Word that are plural and singular nouns

The majority of nouns have distinct plural and singular forms. However, there are a number of special words that are spelled and pronounced exactly the same way in both their singular and plural forms. Here are 101 words that are both singular and plural.

If you are not sure how to convert a singular noun into a plural noun, check out our guide to how to convert a singular noun to a plural noun.

• Accommodation
• Advice
• Alms
• Aircraft
• Aluminum
• Barracks
• Bison
• Binoculars
• Bourgeois
• Breadfruit
• Cannon
• Caribou
• Cattle
• Chalk
• Chassis
• Chinos
• Clippers
• Clothing
• Cod
• Concrete
• Corps
• Correspondence
• Crossroads
• Deer
• Dice
• Doldrums
• Dungarees
• Education
• Eggfruit
• Elk
• Eyeglasses
• Fish (numbers of)
• Flares (clothing)
• Flour
• Food
• Fruit
• Furniture
• Gallows
• Goldfish
• Grapefruit
• Greenfly
• Grouse
• Haddock
• Halibut
• Head (cattle)
• Headquarters
• Help
• Homework
• Hovercraft
• Ides
• Insignia
• Jackfruit
• Jeans
• Knickers
• Knowledge
• Kudos
• Leggings
• Lego
• Luggage
• Moose
• Monkfish
• Mullet
• Nailclippers
• News
• Offspring
• Oxygen
• Pants
• Pyjamas
• Passionfruit
• Pike
• Pliers
• Police
• Premises
• Reindeer
• Rendezvous
• Salmon
• Scissors
• Series
• Shambles
• Sheep
• Shellfish
• Shorts
• Shrimp
• Smithereens
• Spacecraft
• Species
• Squid
• Starfruit
• Stone (weight)
• Sugar
• Swine
• Tongs
• Trousers
• Trout
• Tuna
• Tweezers
• You
• Wheat
• Whitebait
• Wood

Can you think of any words that are both plural and singular? Leave a comment and let us know!

Read a complete list of singular noun and plural noun

Singular and plural noun list a-z

1. Army-Armies
2. Ass-Asses
3. Baby-Babies
4. Bamboo-Bamboos
5. Bench-Benches
6. Bird-Birds
7. Boat-Boats
8. Bone-Bones
9. Box-Boxes
10. Boy-Boys
11. Brother-in-law- Brothers-in-laws
12. Buffalo-Buffaloes
13. Bus-Buses
14. Bush-Bushes
15. Caddy-Caddies
16. Calf-Calves
17. Car-Cars
18. Cat-Cats
19. Chair-Chairs
20. Chief-Chiefs
21. Child-Children
22. City-Cities
23. Class-Classes
24. Class fellow-Class fellows
25. Cliff-Cliffs
26. Clutch-Clutches
27. Copy-Copies
28. Country-Countries
29. Cow-Cows
30. Cry-Cries
31. Cuckoo-Cuckoos
32. Cup-Cups
33. Daughter-in-law- Daughters-in-laws
34. Day-Days
35. Deci-Decies
36. Deer-Deers
37. Dog-Dogs
38. Donkey-Donkeys
39. Dozen-Dozens
40. Duty-Duties
41. Essay-Essays
42. Family-Families
43. Father-Fathers
44. Father-in-law- Fathers-in-laws
45. Fish-Fishes
46. Fly-Flies
47. Foot-Feet
48. Fox-Foxes
49. Gas-Gases
50. Glass-Glasses
51. Grass-Grasses
52. Hair-Hairs
53. Half-Halves
54. Hand-Hands
55. Hero-Heroes
56. Hoof-Hoofs
57. Horse-Horses
58. House-Houses
59. Inch-Inches
60. Jar-Jars
61. Key-Keys
62. Knife-Knives
63. Lady-Ladies
64. Lass-Lasses
65. Leaf-Leaves
66. Leg-Legs
67. Life-Lives
68. Loaf-Loaves
69. Loof-Loofs
70. Love-Loves
71. Maidservant-Maidservants
72. Man-Men
73. Mango-Mangoes
74. Monkey-Monkeys
75. MotherMothers
76. Mother-in-law- Mothers-in-laws
77. Mouse- Mice
78. News-News
79. Ox-Oxen
80. Pencil-Pencils
81. Penny-Pennies
82. Person-People
83. Pitch-Pitches
84. Poetry-Poetries
85. Potato-Potatoes
86. Proof-Proofs
87. Quiz-Quizzes
88. Radio-Radios
89. Ray-Rays
90. River-Rivers
91. Scissor-Scissors
92. Self-Selves
93. Sheep-Sheeps
94. Shop-Shops
95. Singular-Plural
96. Singular noon-Plural noun
97. Sister-Sisters
98. Sister-in-law- Sister-in-laws
99. Sky-Skies
100. Son-in-law- Son-in-laws
101. Spey- Spies
102. Stepson-Stepsons
103. Story-Stories
104. Table-Tables
105. Thief-Thieves
106. Tooth-Teeth
107. Toy-Toys
108. Trouser-Trousers
109. Uncle-Uncles
110. Watch-Watches
111. Wife-Wives
112. Wish-Wishes
113. Woman-Women

Singular	Plural
Army	Armies
Ass	Asses
Baby	Babies
Baby	Baby
Bamboo	Bamboos
Bench	Benches
Bird	Birds
Boat	Boats
Bone	Bones
Box	Boxes
Boy	Boys
Brother-in-law	Brothers-in-laws
Buffalo	Buffaloes
Bus	Buses
Bush	Bushes
Caddy	Caddies
Calf	Calves
Car	Cars
Cat	Cats
Chair	Chairs
Chief	Chiefs
Child	Children
City	Cities
Class	Classes
Class  fellow	Class fellows
Cliff	Cliffs
Clutch	Clutches
Copy	Copies
Country	Countries
Cow	Cows
Cry	Cries
Cuckoo	Cuckoos
Cup	Cups
Daughter-in-law	Daughters-in-laws
Day	Days
Deck	Decks
Deer	Deers
Dog	Dogs
Donkey	Donkeys
Dozen	Dozens
Duty	Duties
Essay	Essays
Family	Families
Father	Fathers
Father-in-law	Fathers-in-laws
Fish	Fishes
Fly	Flies
Foot	Feet
Fox	Foxes
Gas	Gasses
Glass	Glasses
Hair	Hairs
Half	Halves
Hand	Hands
Hero	Heroes
Hoof	Hoofs
Horse	Horses
House	Houses

Singular	Plural
Inch	Inches
Jar	Jars
Key	Keys
Knife	Knives
Lady	Ladies
Lass	Lasses
Leaf	Leaves
Leg	Legs
Life	Lives
Loaf	Loaves
Loof	Loops
Love	Loves
Maidservant	Maidservants
Man	Men
Mango	Mangoes
Monkey	Monkeys
Mother	Mothers
Mother-in-law	Mothers-in-laws
Mouse	Mice
News	News
Ox	Oxen
Pencil	Pencils
Penny	Pennies
Person	People
Pitch	Pitches
Poetry	Poetries
Potato	Potatoes
Proof	Proofs
Quiz	Quizzes
Radio	Radios
Ray	Rays
River	Rivers
Scissor	Scissors
Self	Selves
Sheep	Sheeps
Shop	Shops
Singular	Plural
Singular  noon	Plural noun
Sister	Sisters
Sister-in-law	Sisters-in-laws
Sky	Skies
Son-in-law	Sons-in-laws
Stepson	Stepsons
Story	Stories
Table	Tables
Thief	Thieves
Tooth	Teeth
Toy	Toys
Trouser	Trousers
Uncle	Uncles
Watch	Watches
Wife	Wives
Wish	Wishes
Woman	Women

There are some English nouns that can be both plural and singular, depending on the context. This can be confusing for native speakers and non-native speakers alike. But don’t worry! In this lesson, we’ll go over some of the most common examples to help you figure out when to use them. Then we will go over some tips on how to teach English plural nouns.

Some of the most common examples of English nouns that can be both plural and singular include:

• aircraft
• bison
• deer
• fish
• moose
• offspring
• salmon
• sheep
• dice
• series
• species

As you can see, these are all words that can refer to more than one thing, but they can also refer to a single thing. For example, you can say “I saw two deer in my backyard” or “I saw a deer in my backyard”.

Another example is “I caught three fish” or “I caught a fish”.

A Short Story Focusing on Nouns with the Same Singular and Plural Form

Today we go on a walk in the forest. We see many deer and bison. We see some fish in the river. As we walk, a moose in the distance travels with her offspring. Altogether there are twelve moose. We see dozens of salmon swimming upstream. We see many different species of birds.

In the evening, we take out four dice and have two series of games. We play until it’s time for bed.

In the middle of the night, we suddenly hear several aircraft in the sky. They are so loud that they wake us up. We see the lights of the aircraft and watch them until they disappear in the distance.

What a great day! We saw so many different animals and had so much fun!

Test Your Understanding

Uncountable Nouns vs. Nouns with the Same Singular and Plural Form

Uncountable Nouns

When we’re talking about English nouns that can be both plural and singular, we are talking about countable nouns. These are nouns that we can count with numbers. These nouns have two forms: singular and plural.

For example, we can say “I have two cats” or “I have a cat”.

However, there are also many uncountable nouns in English that have only one form. These are words that we cannot count with numbers. For example, we cannot say “I have two water” or “I have a water”. Instead, we can say “I have some water” or “I have a lot of water”.

Here are some more examples of uncountable nouns:

• advice
• information
• news
• money
• tea
• soup
• rice
• sugar
• love
• wisdom
• rain
• silence

A Short Story Focusing on Uncountable Nouns

I am looking for some career advice, so I turn to my wiser friend for help. Useful information is what I need, and thankfully she has loads of it. She is even up-to-date with the latest news in the industry.

We sit down with a cup of tea (with very little sugar) and discuss my options. I have invested a lot of money in my education, so I need to make a wise decision.

“Nevermind that now”, she says. “First have some soup, and a plate of warm rice“.

Rain falls gently against the window. We sit in silence for a while, listening to the rain and eating our soup and rice.

Then she asks me about love (of all things).

“What does love have to do with career advice?” I reply.

My wise friend smiles and says, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”.

“That’s deep”, I say. And it is. Deep and true.

“That’s Confucius”, she says and takes away the empty plates of rice.

I finish my soup, thank my friend for her advice, and head out into the rain.

As I walk, the rain stops, and the sun is starting to come out. I think about all the different paths I could take in my life.

Surprisingly, the decision doesn’t seem so hard anymore. I smile, and start walking toward my new future.

So What’s the Difference?

The difference is that uncountable nouns cannot be counted. We cannot say “two rice”, nor “two rices”. There is only one form (in this case “rice”), and it refers to some amount of the thing, not a specific number of things.

In contrast, nouns with identical singular and plural forms are countable nouns, which can be counted. For example, we can say “Bob sold a sheep”. We can also say “Bob sold 30 sheep”.

Summary

To sum up, there are English nouns that can be both plural and singular. These are countable nouns that have the same form in both the singular and plural. In contrast, there are uncountable nouns that have only one form and cannot be counted.

Test Your Understanding

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Singular and Plural Nouns

Nouns are the words used as the names of persons, animals, places, things, ideas or events.

There are two types of nouns in English Grammar. One refers to the singular noun and the other refers to the plural noun.  

These two nouns are also otherwise called the singular number and the plural number. 

Singular Noun Definition:

When a noun refers to one person or thing, it is said to be in the Singular Noun/Number. 

Singular Noun Examples: 

These Singular Nouns can be categorised in the following manner.

• Singular Nouns related to one person:

singer, dancer, artist, photographer, magician, driver, officer, doctor, engineer, principal, peon, labor, nurse, shopkeeper, gatekeeper, sweeper, salesman, philosopher, teacher, minister, president, businessperson, writer, student, friend, boy, girl, toddler, baby, teenager, woman, man, person etc.,

• Singular Nouns related to one place: 

bank, airport, continent, country, state, city, town, village, hotel, school, classroom, university, college, park, shop, coffee shop, zoo, water park, mall, supermarket, post office, police station,  house, laboratory, library, museum, stadium, building, restaurant, temple, mosque, church, etc.,

• Singular Nouns related to one thing: 

ruler, chair, mobile, dictionary, carpet, lawnmower, bus, computer, courage, telephone, spade,  printer, hammer, bicycle, pen, table, ship, calculator, crayon, sofa, truck, television, pencil, fridge, book, lamp, ladder, train, cooker, whiteboard, marker, duster, register, map, globe etc.,

Plural Noun Definition:

When a noun refers to more than one person or thing, it is said to be in the Plural Noun/Number.

Plural Noun Examples:

rooms, tables,  computers, pieces of chalk, students, teachers, parents, books, pens, stories etc.,

Forming of Plural Noun:

There are various RULES to form plural nouns from singular. Most of the rules have been provided here. 

They are as follows:

Rule No 1: Most of the Nouns in English form their plural noun by adding ‘s’ at the end of a singular noun. 

Examples:

• actor – actors
• animal – animals
• answer – answers
• boat – boats
• book – books
• bottle –  bottles
• car – cars
• cat –  cats
• cap – caps
• cow – cows
• day – days
• desk – desks
• dog – dogs
• example – examples
• fact- facts 
• goat – goats
• group – groups
• girl -girls
• house – houses
• lake – lakes
• pencil – pencils
• pen – pens
• school – schools
• snake – snakes
• system – systems
• teacher – teachers
• thing – things

Rule No 2: When Nouns end in  –’o’,  we generally add –’es’ to form plurals:

Examples:

• buffalo – buffaloes
• cargo – cargoes
• echo – echoes
• hero – heroes
• mango – mangoes
• mosquito – mosquitoes
• negro – negroes
• potato – potatoes
• tomato – tomatoes
• torpedo – torpedoes
• veto – vetoes
• volcano – volcanoes
• zero – zeroes

Exception 1:  Though some nouns end in –’o’, we add only ‘s’.

• canto – cantos
• commando – commandos
• Eskimo – Eskimos
• logo – logos
• memento – mementos
• memo – memos
• photo – photos
• piano – pianos
• pro – pros
• solo – solos

Exception 2: But for some nouns, we can add  ‘s’ and ‘es’.  Both are correct.

• buffalo – buffalos/buffaloes
• cargo – cargos/cargoes
• commando – commandos/commandoes
• memento – mementos/mementoes
• mosquito – mosquitos/mosquitoes
• portico – porticos/porticoes
• volcano – volcanos/volcanoes

Rule No 3: When a noun ends in –’o’ but preceded by a vowel, we add only “s”.

Examples:

• bamboo – bamboos
• cuckoo – cuckoos
• cameo – cameos
• folio – folios
• kangaroo – kangaroos
• portfolio – portfolios
• radio – radios
• studio – studios
• video – videos

Rule No 4: When Nouns end in -s, -sh, -ch (soft), or -x, we add -’es’ to form plurals:

Examples:

• access – accesses
• address – addresses
• atlas – atlases
• ax –  axes
• beach – beaches
• bench – benches
• box – boxes
• branch – branches
• brush – brushes
• bunch – bunches
• bus – buses
• church – churches
• class – classes
• congress – congresses
• crash – crashes
• dish – dishes
• dress – dresses
• fox – foxes
• gas – gases
• kiss – kisses
• lunch – lunches
• mass – masses
• match – matches
• patch – patches
• radish – radishes
• research – researches
• search – searches
• sketch – sketches
• speech – speeches
• stress – stresses
• status – statuses
• stitch – stitches
• success – successes
• tax – taxes
• touch: touches
• watch – watches
• wish – wishes
• witch – witches

Rule No 5: When Nouns end in –’y’ and –’y’ is preceded by a consonant, we change the ‘y’ into ‘i’ and add -’es’ to form plurals.

Examples:

• berry – berries
• cherry – cherries
• city – cities
• colony – colonies
• copy – copies
• country – countries
• daisy – daisies
• duty – duties
• dictionary – dictionaries
• enemy – enemies
• fairy – fairies
• family – families
• fly – flies
• gallery – galleries
• hobby – hobbies
• injury – injuries
• lady – ladies
• lorry – lorries
• lily – lilies
• party – parties
• penny – pennies
• pony – ponies
• puppy – puppies
• reply – replies
• story – stories
• study – studies
• theory – theories
• trophy – trophies
• university – universities
• victory – victories

Exception: But, in case –’y’ is preceded by a vowel, we add only –’s’. 

• boy – boys
• day – days
• delay – delays
• donkey – donkeys
• essay – essays
• guy – guys
• holiday – holidays
• joy – joys
• key – keys
• monkey – monkeys
• play – plays
• ray – rays
• storey – storeys
• toy – toys
• tray – trays
• valley – valleys

Rule No 6: When Nouns end in -’ch’ and ‘ch’ is pronounced as ‘k’, we add –’s’ to form the plural. 

Examples:

• hierarch – hierarchs
• epoch – epochs
• eunuch – eunuchs
• monarch – monarchs
• patriarch – patriarchs
• matriarch – matriarchs
• stomach – stomachs
• hierarch – hierarchs

Rule No 7: When Nouns end in ‘f’ or ‘fe’, we replace it with –‘v’ and then add -‘es’ to form the plural.

Examples:

• calf – calves
• elf – elves
• half –  halves
• hoof – hooves
• knife – knives
• leaf – leaves
• life – lives
• leaf – leaves
• loaf – loaves
• scarf – scarves
• self – selves
• sheaf – sheaves
• shelf – shelves
• thief – thieves
• wife – wives
• wolf – wolves

Exception 1:  The following nouns become plural when we add only ‘s’.

• belief – beliefs
• brief – briefs
• chief – chiefs
• cliff – cliffs
• cuff –  cuffs
• gulf – gulfs
• grief – griefs 
• proof – proofs
• roof – roofs
• safe – safes
• scarf – scarfs
• serf – serfs
• strife – strifes
• turf – turfs

Exception 2:  But for some nouns, we can add both -’s’ or –’ves’.  Both are correct.

• dwarf – dwarfs or dwarves 
• hoof – hoofs or hooves
• scarf – scarfs or scarves
• kerchief – kerchief or kerchieves
• wharf – wharfs or wharves 

Rule No 8: We change inside vowels of some nouns to make them plural

Examples:

• dormouse – dormice
• goose – geese
• foot – feet
• louse – lice
• man – men
• mouse – mice
• person – people
• tooth – teeth
• woman – women

Exception:  We add -’en’ to a few nouns to make them plural.

• child –  children
• ox – oxen
• brother – brethren (brothers also correct)
• cow – kine (cows also correct)
• sister – sistren (sisters also correct)

Rule No 9: Some nouns are the same in singular and plural.

Examples:

• aircraft – aircraft
• barracks –  barracks
• deer – deer
• dozen – dozen
• gross – gross
• pair -pair
• score – score
• series – series
• sheep – sheep
• spacecraft – spacecraft
• species – species

Rule No 10: Some nouns have two types of  plural forms

Examples:

• antelope – antelope or antelopes
• fish – fish or fishes
• reindeer – reindeer or reindeers
• herring – herring or herrings

Rule No 11: Some nouns are used only in the plural form

Names of certain tools and things:

bellows, scissors, spectacles, binoculars, glasses, goggles, sunglasses

headphones, pliers, tweezers, tongs,  pincers, chopsticks etc.

Names of clothes and footwear:

shorts, trousers, panties, briefs, drawers, tights, jeans, pants, pyjamas, clothes, shoes, sandals, gloves, slippers,  boots, socks etc.

Note: We can use ‘a pair of’ with these plural nouns. 

Examples: 

a pair of trousers, a pair of pants, a pair of glasses, a pair of scissors, a pair of chopsticks, a pair of sandals, a pair of gloves etc.,

Certain other different nouns:

earnings, belongings, assets, congratulations, thanks, annals, 

outskirts, premises, surroundings, environs, alms, riches, eaves etc.,

Certain Collective Nouns:

Poultry, cattle, vermin, people, gentry, children etc.,

Rule No 12: Some nouns are used only in the singular form

Names of subjects and others:

mathematics, physics, economics, electronics, news, innings, politics, wages, ethics etc.,

Names of some common diseases:

measles, mumps, rickets etc.,

Names of some games: 

billiards, draughts, carroms etc.,

Certain Collective Nouns:

knowledge, information, stationery, luggage, furniture, homework, scenery, bread, expenditure money, power etc.,

Some nouns that refer to number, weight etc., if preceded by numerals.

dozen, gross, hundred, thousand, horse-power, million-foot etc.,

Examples:

• Two dozen bananas
• Two gross of pencils
• Three hundred rupees
• A three-foot stick
• Four thousand dollars

Note: But, we add –’s’ to these nouns if they are used without numerals and are followed by ‘of’.

Examples:

• Dozens of bananas
• Hundreds of rupees
• Thousands of people
• The tree is 30 feet high.

Rule No 13: Change of Compound Nouns into plural:

Examples:

Compound Nouns in Singular	Compound Nouns in Plural
By adding -’s’  to the base or important word
Governor-general	Governors-general
Doctor Of Philosophy	Doctors Of Philosophy
Commander-in-chief	Commanders-in-chief
Brother-in-law	Brothers-in-law
Father-in-law	Fathers-in-law
Mother-in-law	Mothers-in-law
Sister-in-law	Sisters-in-law
Son-in-law	Sons-in-law
Passer-by	Passers-by
Looker-on	Lookers -on
Sergeant Major	Sergeants Major
Heir Apparent	Heirs Apparent
By removing -’y’ and adding -’ies’  to the base or important word
Attorney-general	Attorneys-general
Assistant Secretary Of State	Assistant Secretaries Of State
Notary Public	Notaries Public
Lady-in-waiting	ladies-in-waiting
lily-of-the-valley	lilies-of-the-valley
By adding -’s’ or -’es’  to the  word ending
Step-parent	Step-parents
Step-daughter	Step-daughters
Step-mother	Step-mothers
Maid-servant	Maid-servants
General Staff	General Staff(s)
Court-Martial	Court-Martials / Courts-Martial
Vice-Principal	Vice-Principals
Book-case	Book-cases
Go-between	Go-betweens
Has-been	Has-beens
Good-for-nothing	Good-for-nothings
Forget-me-not	Forget-me-nots
Higher-up	Higher-ups
Grown-up	Grown-ups
Mix-up	Mix-ups
Takeoff	Takeoffs
Armful	Armfuls
Handful	Handfuls
Cupful	Cupfuls
Mouthful	Mouthfuls
Tablespoonful	Tablespoonfuls
Blackboard	Blackboards
Bystander	Bystanders
Toothbrush	Toothbrushes
By changing both the  words
Man-servant	Men-servants
Man-driver	Men-drivers
Woman-writer	Women-writers
Woman-teacher	Women-teachers
Woman-doctor	Woman-doctors (Women-doctors)
By changing  words ‘man and woman’ into ‘men and women’
Fisherman	Fishermen
Workman	Workmen
Boatman	Boatmen
Man-of-war	Men-of-war
Saleswoman	Saleswomen
Workingwoman	Workingwomen
By adding -’s’ to the word ‘man’, when it refers to any ethnic group, race or civilian
Mussalman	Mussalmans
German	Germans
Norman	Normans
Brahman	Brahmans
Other phrases
Many Stops For Buses	Many Bus Stops
150 Trees With Oranges	150 Orange Trees

Rule No 14: In the case of letters, numbers, and abbreviations, we add an apostrophe and -’s’ to make them plural. 

Examples:

• Akshay, write your q’s and p’s clearly.
• Mohini, add two 8’s and subtract three 2’s.
• Ten M.A.’s and only two B.E.’s have attended the interview.

Rule No 15: Some Greek and Latin Nouns can form their plurals in the following manner:

1.Some nouns can be added –’es’ in place of –’is’ to make them plural

Examples:

analysis – analyses axis – axes basis – bases crisis – crises ellipsis – ellipses hypotheses – hypothesis

neurosis – neuroses oasis – oases paralysis – paralyses parenthesis – parentheses synopsis – synopses thesis – theses

2. Some Nouns that end in -’a’ can be added -’e’ to make the plural

Examples:

• antenna – antennae or antennas
• alga – algae
• formula – formulae
• larva – larvae
• nebula – nebulae
• vertebra – vertebrae 

3. Some nouns can be added –’i’ in place of –’us’ to make them plural

Examples:

• cactus – cacti
• focus – foci 
• fungus – fungi
• nucleus – nuclei
• radius – radii
• syllabus – syllabi
• terminus – termini 

4. Some nouns can be added –’a’ in place of –’um’ to make them plural

Examples:

• agendum (agenda) – agenda  (nowadays, agenda is used mostly as a singular form)
• aquarium – aquaria or aquariums
• bacterium – bacteria
• curriculum – curricula
• corrigendum – corrigenda
• datum – data
• erratum – errata
• forum – fora
• gymnasium – gymnasia or gymnasiums
• maximum – maxima or maximums
• medium – media
• memorandum – memoranda or memorandums
• millennium – millennia
• moratorium –  moratoria or moratoriums
• podium – podia or podiums  
• referendum – referenda or referendums
• stratum – strata

4. Some nouns can be added –’ices’ in place of –’ex/ix’ to make them plural

Examples:

• appendix – appendices or appendixes
• index – indices or indexes
• matrix – matrices
• vertex – vertices

6. Some nouns can be added –’a’ in place of –’on’ to make them plural

Examples:

• automaton – automata or automatons
• criterion – criteria
• ganglion – ganglia or ganglions
• polyhedron – polyhedra
• phenomenon – phenomena

7. Some nouns that end in –’ma’ can be added –’ta’ to make them plural

Examples:

• dogma – dogmata
• stigma – stigmata

8. The following words are from French:

Examples:

• madame (madam) –  mesdames 
• monsieur – messieurs

Greek and Latin Nouns Worksheets

Rule No 16: Some Nouns have two plural forms each with a different meaning.

Examples:

Singular	Plural	Meaning
brother	brothers	sons of the same parent
	brethren	members of a society or a community
Cloth	cloths	pieces of cloth
	clothes	dresses or garments
Die	dies	stamps for coining
	dice	small cubes used in games
Index	indexes	tables of contents to books
	indices	signs used in algebra
Penny	pennies	number of coins
	pence	amount in value
fish	fish	denote the same kind of two or more fish
	fishes	denote the different kinds of fish
genius	geniuses	intelligent or talented persons
	genii	spirits or ghosts

Rule No 17: Some Nouns have two meanings in the singular but only one in the plural:

Examples:

Singular	Meaning	Plural	Meaning
people	1. nation 2. men or women	peoples	nations
powder	1.dust 2. a dose of medicine	powders	doses of medicine
practice	1. habit  2. exercise of a profession	practices	habits
light	1.a lamp 2. radiance	lights	lamps

Rule No 18: Some nouns have one meaning in the singular, but two in the plural. 

Examples:

Singular	Meaning	Plural	Meaning
arm	upper limb	arms	1.upper limbs 2.weapons
colour	hue	colours	1.hues 2. the flags of a regiment
custom	habit	customs	1.habits 2.duties levied on imports
manner	method	manners	1.methods 2.correct behaviour
minute	A unit of time	minutes	1.units of time 2.proceedings of a meeting
moral	a moral lesson	morals	1.moral lessons 2.conduct
number	a quantity	numbers	1.quantities 2.verses
effect	result	effects	1) results 2) property
pain	suffering	pains	1.suffering 2.care, exertion
quarter	fourth part	quarters	1.fourth parts 2.lodgings
spectacle	a sight	spectacles	1.sights 2.eye-glasses
premise	proposition	premises	1. propositions  2. buildings
letter	1.a letter of the alphabet 2.epistle	letters	1.letters of the alphabet 2.epistles 3.literature

Rule No 19: Some nouns have different meanings in the singular and in the plural. 

Examples:

Singular	Meaning	Plural	Meaning
advice	counsel	advices	information
air	atmosphere	airs	affected manners
authority	power	authorities	persons in power
beef	flesh of ox	beeves	bulls, cattle and cows
blind	unable to see because of injury, disease, or a congenital condition	blinds	a screen for a window
good	benefit, well-being	goods	merchandise
compass	extent, range	compasses	in an instrument for drawing circles
iron	a metal	irons	fetters
physic	medicine	physics	natural science
character	the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.	characters	a person in a novel, play, or film
respect	regard	respects	compliments
force	strength	forces	troops
return	coming back	returns	statistics
vesper	evening	vespers	evening prayers
sand	a kind of matter	sands	a desert
wood	the hard fibrous material that forms the main substance of the trunk or branches of a tree or shrub, used for fuel or timber.	woods	a small forest

Rule No 20: Some nouns are normally used in the plural. 

1.Proper Nouns:

India, Telangana, Warangal, Ashoka, Mary, Ganga etc

Note.1 When a Proper Noun is used in the plural, it becomes a Common Noun.

He is a Bruce Lee in fighting.

Kalidasa is called the Shakespeare of India

Note.2 But Some Nouns can be used in Plural like

The United States of America, The Alps, The Himalayas etc.,

2.Abstract Nouns:

Hope, charity, love, kindness, friendship, death, beauty etc.,

Note: When the Abstract Noun is used in the plural, it becomes a Common Noun.

Truly, the beauties of Kashmir are enticing.

3.Material Nouns:

Copper, iron, tin, wood, glass, rice, oil etc.,

Note: When a Material Noun is used in the plural, it becomes a Common Noun

Examples:

He does not have any coppers with him. (copper coins)

The convict has been found in irons. (fetters)

Last summer, we enjoyed ourselves in the nearby woods. (forests)

• Types of Nouns
• Proper Nouns
• Common Nouns
• Collective Nouns
• Nouns of Multitude
• Material Nouns
• Abstract Nouns
• Compound Nouns
• The Noun – Case
• Gender of the Noun
• Possessive Nouns
• A list of Partitives
• Appositive
• List of Countable and Uncountable Nouns
• Countable and Uncountable Nouns