2. Category of Number of the Noun. Regular - one. Plural - more than one. Regular Plurals: 1. Nouns ending in vowels & voiced consonants - -s(bee-bees, dog-dogs, [z]) 2. Voiceless consonants - -s(book-books, [s]) 3. -s,-sh,-ss,-ch,-x,-z - -es (actress-actresses, [iz]) 4. -o: -es-hero-heroes. But: -os: a) after a vowel - bamboos, embryos, folios, kangaroos, radios, studios, zoos. b) In proper names - Romeos, Eskimos, Filipinos. c) In abbreviations - kilos, photos, pros(professional). d) Also: pianos, concertos, dynamos, quartos, solos,tangos, tobaccos. e) In other cases the spelling is -oes (tomatoes, echoes, Negroes, potatoes, vetoes, torpedoes, embargoes) f) -oes/-os : cargo(e)s, banjo(e)s, halo(e)s 5. Consonant+y - -ies (sky-skies). But: -ys a) After vowels, except nouns ending -quy(day-days, soliloquy-soliloquies) b) In proper names: the two Germanys, the Kennedys, the Gatsbys c) In compounds: stand-bys, lay-bys. d) Penny: pence-the British currency(денежная сумма), pennies-for individual coins. 6. -f(e) a) -ves: wife-wives, life-lives, leaf-leaves, knife-knives, wolf-wolves, calf-calves, half-halves, loaf-loaves, self-selves, shelf-shelves. b) -s: other nouns(proof-proofs, chief-chefs, safe-safes, cliff-cliffs, gulf-gulfs, dwarf-dwarfs, reef-reefs, grief-griefs c) -ves/-s: scarf-scarfs/scarves, dwarf-dwarfs/dwarves, hoof-hoofs/hooves. 7. -th - -ths (mouth-mouths) 8. in abbreviations - -s(M.P.-M.P.s) But: Ms(manuscript)-MSS, p.(page)-pp., Mr- Irregular Plurals. 1. By vowel change (Man-men, woman-women, tooth-teeth, foot-feet, goose-geese, mouse-mice, louse-lice). 2. -en (ox-oxen, child-children) 3. Identical a) (sheep-sheep, swine-swine(свинья), deer-deer, grouse-grouse(куропатка). But: 2 variants: fish-fish/fishes, pike-pile/pikes, trout-trout(s), carp-carp(s), salmon-salmon(s). The zero plural is more common to denote hunting quarries. (We caught a few fish, five salmon); the regular plural - different individuals, species. b) Nationality nouns in -ese, -ss: Chinese, Swiss. And: Englishmen = the English, Dutchmen = the Dutch. c) Latin & French nouns: series-series(ряд, серия), species-species(вид, порода, род), corps [ko:]-corps[ko:z] (корпус, род войск). d) Pair, couple, dozen, score(20), stone(6,35 kg), head (поголовье): 2 dozen of children, dozens of children. 4. a) Loans of Greek origin -(-is - -es: basis-bases, crisis-crises, analysis, thesis, parenthesis, axis[вал, ось, шпендель], hypothesis, diagnosis; -on - a: criterion - criteria, phenomenon, -a - ata: miasma-miasmata) b) Loans of Latin origin (-us - -i, -ora, -era: stimulus-stimuli, nucleus-nuclei[ядро],radius-radii[тело], genus-genera[род]; -a - -ae: formula-formulae(formulas), antenna, vertebra[позвонок]; -um - -a: datum-data[данная величина], stratum-strata[описка], erratum-errata[опечаток]; -es,-ix - -ices, -es: index-indices(indexes), appendix, matrix) c) Other loan nouns (-ean - -eaux: tableau-tableaux, bureau; -o - -i: tempo-tempi) d) 2 variants (memorandum -memoranda, memorandums, curriculum-curricula, curriculums[курс обучения], formula-formulae, formulas, cherub-cherubim[херувим], cherubs, focus-foci, focuses) e) Different meaning index-indexes-list of contents of books, indices-показатель; genius-geniuses-men of talent, genii-духи, домовые) Plural in compound nouns 1. The 2nd component takes the plural form as a rule (housewives, tooth-brushes) 2. -ful - at the end of the word(handfuls, spoonfuls) 3. man & woman -the 1st components(men-servants, women-docters) 4. ending -man - men(policeman-policemn) But:Germans, Romans(not compounds) 5. prepositional noun phrase where the preposition is a linking element only - the 1st noun takes the plural form(editors-in-chief-главный редактор, mothers-in-law, commanders-in-chiefs-главнокомандующий, coats-of-mail-кольчуга, men-of-war-военный корабль) 6. compounds = conjunction as a linking element - the plural is taken by the 2nd noun (gin-and-tonics) 7. compound=noun+preposition/adverb/adjective-the 1st element-plural(passers-by, lookers-on-зритель, courts-material-военно-полевой суд, attorneys-general-министр юстиции) 8. when the compound is a substantivized phrase which doesn't contain a noun, the last element -plural(forget-me-nots-незабудка, breakdowns-поломка, stand-bys-запасной, grown-ups, close-ups-крупный план, pick-ups-случайные знакомства, drop-outs-дезертир, go-betweens-посредник) Invariable nouns(can't change their number) Singular invariable nouns 1. Non-count a) Material(tea, sugar) But:cheeses-kind of cheese b) Abstract-music, anger 2. Proper nouns The Thames, Henry 3. Some ening-s a) news(10 o'clock news), means-by this means(этими средствами), Gallows(виселица) b) diseases(mumps-свинка, measles-корь, rickets-рахит, shingles-краснуха) c) games(billiards, bowls-гольф, dominoes, draughts) d) some proper nouns(Algiers, Athens, Brussels, Flanders, Marseilles, Naples, Wales, The United Nations, the United States. e) Nouns ending -ics(classics, phonetics) Plural invariable nouns 1. Marked a) Names of tools...consisting 2 equal parts(bellows-мехи, binoculars, breeches-бриджи, braces-фигурные скобки, flannels-фланелевые брюки, glasses, pants-брюки, трусы, pincers-щепцы, pliers-щипчики, плоскогубцы, pyjamas, scales, scissors, shorts, spectacles-очки, suspenders-подтяжки, tights-колготки, tongs-щипцы, trousers, tweezers-пинцет) b) Miscellaneous nouns(смешанный) (annals, antics, archives, arms, ashes, the Commons, contents, customs, customs-duty, customs-house, earnings, goods, goods train, greens, holidays, manners, minutes, outskirts, quarters, stairs, suds, surroundings, thanks, troops, wages, whereabouts, the Middle Ages) c) Some proper nouns (the East Indies, the West Indies, the Hibrides, the Highlands, the Midlands, the Netherlands) 2. ............