharfwharfs or wharves
    womanwomen

    1 Engliſh words which have been borrowd directly from latin (as oppōſd to words coming from latin via french) ending in þe ſuffix -us (þe latin indication of þe maſculine nominative caſe) will often have þe maſculine plural ſuffix -i.

    2 Engliſh words which have been borrowd directly from latin (as oppōſd to words coming from latin via french) ending in þe ſuffix -um (þe latin indication of þe neuter nominative caſe) will often have þe neuter plural ſuffix -a.

    3 Engliſh words which have been borrowd directly from latin (as oppōſd to words coming from latin via french) ending in þe ſuffix -a (þe latin indication of þe feminine nominative caſe) will often have þe feminine plural ſuffix -ae.

    4 Engliſh words which have been borrowd directly from latin (as oppōſd to words coming from latin via french) ending in þe ſuffix -is (þe latin indication of þe maſculine nominative caſe) will often have þe maſculine plural ſuffix -es.

    5 Engliſh words which have been borrowd directly from latin (as oppōſd to words coming from latin via french) ending in þe ſuffix -ex or -ix (þe latin indication of þe feminine nominative caſe) will often have þe feminine plural ſuffix -ices.

    6 Engliſh words which have been borrowd from greek (uſually via latin) ending in þe ſuffix -on will often have þe plural ſuffix -a.

    7 Greek words ending with þe ſuffix “-pus” (“foot”) are often confuſed with latin words ending in þe maſculine nominative ending -us (ſee above), but actually þe correct plural is “-pedes” or ſimply þe regular engliſh plural “-puſes.”

    8 “People” is ūſd in a colloquial ſenſe as þe plural of þe word “perſon,” alþough þe words are actually not related. Þe proper plural of “perſon” is “perſons,” þough this has a ſlightly different connotation þan þat of “people.” “People” is also ūſd as a ſingular noun refering to a clan, race, or other group of “perſons,” þe plural of which is “peoples.”