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21.5 Singulars and Plurals
English count nouns have singular and plural forms. Typically, these nouns are formed by adding -s or -es. Words that end in -ch, -sh, or -s usually require the addition of -es to form the plural. Atypical plurals are formed in various ways, such as those shown in the following table.
| Singular Nouns | Plural Nouns |
|---|---|
| dog | dogs (-s added) |
| table | tables (-s added) |
| peach | peaches (-es added) |
| wish | wishes (-es added) |
| kiss | kisses (-es added) |
| man | men (atypical) |
| sheep | sheep (atypical) |
| tooth | teeth (atypical) |
| child | children (atypical) |
| alumnus | alumni (atypical) |
| leaf | leaves (atypical) |
Proper nouns are typically either singular or plural. Plural proper nouns usually have no singular form, and singular proper nouns usually have no plural form.
| Singular Proper Nouns | Plural Proper Nouns |
|---|---|
| Kentucky | Sawtooth Mountains |
| Alex | The Everglades |
Noncount nouns typically have only one form that is basically a singular form. To quantify them, you can add a preceding phrase.
| Noncount Nouns | Sentences with Noncount Nouns and Quantifying Phrases |
|---|---|
| gas | We put twelve gallons of gas in the car this morning. |
| anguish | After years of anguish, he finally found happiness. |