Study the rules and complete them with the correct options
The plural form of a noun:
- the plural of a noun is usually -s: a cat - two cats, a house - some houses;
- after -s/-sh/-ch/-x we use -es: bus - buses, brush - brushes, match - matches, fox - foxes;
- after -o we use -es: potato - potatoes, tomato - tomatoes. But: photo - photos, video - videos, piano - pianos, igloo - igloos. For mango we can use both mangoes and mangos;
- -y after a consonant changes into -ies: lady - ladies, city - cities;
- -ay/-ey/-oy/-uy + s: day - days, key - keys, toy - toys, guy - guys;
- -f/-fe changes into -ves: leaf - leaves, wife - wives. But: roofs, chiefs, cliffs, giraffes.
Some nouns are irregular:
- man - men
- woman - women
- child - children
- person - people
- policeman - policemen
- foot - feet
- tooth - teeth
- goose - geese
- mouse - mice
- sheep - sheep
- sheep - sheep
- fish - fish
- deer - deer
Nouns in English are countable or uncountable.
Nouns that we can count are {countable/uncountable} nouns: a cap – two caps, a giraffe – four giraffes.
Countable nouns have both singular and plural forms:
- Singular: This cap is red.
- Plural: These caps are red.
Nouns that we can't count are {countable/uncountable}: milk, music, fun.
Uncountable nouns have only singular forms:
- Milk is white.
- This music is beautiful.
The words 'money', 'news' and 'hair' in English are uncountable and have only {singular/ plural} forms:
- The money was on the desk.
- His hair is black.
- No news is good news.
Some nouns are always plural: trousers, shorts, jeans, pyjamas, clothes, sunglasses, scissors, police.
- These jeans are expensive.
- Where are my glasses? I can't read without them.
We use {a(n)/some} with singular countable nouns:
- I need a pen.
- I can see a monkey over there! Look!
We use {a /an} before a/e/i/o/u (before vowel sounds): an apple, an egg, an igloo, an orange, an umbrella.
We use {a(n) /some} with plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns:
- I want to buy some apples.
- There is some lemonade in the fridge.
In questions and negative statements we use {some/any} with plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns:
- Have we got any apples for the pie?
- There isn't any lemonade in the fridge.
In polite offers and requests we use {some/any} with plural countable nouns and uncountable nouns:
- Would you like some biscuits?
- Could I have some lemonade, please?