English Language Arts
Grade 7
15 min
Form and use plurals: review
Form and use plurals: review
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify singular and plural nouns in various texts.
Apply the rules for forming regular plurals, including those ending in -s, -x, -ch, -sh, -z, and -y.
Correctly form the plurals of common irregular nouns.
Accurately pluralize nouns ending in -f or -fe, recognizing common exceptions.
Correctly form the plurals of compound nouns.
Distinguish between plural forms and possessive forms of nouns.
Use plural nouns correctly in their own writing to ensure grammatical accuracy.
Ever wonder why 'one mouse' becomes 'two mice' but 'one house' becomes 'two houses'? 🤔 Plurals can be tricky!
In this lesson, we'll review the essential rules for forming and using plural nouns. Mastering plurals is crucial for clear commu...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Singular NounA noun that refers to only one person, place, thing, or idea.cat, city, book, happiness
Plural NounA noun that refers to more than one person, place, thing, or idea.cats, cities, books, ideas
Regular PluralNouns that form their plural by simply adding -s or -es to the end of the word.table → tables, bus → buses
Irregular PluralNouns that form their plural in ways other than adding -s or -es, often by changing vowels, changing the ending, or staying the same.man → men, mouse → mice, sheep → sheep
Nouns Ending in -yNouns that require specific rules for pluralization depending on whether a vowel or consonant precedes the -y.baby → babies (consonant + y), day → days (vowel + y)
Nouns Ending in -f or -feNouns that often change their -f or -fe ending to -ves w...
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Key Rules & Conventions
General Rule: Adding -s or -es
Most nouns form their plural by adding -s. Nouns ending in -s, -x, -ch, -sh, or -z add -es.
Use -s for the vast majority of nouns. Use -es when the singular noun already ends in a sibilant sound, making an extra syllable necessary for pronunciation.
Nouns Ending in -y Rule
If a noun ends in -y preceded by a consonant, change the -y to -ies. If a noun ends in -y preceded by a vowel, simply add -s.
This rule helps maintain proper pronunciation and spelling for words like 'city' (cities) versus 'toy' (toys).
Nouns Ending in -f or -fe Rule
For many nouns ending in -f or -fe, change the -f or -fe to -ves. However, some nouns simply add -s.
This rule applies to words like 'leaf' (leaves) and 'knife' (kn...
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Sign Up Free to ContinueSample Practice Questions
Challenging
Some nouns, like 'sheep' or 'deer', are the same in both singular and plural form. In which sentence is the noun 'species' used as a plural?
A.Many new species were discovered in the rainforest.
B.This species of butterfly is endangered.
C.The origin of a species is a complex topic.
D.One species has adapted to the harsh climate.
Challenging
Read the sentence: "My two sister-in-laws brought their childs to the family partys." Which revision corrects all the pluralization errors?
A.My two sister-in-law brought their children to the family parties.
B.My two sisters-in-law brought their children to the family parties.
C.My two sisters-in-law brought their childs to the family partys.
D.My two sister-in-laws brought their children to the family parties.
Challenging
A student writes, "We have two commander in chiefs in our history club." Which specific rule for forming plurals was misapplied?
A.The rule for nouns ending in -f or -fe.
B.The rule for irregular nouns that change vowels.
C.The rule for pluralizing the principal word in a compound noun.
D.The rule for adding -es to nouns ending in -ch or -sh.
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