Plural nouns: further information

Some more examples of the most common irregular forms:

 

 

Singular

Plural

Comments

 

um/on

 

 

bacterium

medium

datum

 

criterion

phenomenon

 

 

 

bacteria

media

data

 

criteria

phenomena

 

'Medium' has more than one meaning.

As a person who claims to communicate with the dead, the plural is 'mediums'.

As a method of expressing something, the plural is 'mediums/media'.

 

 

is

 

 

axis

analysis

crisis

hypothesis

thesis

 

axes

analyses

crises

hypotheses

theses

 

Note that 'es' is pronounced /i:z/

 

Not all words ending in 'is' follow this Latin rule e.g. irises, pelvises.

 

 

ix/ex

 

 

matrix

appendix

index

 

matrices

appendices

indices

 

'Appendix' has two meanings. As a part of the body, the plural is 'appendixes' but as a part of a book, report etc., the plural is appendices.

 

 

 

us

 

 

nucleus

radius

stimulus

 

nuclei

radii

stimuli

 

Exceptions include syllabuses, prospectuses, censuses and viruses.

 

Status remains unchanged or it can be 'statuses'.

 

Other words can end in either 'es' or 'i'. e.g 'terminuses'/'termini'.

 

 

add x to eau

 

 

bureau

tableau

gateau

 

bureaux

tableaux

gateaux

 

You will sometimes see the ending 's' with these French words.

 

 

a

 

 

formula

vertebra

antenna

vita

 

 

formulae

vertebrae

antennae

curriculum vitae

 

The pronunciation of this ending varies:

 

formulae /i:/

vertebrae /eɪ/

antennae /aɪ/

vitae /aɪ/

 

'Antenna' has two meanings, each with a different plural form. Antennae are found on insects and crustaceans whilst antennas are found on radios and televisions.

 

 

Some Italian plural nouns are rarely used in their original singular form.

 

 

 

(graffito)

(spaghetto)

(panino)

(paparazzo)

 

graffiti

spaghetti

panini

paparazzi

 

 

These plural nouns are almost always used with the singular form of a verb.

 

 

1.         When talking collectively about methods of broadcasting news - radio, TV, newspapers etc. - the plural of 'medium' is always 'the media' and it is now considered acceptable to use the singular form of a verb, although some people prefer the plural.

The media is/are covering the election.

The media has/have been accused of invading people's privacy.

 

2.         'Datum' is rarely used and you are likely to hear 'data' with the singular form of a verb as well as the plural.

 

The data is/are considered unreliable.


 

 

Most compound nouns have one part which is the 'head'. This means the basic or most important part of the noun. The other part(s) describe or modify the main noun. The formation of the plural depends on these 'heads'.

Rule

Examples

 

 

When the head is at the end, it takes its usual plural form.

The first word is often an adjective or a noun that acts as an adjective.

 

policeman

swimming pool

taxi rank

toothbrush

round the world cruise

 

 

policemen

swimming pools

taxi ranks

toothbrushes

round the world cruises

 

 

When there is just one head and it is at the beginning, it takes its usual plural form.

 

 

court martial

mother-in-law

passerby

 

courts martial

mothers-in-law

passersby

 

When there are two heads and the first has an irregular plural form, both are usually pluralised.

 

 

manservant

woman doctor

 

menservants

women doctors

 

When there are two heads and the first has a regular plural form, usually, only the second is pluralised.

 

 

city-state

nurse-practitioner

 

city-states

nurse-practitioners

 

When there are three or more words and the head has an irregular form, only that word is pluralised.

 

 

man-about-town

lady-in-waiting

 

men-about-town

ladies-in-waiting

 

For others with three or more words, either the first or the final head may be pluralised.

 

 

twelve-year-old

head of state

 

twelve-year-olds

heads of states/heads of state

 

With nouns that come directly from French and have a head at the beginning, both words are usually pluralised.

 

 

agent provocateur

entente cordiale

fait accompli

 

agents provocateurs

ententes cordiales

faits accomplis

 

With French nouns with the head at the end, either both words are pluralised or just the last one.

 

 

belle époque

bon mot

 

belle époques/belles époques

bon mots/bons mots

 

When French nouns have more than two words, the first is usually pluralised.

 

coup d'état

tour de force

 

coups d'état

tours de force

 

An exception is 'tête-à-têtes'.

 


 

 

As you can see, particularly with some Latin forms, we do not always follow the rules. This would probably be too complicated because it is not only the Latin ending which has to be considered but what kind of noun it is.

So, although you may see these correct forms, in everyday conversation you may also hear a regular 's' ending e.g. stadiums, formulas, brother-in-laws.

If you are unsure about a word that does not appear here, check in a good dictionary.

 

See also subject/verb agreement and compound nouns.