List of Peculiar Plurals
Plural Formation Rules
Rule 1: For regular nouns, add -s or -es. (e.g., book → books, box → boxes)
Rule 2: For nouns ending in -f or -fe, change to -ves. (e.g., wolf → wolves)
Rule 3: For words ending in -o, some take -es. (e.g., potato → potatoes)
Rule 4: Irregular nouns completely change spelling. (e.g., child → children, foot → feet)
Rule 5: For Latin/Greek origin nouns, use their plural forms. (e.g., phenomenon → phenomena)
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| Child | Children |
| Person | People |
| Foot | Feet |
| Tooth | Teeth |
| Mouse | Mice |
| Cactus | Cacti |
| Ox | Oxen |
| Analysis | Analyses |
| Criterion | Criteria |
| Phenomenon | Phenomena |
| Wolf | Wolves |
| Potato | Potatoes |
| Goose | Geese |
| Leaf | Leaves |
| Index | Indices |
| Alumnus | Alumni |
Practice Questions
1. What is the plural of "Analysis"?
(a) Analysises (b) Analyzes (c) Analyses (d) Analysis
2. Which of the following is correct for "Mouse"?
(a) Mouses (b) Mouse (c) Mices (d) Mice
3. What is the singular form of "Criteria"?
(a) Criteria (b) Criterions (c) Criterion (d) Criterionese
4. Choose the correct plural for "Ox":
(a) Oxes (b) Oxens (c) Ox (d) Oxen
5. Identify the correct plural form of "Phenomenon":
(a) Phenomenons (b) Phenomena (c) Phenomenes (d) Phenomenas
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