Pluralizing Nouns and Verbs

Pluralizing Nouns

The plural form of a noun is the form a noun takes when it refers to more than one item—for example, apple is singular while apples is plural. In the English language, there are many rules and exceptions for pluralizing nouns. 

If you are unsure about the correct plural form of a noun, it is best to consult a dictionary. We will address some of the most common pluralization rules below.

The most common way to pluralize a noun is to add -s to the end. 

• girl – girls
• tree – trees
• the Walker family – the Walkers

When a noun ends in -ss, -x, -ch, -sh, or -z, pluralize it by adding -es to the end.

• box – boxes
• ditch – ditches
• business – businesses
• the Jones family – the Joneses
• the Pérez family – the Pérezes

The most common way to pluralize a noun ending in -o is by adding -es to the end.

• tomato – tomatoes
• hero – heroes
• echo – echoes

Some nouns ending in -o are pluralized by adding -s to the end.

• video – videos
• piano – pianos
• soprano – sopranos

When a noun ends in a vowel and -y, pluralize it by adding -s to the end.

• toy – toys
• day – days
• monkey – monkeys

When a noun ends in a consonant and -y, pluralize it by removing the -y and adding -ies to the end.

• city – cities
• body – bodies
• family – families

The most common way to pluralize a noun ending in -f or -fe is by removing the -f or -fe and adding -ves to the end.

• knife – knives
• roof – rooves
• wolf – wolves

Some nouns ending in -f or -fe are pluralized by adding -s to the end.

• serif – serifs
• gaffe – gaffes

Some nouns have irregular plural forms. Memorize such words or refer to a dictionary for assistance.

• child – children
• man – men
• woman – women
• mouse – mice
• crisis – crises
• syllabus – syllabi

Some nouns do not change spelling when pluralized.

• deer – deer
• moose – moose

Some nouns may be pluralized in different ways depending on the intended meaning.

• person – people (referring to more than one person)
• person – persons (referring to distinct individuals who should not be grouped together)
• people – peoples (referring to distinct groups of people)
   
• fish – fish (referring to more than one fish)
• fish – fishes (referring to distinct groups of fish)
   
• mouse – mice (referring to more than one rodent)
• mouse – mouses (referring to more than one computer mouse)

Some nouns may be pluralized in different ways if they are loan words from another language. In such cases, all are considered valid.

• persona – personas or personae
• cactus – cactuses or cacti
• stadium – stadiums or stadia
• octopus – octopuses, octopi, or octopodes
• mosquito – mosquitos or mosquitoes

When pluralizing a compound noun, pluralize the main noun, which is not always the first or last word in the word group. Refer to a dictionary for assistance when needed.

• secretary of state – secretaries of state
• father-in-law – fathers-in-law
• surgeon general – surgeons general
• nurse practitioner – nurse practitioners

When using a foreign compound noun or phrase from another language, pluralize the noun or phrase by adding -s to the end.

• mise en place – mise en places
• ne plus ultra – ne plus ultras

Pluralizing Verbs

Verbs can also be pluralized. The verb in a predicate must match forms with the noun in a subject. this is known as subject-verb agreement. When the noun in a subject is singular, the verb in the predicate should be singular. When the noun in a subject is plural, the verb in the predicate should be plural.

If you are unsure about the correct form of a verb, it is best to consult a dictionary.

The most common way to make a verb singular is by adding -s to the end.

• The child runs.
• The knight seizes the castle.

When a verb ends in -ss, -x, -ch, -sh, -o, or -z, make it singular by adding -es to the end.

• Annie goes to the bank.
• The professor teaches.
• The evil witch hexes the prince.
• The security officer buzzes me in.

When a verb ends in a vowel and -y, make it singular by adding -s to the end.

• The child plays with a doll.
• The loud truck annoys me.

When a verb ends in a consonant and -y, make it singular by removing the -y and adding -ies to the end.

• The pilot flies around the world.
• The mother worries about her child.

The most common way to make a verb plural is by leaving it unchanged from its base form.

• The children run.
• The professors teach.

Some verbs have irregular singular and plural forms. Memorize such words or refer to a dictionary for assistance.

• To be a college student is a wonderful opportunity.
• Aiden is a college student.
• Pam, Aiden, and Lex are college students.

Rules on Capitalization

Below are examples of when to use capitalization in specific scenarios.

Complete sentences

Capitalize the first word of a sentence.

• Example: The students did well on their assignments.

Quotes

If a quote can function as a complete sentence, capitalize the first word of the quote.

• Example: Professor Duncan said, "Reading literature is a great way to learn about other people and cultures."

If quoted material is not a complete sentence, do not capitalize the first word.

• Example: Professor Duncan said that students can “learn about other people and cultures” by reading literature.

A sentence with a mixed quotation incorporates the grammar of the quote into the rest of the sentence. This commonly occurs with the phrase said that. Do not capitalize the first word of a mixed quotation.

• Example: Professor Duncan said that “reading literature is a great way to learn about other people and cultures.”

Proper nouns

• Names: Jane Doe, Ludwig van Beethoven
• Organizations: United Way, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Pasco-Hernando State College, Plant High School
• Countries: United States
• Cities and States: St. Louis, Missouri
• Geographic locations: the West, the East, Global North, Global South
• Geographic regions: Sun Belt, Rust Belt, the Great Plains
• Family relation used as part of name: Uncle Fred, Granny Sara, Tito Jorge
• Family relation used instead of name: Mother, Father, Uncle, Auntie, Grandpa
• Title used instead of name: Captain, Senator, Cardinal, Coach, Sensei
• Title used as part of name: Mother Theresa, Senator Smith, Captain Kirk, Coach John
• Honorifics used as part of name: Mister Jones, Miss Lisa, Lord Tennyson
• Names of pets: Fido

Days of the week and months of the year

• Days: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
• Months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

Terms related to nationality, ethnicity, cultural heritage, language, and religion

• Nationalities: American
• Cultures: Hispanic, Latino, Cajun
• Languages: French, Cantonese
• Religions: Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam
• Religious affiliations: Christian, Jewish, Muslim
• Religious texts: Torah, Bible, Quran, Diamond Sutra, New Testament
• Cultural terms as adjectives: Chinese food, French wine

The names of vessels

• USS Enterprise

• Cutty Sark

• Challenger

Abbreviations

• Organizations: FBI, NATO
• Countries: USA, UK, UAE, ROK
• Eras: BC, AD, BCE, CE
• Time zones: 8:30 EST (Eastern Standard Time)

 

In MLA format, do not capitalize a.m. or p.m.

Salutations and closing remarks in correspondence

• Dear Mr. Jones,
• Dear Sir or Madam,
• To Whom It May Concern,
• Dear Hiring Committee:
• Sincerely,
• Yours truly,
• With love,

Academic or business titles

• Introduction to Adolescent Psychology
• Painting 101
• Department of English
• Senior Assistant Technician

Titles of art and media

MLA format uses title-style capitalization, where only certain words in a title are capitalized. When following title-style capitalization, capitalize the first word, the last word, and all primary words in a title, including words that come after hyphens in compound words.

Examples of the parts of speech that should be capitalized in title-style capitalization:

• Nouns: The Flower of Evil
• Pronouns: His and Her Circumstances
• Verbs: To Kill a Mockingbird
• Adjectives: The Good Place
• Adverbs: To Boldly Go
• Subordinating conjunctions: After, Although, As, As If, As Soon As, Because, Before, If, That, Unless, Until, When, Where, While

Do not capitalize the following elements of a title when following title-style capitalization unless the element is the first word of the title:

• Prepositions: against, as, between, in, of, to, according to
• Coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS): for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so
• The word to in infinitives: How to Train Your Dragon
• Articles: a, an, the

 

• Example: Against All Odds
• Example: A First Memory
• Example: The Best Ways to Travel

 

Examples of different types of media that follow the rules for title-style capitalization:

• Books: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Short stories: “The Masque of the Red Death”
• Publications: The Atlantic
• Short published works: “How to Want Less”
• Websites: Neopets, YouTube
• Songs: “You’ve Got a Friend in Me”
• Albums: Abbey Road
• Television shows: Adventure Time
• Radio shows and podcasts: Welcome to Night Vale
• Apps: iMovie, Uber Eats
• Video games: The Last of Us
• Visual art: Lady with an Ermine
• Productions: Hamilton

Homonyms and Commonly-confused Words

There are some homonyms which are commonly confused. There are other words which are not really homonyms because they are not pronounced the same but are pronounced in a similar way. Listed below are some words whose meanings are commonly confused.

Accept and Except

The word accept means to receive or agree with something presented to you.

• Example: I accepted her apology.
• Example: I found the cost of rent unacceptable.

The word except means to exclude something.

• Example: I like all vegetables except for broccoli.

Affect and Effect

The word affect has multiple usages. As a verb, affect means to influence something or to intentionally change one’s mannerisms. As a noun, affect refers to one’s emotional state.

• Example: Spilling salt all over the chemistry experiment certainly affected the outcome.
• Example: I affected a polite smile even though I was secretly upset.
• Example: The doctor noted the patient’s flat affect during the examination.

The word effect also has multiple usages. Most commonly used as a noun, effect means the result of something. Less commonly used as a verb, effect means to bring something into existence.

• Example: The nation was still feeling the effects of a decade-old economic policy.
• Example: The activist group effected change in their community.

Cite, Site, and Sight

The word cite means to refer to or give credit to something.

• Example: My mother would always cite the wisdom of the Greek philosophers.
• Example: My assignment required me to cite five different sources.
• Example: The last page of my research paper is the Works Cited page.

The word site means a place or location.

• Example: We are supposed to get a new shopping mall, but right now it’s just a construction site.
• Example: You will find medical advice on the WebMD website.

The word sight means a thing that is seen.

• Example: Her smiling face was a sight for sore eyes.

Everyday and Every Day

The word everyday is an adjective that describes something that is routine and regular.

• Example: I wore my everyday work clothes to the party.

The words every day are a combination of an adjective and a noun and refer to the specific recurrence of something on a daily basis.

• Example: I brush my teeth every day.
• Example: Every day, I try to remember to stretch.

Its and It’s

The word its is a possessive pronoun that is used to show when something belongs to an it.

• Example: The old battery lost its ability to hold a charge.

The word it’s is a contraction of the words it is.

• Example: It’s a good day to go for a stroll.

Lose and Loose

The word lose means to fail or to have something leave your possession.

• Example: I would hate to see my team lose the baseball game.
• Example: I didn’t mean to lose my math homework; I promise.

The word loose has multiple usages. As an adjective, it describes something which is not snug or tight. As a verb, it means to release something that was being held in place.

• Example: My older brother’s hand-me-down t-shirts were always really loose on me.
• Example: The archer loosed an arrow from his bow.

Principle and Principal

The word principle refers to a fundamental rule or guideline.

• Example: I try to live by the principles of stoic philosophy.
• Example: The physics professor gave a lecture on the principles of relativity.

The word principal has multiple usages. As an adjective, it describes the primary part of something. As a noun, it can refer to a high-ranking administrator or to the initial sum of money in a loan.

• Example: Although the driver was charged with a crime, the principal offender was the person who broke into the building.
• Example: The student had to visit the principal’s office after getting in trouble.
• Example: Along with the $10,000 principal, I also had to pay 2% interest on my car loan.

Soul and Sole

The word soul refers to a spirit.

• Example: The old piano instructor down the street has a kind soul.

The word sole describes when something is alone. It also refers to a type of fish.

• Example: He was the sole third grader who dared stand up to the bully.
• Example: I ordered the baked sole with a side of greens.

Stationary and Stationery

The word stationary describes something that is not supposed to move.

• Example: The traffic director advised our car to remain stationary.

The word stationery refers to paper office supplies.

• She loved to import fancy stationery from Holland and Japan.

Then and Than

The word then is used to mark something in time.

• Example: The role of women in society was much more limited back then.
• Example: To get to the donut shop, first walk down the street, then turn left.

The word than is used to make comparisons.

• Example: I would rather eat my hat than go skydiving.
• Example: My love of fried chicken is greater than my fear of indigestion.

They’re, There and Their

The word then is used to mark something in time.

• Example: The role of women in society was much more limited back then.
• Example: To get to the donut shop, first walk down the street, then turn left.

The word than is used to make comparisons.

• Example: I would rather eat my hat than go skydiving.
• Example: My love of fried chicken is greater than my fear of indigestion.

To, Two, and Too

The word to is most commonly used as a preposition to mark the direction something takes. It can also be used with infinitives in phrases like how to.

• Example: They went to the movies.
• Example: They showed me how to install a spare tire.

The word two is the word form of the number 2.

• Example: I ordered two milkshakes for Sam and Pam.

The word too has multiple usages. It is used as an adverb to describe something that is taken to an extraneous degree. It is also used as a synonym of the word also.

• Example: It was too hot outside, so I stayed indoors.
• Example: We stayed indoors all summer too.
• Example: I, too, believe in liberty and justice for all.

Until and Till

The word until is used to mark the duration of something.

• Example: I will love you until the stars fall from the sky.
• Example: Head north until you reach the gas station.

The word till has multiple usages. As a verb, it means to plow soil. It is also an informal abbreviation of the word until. As an abbreviation, till should be avoided in academic writing.

• Example: The farmer tilled the land.

Example: I will love you till the stars fall from the sky.

Weather and Whether

The word weather refers to climate.

• Example: Stormy weather is approaching.

The word whether is used to show that something is conditional or being determined.

• Example: I waited to hear whether I won the poetry contest.
• Example: Whether you move to Tokyo or Ontario is up to you.

Where and Were

The word where is used to mark the location of something.

• Example: Where can I find the best Cuban sandwich in town?
• Example: I was not sure where to go.

The word were has multiple usages as a verb. It can also be used as a prefix to refer to a supernatural monster that is half-human and half-beast.

• Example: They were first in line.
• Example: Bob and Joe were swimming last night when they heard thunder overhead.
• Example: If I were a rich man, I wouldn’t have to work hard.
• Example: The movie was about a love triangle between a girl, a werewolf, and a vampire.

Whose and Who’s

The word whose is used to mark possession.

• Example: Whose pencil is this?
• Example: I only want to vote for a mayor whose policies serve the greater good.

The word who’s is a contraction of the words who is.

• Example: Who’s going to clean the dishes?

Alright and All Right

The word alright is an adjective that informally describes something that is of average, acceptable quality.

• Example: I was feeling alright after I recovered from my cold.

It is best to avoid the use of alright in academic writing.

Words with More than One Spelling

Some words have multiple accepted spellings. Maintain a consistent usage of one spelling throughout your work.

• Gray and grey
• Judgment and judgement
• Color and colour
• Aluminum and aluminium
• Travelled and traveled

Numbers

Context plays a role in whether you should use numerals (1, 2, 3) or word forms (one, two, three) in your work.

For works in which numbers are infrequent, use the word form of numbers that are only one or two words long. Use numerals when more than two words would be required:

• Example: Thirteen
• Example: Two thousand
• Example: Sixty-seven
• Example: 6½ (not six and a half)
• Example: 107 (not one hundred and seven)
• Example: 10,256 (not ten thousand, two hundred fifty-six)

For works in which numbers are frequent, such as works involving data reports, use numerals for numbers expressed in ratios or units of measurement.

• Example: 12 feet
• Example: 35 kilograms
• Example: a 5:3 ratio

When a number must be expressed as a numeral, any numbers that appear next to them should also be numerals.

• Example: Only 5 of the 8-ounce cans were cold.
• Example: She ordered 1 coloring book and 153 crayons.

Street addresses

Use numerals for numbers that appear in a street address. For suffixes like first, second, third, or fourth, do not format the text in a superscript font.

• Example: 2727 Mansfield Blvd.
• Example: 2003 1st Street

Decimals

Use numerals for numbers that are expressed as decimals.

• Example: 10.3

Money and percentages

For works in which numbers are infrequent, use the word form of percentages or amounts of money if you can do so in three words or less.

• Example: Five percent
• Example: Thirty-three percent
• Example: Ten million dollars
• Example: $5.35 (not five dollars and thirty-five cents)
• Example: $110 (not one hundred and ten dollars)
• Example: 502% (not five hundred and two percent)
• Example: 2.33% (not two point thirty-three percent)

For works in which numbers are frequent, use numerals with any appropriate percentage or money symbols. Do not use symbols like $ or % with the word forms of numbers.

Numbered series

Numerals should be used for items in a series.

• Chapter 2
• Page 47
• Phase 1

Large numbers

For large numbers, a combination of numerals and words is accepted.

• Example: There were approximately 5.5 million Americans affected by the bill.

Pluralizing numbers

For the word form of numbers, pluralize using the standard rules for noun pluralization.

• Example: Five – Fives
• Example: Sixty – Sixties
• Example: Zero – Zeroes

For the numeral form of numbers, pluralize by adding an s to the end of the number.

• Example: 88s
• Example: 1950s

Beginning sentences with numbers

Do not begin a sentence with a numeral, even if it appears next to a number that must be expressed as a numeral. Either begin the sentence with the word form of a number or rephrase the sentence so the numeral appears later in the sentence.

• Correct: Five hundred fifty-four out of 555 dentists recommend the product.
• Correct: The product is recommended by 554 out of 555 dentists.
• Incorrect: 554 out of 555 dentists recommend the product.

Dates

Do not abbreviate dates. Use numerals for the numbers in dates. For the body of your work, choose either day-month-year or month-day-year format and use your chosen format consistently. When using month-day-year style, place a comma after the year unless there is another punctuation mark that follows it. For the works-cited page, day-month-year format must be used.

• Example: I will turn twenty-three years old on 1 January 2023.
• Example: I will turn twenty-three years old on January 1, 2023.
• Example: I was born on January 1, 2000, and will turn twenty-three on January 1, 2023.

When referring to a month and a year or a season and a year, do not use commas to separate the two elements.

• Example: I was born in January 2000 in Ocala, Florida.
• Example: I’m really excited for summer 2023.

When referring to a decade, choose either to use numerals or word forms, and use your chosen format consistently.

• Example: The nineties
• Example: The 90s

Do not capitalize centuries.

• Example: Shakespeare was born in the sixteenth century.

Use numerals when referring to years in an era. The era abbreviations AD and AH are placed before the year, while the era abbreviations BC, BCE, and CE are placed after the year.

• Example: AD 2015
• Example: AH 1010
• Example: 400 BC
• Example: 400 BCE
• Example: 2015 CE

Times

When referring to times of the day, generally use numerals and the twelve-hour-clock format.

• Example: 2:15 p.m.

Time zones may either be abbreviated or spelled out.

• Example: 12:00 EST
• Example: 12:00 Eastern Standard Time

Use word forms to express time-related phrases.

• Example: Five o’clock
• Example: Half past five
• Example: A quarter to five

Abbreviations

When composing a research paper in MLA format, abbreviations are common on the Works Cited page. In the body of a written work, avoid using abbreviations whenever possible, with the exception of in-text citations in research papers. If you do use an abbreviation in the body of your work, always use a standard, accepted form that can be found in a reference work like a dictionary.

For more information, refer to the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook, which lists many standard academic abbreviations.

Capitalized abbreviations

Do not use periods or spaces between letters in abbreviations that are primarily capital letters.

• Example: AD, AH, CE, BCE, BC
• Example: PhD, MD
• Example: FL, US

Name abbreviations

Use periods and spaces between each abbreviated letter in a name, unless the name is entirely abbreviated.

• Example: H. P. Lovecraft
• Example: MLK

Lowercase abbreviations

Place a period after most abbreviations that end in a lowercase letter.

• Example: vol. (volume)
• Example: ed. (edition)
• Example: p. (page)

Honorific abbreviations

For most honorific abbreviations, capitalize the first letter and place a period after the last letter.

• Example: Dr. (doctor)
• Example: Rev. (reverend)
• Example: Mr. (mister)
• Example: Mrs. (married woman)
• Example: Ms. (does not indicate marital status)
• Example: Mx. (gender neutral honorific)

If the abbreviation consists of lowercase letters that each stand in for a word, use a period but no space between each abbreviated letter.

• Example: a.m., p.m.
• Example: i.e.

Common informal abbreviations

Avoid using common informal abbreviations in academic writing.

• Example: Television (not TV)
• Example: Refrigerator (not fridge)

Month abbreviations

Avoid abbreviating months in the body of your work. In the works cited page, abbreviate months that are more than four letters long.

• Example: Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., May, June, July, Aug., Sep., Oct., Nov., Dec.