Plural forms that refuse to follow the rule
child - children
How to use this sheet
Most English nouns form the plural with a fixed ending, but a small group changes inside the word instead, and a few do not change at all. These are very old forms that survived because the words are so common - you meet them every day, so there is no way around memorising them. The table pairs each singular with its plural and shows the plural inside a real sentence.
| Singular | Plural | Example |
|---|---|---|
| man | men | Two men are waiting outside. |
| woman | women | The women in my office share a car. |
| child | children | Their children go to school by bike. |
| person | people | Ten people were in the queue. |
| foot | feet | My feet hurt after the long walk. |
| tooth | teeth | Brush your teeth twice a day. |
| mouse | mice | We found mice in the garage. |
| sheep | sheep | The farmer has two hundred sheep. |
| fish | fish | I caught three fish this morning. |
In use
Both of my children have brown eyes. How many people are coming tonight? He lost two teeth playing hockey.
Watch out
There are a lot of peoples in the street.
The plural form in row 4 already means several people - never add the regular plural ending to it. Rows 8 and 9 do not change at all: only the number word and the verb around them show whether you mean one or many.