Ampersand Lab

Foundation grammar · Lesson 66 · A1

train(s), bus(es) (singular and plural)

Most nouns make the plural with -s or -es. A few do not: men, children, feet, people. Some things, such as trousers and scissors, are always plural in English.

Start the lesson

17Steps · about 32 minutes

In this lesson

Plural with -s and -esA3 screens of questions
Things that are always pluralB3 screens of questions
Plurals without -sC2 screens of questions
people and police are pluralD3 screens of questions

Point A of 4

Plural with -s and -es

The plural of a noun is usually -s: a train, two trains. A single rose in a glass is a rose. A vase full of them is some roses.

singular (one) plural (two or more)
a train some trains
a day three days
a good shop lots of good shops
this street these streets

Spelling

ending plural examples
-s, -sh, -ch, -x -es bus, buses; wish, wishes; match, matches; fox, foxes
also -es potato, potatoes; tomato, tomatoes
consonant + -y -ies lady, ladies; city, cities; lorry, lorries
but -ay, -ey, -oy -ys holiday, holidays; key, keys; toy, toys
-f, -fe -ves loaf, loaves; knife, knives; life, lives
  • We waited for two buses, and then three came at once.
  • Both my sisters had babies last year.
  • Put the plates on the shelves, please.

Point A · Exercise 66.1 · part 1 of 3

Write the plural.

  1. Example

    cup: cups

    Answercup, cups

  2. car:

  3. man:

  4. baby:

  5. orange:

Point A · Exercise 66.1 · part 2 of 3

Write the plural.

  1. glass:

  2. loaf:

  3. watch:

  4. lorry:

Point A · Exercise 66.1 · part 3 of 3

Write the plural.

  1. tooth:

  2. key:

  3. tomato:

Point B of 4

Things that are always plural

These words are plural in English: scissors, glasses, trousers, jeans, shorts, tights, pyjamas. They take are and them.

To talk about one, say a pair of: a pair of trousers, a pair of scissors. You can also use some. It is never a new jeans.

  • Does your dad wear glasses?
  • Where are the scissors? I can't find them.
  • I need a new pair of shorts.
  • I need some new shorts.

Point B · Exercise 66.3 · part 1 of 3

Some of these sentences are right, but most are wrong. If a sentence is right, write OK. If it is wrong, write it correctly.

  1. Example

    I bought some new socks.

    OK

    AnswerI bought some new socks.

  2. Example

    I need a new shorts.

    I need a new pair of shorts.

    AnswerI need a new pair of shorts.

  3. It's a nice street with a lot of old house.

  4. There was a man on the bus with two womans.

  5. Fish live in water.

  6. Sarah is married and has got two childs.

Point B · Exercise 66.3 · part 2 of 3

Some of these sentences are right, but most are wrong. If a sentence is right, write OK. If it is wrong, write it correctly.

  1. Most of my neighbour are teacher.

  2. She put on her pyjama and went to sleep.

  3. There were a lot of sheep on the road.

  4. How many persons work in your office?

Point B · Exercise 66.3 · part 3 of 3

Some of these sentences are right, but most are wrong. If a sentence is right, write OK. If it is wrong, write it correctly.

  1. I like your jean. Where did you buy it?

  2. The beach is always full of family in August.

  3. My grandad has got false teeth.

  4. This trouser is too long.

Point C of 4

Plurals without -s
this man, these men one foot, two feet that sheep, those sheep
a woman, some women a tooth, all my teeth a fish, lots of fish
a child, three children a mouse, two mice

Also: a person, two people, lots of people. The plural is people, not persons.

  • My nan is a lovely person.
  • Her neighbours are lovely people.
  • There were sheep all over the road.
  • I brush my teeth twice a day.

Point C · Exercise 66.2 · part 1 of 2

Read each scene and complete the sentence with a plural noun.

  1. Example

    A green hillside is covered with white, woolly farm animals.

    There are hundreds of sheep on the hillside.

    AnswerThere are hundreds of sheep on the hillside.

  2. Gary is sitting in the dentist's chair with his mouth wide open.

    The dentist is checking Gary's .

  3. Four people are standing in a line at a cash machine.

    There are four in the queue.

  4. Mrs Hughes is walking to school with three small boys.

    Mrs Hughes has got three .

  5. A garden pond is full of small orange goldfish.

    The pond is full of .

Point C · Exercise 66.2 · part 2 of 2

Read each scene and complete the sentence with a plural noun.

  1. It is autumn. A tree is dropping brown leaves onto the grass.

    The are falling from the tree.

Point D of 4

people and police are plural

People is plural, the same as they. Say people are, people have, people speak.

Police is plural too. Say the police are, the police have.

  • Lots of people work from home now. (not works)
  • I like the people in this street. They're really friendly.
  • "The police are outside." "What do they want?"

Point D · Exercise 66.4 · part 1 of 3

Which is right? Complete the sentences.

  1. Example

    It's a lovely town. Lots of people live there. (live / lives)

    AnswerIt's a lovely town. Lots of people live there.

  2. Some people never on time. (is / are)

  3. The new manager isn't popular. The people in the office trust her. (don't / doesn't)

  4. A lot of people coffee every morning. (drink / drinks)

  5. Two people hurt in the fire. (was / were)

Point D · Exercise 66.4 · part 2 of 3

Which is right? Complete the sentences.

  1. How many people in that factory? (work / works)

  2. the police wear hats in your country? (Do / Does)

  3. The police talking to the driver. (is / are)

  4. Where are my scissors? I can't find . (it / them)

Point D · Exercise 66.4 · part 3 of 3

Which is right? Complete the sentences.

  1. I need to buy new shorts for the holiday. (a / some)

Lesson 66 · Result

How you did

Next lesson: a bottle / some water (countable/uncountable 1)Back to the course

–Right

Each point

A. Plural with -s and -es–Not checkedB. Things that are always plural–Not checkedC. Plurals without -s–Not checkedD. people and police are plural–Not checked