Question

What does the plural noun mean?

Answer 1

Hint: In several languages, the plural (abbreviated as 'pl') is what we call the grammatical type of number. The plural form of any word usually signifies a number greater than the word's default quantity. This default quantity is considered as 'one', so plural is 'more than one'.

Complete answer:
A plural noun is a term that denotes the presence of several people, animals, places, things, or ideas. Plural nouns are used when talking about multiple copies of something. The distinction between singular and plural nouns is straightforward: singular means 'one,' while plural means 'many.' When writing the plural of something, you normally use the same word and finish it with an es, s or ies.

Based on what letter a noun ends with, there are a variety of rules for pluralization of the noun. Since irregular nouns do not obey the rules for plural nouns, they must be remembered or can be checked in a dictionary.

The different rules we can use to find plurals to regular nouns;
(i) General noun’s plural form: add –s
Examples: dog – dogs, rope - ropes
(ii) If the singular form ends with –s, -sh, -ss, -x, -ch, -z: then add –es
Examples: bus – buses, lunch – lunches, apex - apexes
(iii) When singular form ends in –z, -s: sometimes you might need to double the –z or –s then add –es
Examples: gas – gasses, fez - fezzes
(iv) Nouns ending in –f, -fe: the -f will change to –ve then add –s
Examples: wolf – wolves, hoof - hooves
(v) Nouns ending in –y, and there is a consonant before –y: change –y to –ies
Examples: puppy – puppies, city - cities
(vi) Nouns ending in –y, and there is a vowel before –y: add –s
Example: boy – boys, ray - rays
(vii) Noun ends with –o: add –es
Example: tomato – tomatoes, potato - potatoes
(viii) Noun ends with –us: remove –us and add –i
Examples: focus – foci, cactus - cacti
(ix) Noun ends with –is: change –is to –es
Examples: ellipsis – ellipses, analysis – analyses
(x) Noun ends with –on: remove –on and add –a
Examples: criterion – criteria, phenomenon - phenomena
(xi) Nouns that are the same in singular and plural form
Examples: deer – deer, series – series

Note: There are some irregular nouns which do not follow any of the regular rules for forming plurals. Such irregular nouns must be by heart. After practicing nouns regularly you will be able to write the plural for any nouns.