4. Nouns ending in –o Noun

Noun + o + s Noun + o + es

e.g. pianos e.g. potatoes

If a noun ends in –o, it is necessary to decide whether it is a foreign word, abbreviated word like “piano” or neither of these.

a) Noun + o + s = If it is a foreign word or an abbreviated word, the ending –s is added to –o. It is true for:

• musical terms of Italian origin

e.g. a solo – solos; a soprano – sopranos; a concerto-concertos; a piano - pianos

• proper names

e.g. an Eskimo – Eskimos; a Philippino - Philippinos

• words of Greek origin

e.g. a photo – photos; a radio - radios

• abbreviations

e.g. a kilo (from kilogram) – kilos;

a memo (from memorandum) – memos;

• when the final letter –o is preceded by a vowel letter or sound,

e.g. a kangaroo- kangaroos; a cuckoo – cuckoos; a zoo - zoos

2. Noun + 0 + es = If it is supposed to be of British origin and the ending –es is added,

e.g. a potato - potatoes; a cargo – cargoes;

an echo- echoes; a hero- heroes;

a Negro – Negroes; a tomato- tomatoes;

a torpedo – torpedoes; a motto – mottoes; a veto – vetoes.

c) The letter –e is optional in the following words:

e.g. commandoes; grottoes; haloes; mosquitoes; tornadoes; volcanoes.

5. Nouns ending in –f

Some nouns change –f into – ves, while others don’t. To be on the safe side, just remember 13 nouns that have these changes and don’t bother about the rest – treat them as regular nouns. The fact that some of these words rhyme may help you.

a wife – wives; a life – lives; a knife – knives;

a shelf – shelves; an elf – elves; a self – selves;

a leaf – leaves; a thief – thieves; a sheaf – sheaves;

a loaf – loaves; a wolf – wolves;

a half – halves; a calf – calves.

6. Traditional exceptions.

These are old plural forms that have survived in Modern English. They should be learnt by heart!

a man – men; a woman– women; a child – children;

a tooth – teeth; a foot – feet; a goose – geese;

an ox – oxen; a mouse – mice; a louse – lice

7. Nouns that have no separate plural form

They include:

1. Names of certain animals, fish and birds that are traditionally used for food,

e.g. deer, sheep, swine, grouse, partridge, pheasant, salmon, cod, plaice, trout, carp, pike, etc.

The hunters brought home two wild deer and several partridge.

2. Nouns meaning nationality,

e.g. a Japanese - Japanese, a Swiss - Swiss, a Portuguese – Portuguese,

BUT: an Englishman – Englishmen/ Englishwoman – Englishwomen; the English (the whole nation)

a Frenchman – Frenchmen/ a Frenchwoman – Frenchwomen; the French (the whole nation)

a Dutchman – Dutchmen, the Dutch (the whole nation)

a Russian – Russians; a German – Germans

e.g. The Japanese is a very wise nation. (The definite article is used to indicate the whole nation)

The three Japanese we met were very friendly.

There were Swiss, Germans and a Portuguese in that group of students.