SIngular-Plural-Nouns

There are 6 ways to change a noun from singular to plural.
A noun is a person, place, or thing.
Singular means only one noun.
Plural means more than one noun.
Rule 1
Most nouns become plural by adding “s”.
boy
book
desk
school
boys
books
desks
schools
Rule 2
Nouns that end in “ch”, “sh”, “x”, add “es”.
bush
box
church
bushes
boxes
churches
Rule 3
Nouns that end in “f” or “fe” often change to “ves”.

wife
wolf
wives
wolves
Rule 4
Some nouns change the inside spelling.

man
goose
men
geese
mouse
mice
Rule 5
Nouns that end in a consonant letter and “y”, drop the “y” and add “ies”.
sky
puppy
donkey
key
skies
puppies
donkeys
keys
Rule 6
Some nouns do not change when making them plural.
wheat
deer
fish
corn
wheat
deer
fish
corn
The Regular Plural
The plural morpheme -s
[z]
[s]
[@z]
allomorphs
Examples
[z]: cab /k{b/  cabs /k{bz/
boy /bOI/  boys /bOIz/
[s]: cap /k{p/  caps /k{ps/
faith /feIT/  faiths /feITs/
3. [@z]: bus /bVs/  buses /"bVs@z/
garage /g@"rA:Z/*  garages /g@"rA:Z@z/
*AE
Rules
Yes
RULE 1: Insert a [@] before the plural morpheme
Yes
RULE 2: Change the plural morpheme to voiceless [s]
The basic representation of the plural morpheme –s is [z].
Does the regular noun end in a sibilant? /s, z, S, Z, tS, dZ/
2. Does a voiceless sound precede the plural morpheme –s?

NA: not applicable
Simplified Chart
Exceptions to the plural rule
child  children
ox  oxen
mouse  mice
criterion  criteria
sheep  sheep
fish  fish
Irregular plural formation – the /f/-/v/ alternation
wife /waIf/  wives /waIvz/
Note!
wife‘s  /?/
knife /naIf/  knives /naIvz/
/waIfs/
But: roof /ru:f/  roofs /ru:fs/
Irregular plural formation – voicing
path /pA:T/  paths /pA:Dz/
bath /bA:T/  baths /bA:Dz/
house /haUs/  houses /haUzIz/