THE FORMATION OF NUMBER. TREES, BAGS, PENS. BOATS, TRUCKS. BOSSES, BUSHES, BENCHES, FOXES. Scarf – scarfs\scarves; hoof – hoofs\hooves.

THE FORMATION OF NUMBER

In Modern English the singular form of a nous is unmarked while the plural form has the inflexion –(e)s. The spelling and the pronunciation of this morpheme vary.

The following cases should be regarded:

REGULAR PLURALS:

Nouns ending in vowels and voiced consonants take –s [Z].

TREES, BAGS, PENS

Nouns ending in voiceless consonants take –s [s].

BOATS, TRUCKS

Nouns ending in letters and letter combinations –s, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, -z (sibilants) take –es [iz]:

BOSSES, BUSHES, BENCHES, FOXES

Nouns ending in “–y” change the final “y” into “i” and take “-es” if there is a consonant before the final “y”: babies, ponies, ladies etc
Nouns ending in “-y” take just “s” in the plural if there is a vowel before the final “y” – days, rays, keys.
There are 12 nouns ending in “f(e)” that in the plural change “f” into “v” and take “-es”: thief, sheaf, wolf, leaf, self, life, loaf, shelf, calf, knife, half, wife: loaf – loaves, knife – knives etc.

The rest of the nouns ending in “f(e)” take just –s without changing “f” into “v”: roof – roofs, cuff – cuffs.

The nouns scarf, dwarf, elf, hoof, wharf have two possible plural forms:

Scarf – scarfs\scarves; hoof – hoofs\hooves.

The following nouns ending in “-O” take “-es” in the plural: tomato, potato, Negro, hero, echo, veto, embargo, torpedo: tomato – tomatoes, hero – heroes etc.

The rest of the nouns ending in “-o” take “-s”: photo – photos, piano – pianos etc.

The nouns cargo, banjo, halo, ghetto have two possible plural forms – cargo – cargoes\cargos.

Чтобы легче запомнить слова-исключения на “f(e)”, можно выучить стихотворение:

My wife was working in the yard

Arranging hay in sheaves

When suddenly he heard a noise

And thought: “It must be thieves! ”

She started trembling like a leaf

Unlike her usual self.

To save her life she hid behind

The loaves on upper shelf.

It was a WOLF!!!! So my wife cried:

“Away! We have no calves!

Or I shall take my sharpest knife and cut you in two halves! ”