one + singular nounAfter one, use the singular form: one child, one foot, one sheep.
Irregular Plurals
A1Some nouns have special plural forms: child → children, man → men. Some stay the same: sheep → sheep, fish → fish.
What you'll learn
- Use common irregular plurals correctly after numbers and quantity words.
- Keep zero-plural nouns unchanged in the plural.
- Choose singular after one and plural after other numbers.
- Spot quantity words that call for plural noun forms.
Structure
two/three/many/several/a few + plural nounAfter quantity words bigger than one, use the plural form. Some plurals are special; some do not change.
Build a sentence
Quantity
Noun
twochildren
Two children are playing outside.
Child changes to children in the plural.
When to use
Counting people
Use child/children, man/men, and woman/women when you say how many people there are. Three women are waiting outside.
Counting animals
With sheep and fish, the noun often stays the same in singular and plural. We saw six sheep near the road.
After numbers
One takes the singular form; other numbers take a plural form. Compare one foot and two feet.
Markers
twothreemanyseverala few
Spelling
child
→ childrentwo childrenman
→ mentwo menwoman
→ womenthree womenfoot
→ feettwo feetmouse
→ micetwo micesheep
→ no changeone sheep → five sheepfish
→ no changeone fish → four fishCommon mistakes
Wrong
Tom has two childs.
Correct
Tom has two children.
Child has a special plural form: children, not childs.
Wrong
There are three woman in the office.
Correct
There are three women in the office.
After a number bigger than one, use the plural form. Woman changes to women.
Wrong
Maria has one children.
Correct
Maria has one child.
After one, use the singular form, even with irregular nouns.
Wrong
The table has two foot.
Correct
The table has two feet.
After two and other bigger numbers, use a plural form. Foot changes to feet.
Wrong
We saw five sheeps on the hill.
Correct
We saw five sheep on the hill.
Sheep stays the same in singular and plural. Do not add -s.
Common misconceptions
❝ Every plural noun just adds -s. ❞
Many common nouns do add -s, but some change form completely: child → children, man → men, mouse → mice.
❝ A plural noun must look different from the singular noun. ❞
Not always. Some nouns keep the same form in singular and plural, such as sheep and fish.
Skills in this rule (4)
USE_SPECIAL_PLURALSw5Use special plural forms like children, men, women, feet, and mice
Some common nouns do not take regular -s. Learn and use their fixed plural forms when you mean more than one.
USE_ZERO_PLURALSw4Keep some plural nouns unchanged after numbers
A small group of nouns has the same form in singular and plural, such as sheep and fish. After a number, the noun stays unchanged.
MATCH_NUMBER_WITH_NOUN_FORMw5Choose singular after one and plural after other numbers
Use the singular form after one and the plural form after two, three, and larger numbers. This includes irregular plurals and zero-plural nouns.
RECOGNIZE_COMMON_QUANTITY_WORDSw3Recognize quantity words that often come with plural nouns
Words like two, many, several, and a few often signal a plural noun. They help you choose the right irregular plural form.