In grammar, the number refers to the count of a noun or pronoun.
Number Types
The numbers in grammar are used in two types.
Singular Number
It refers to the count of only one of a noun or pronoun.
Example: pen, table, aunt, father, goose, etc.
Plural Number
It refers to the count of more than one of a noun or pronoun.
Example: pens, tables, aunts, fathers, geese, etc
Number in English Grammar Examples
Go through the following examples to understand the rules and functions of numbers.
You must also know about one interesting quirk of English grammar that zero is counted in the plural. For example, zero cats. You must remember this rule to use it in your writing or speaking.
| Word Type | Singular Example | Plural Example |
| Noun | Dog, cow | Dogs, cows |
| Pronoun | I, me, you, he, him, she, her, it | we, us, you, they, them |
| Determiner | this, that, a, an, my, your, his, her, its | these, those, our, your, their |
| Verb | am, is, was, has, I play, he plays | are, were, have, they play |
Number Rules
The number rules are given below along with the examples. Let’s check them out to use them in our communication.
Rule 1
Generally, you can use “s” at the end of a singular noun to make it plural.
Example:
#. Singular- Plural
#. Pen- Pens
#. Mobile- Mobiles
Rule 2
You must use “es” at the end if there exist s, sh, ch, x, and z in the end.
Examples:
Singular- Plural
#. Bus- Buses
#. Fox- Foxes
#. Fez- Fezes
Rule 3
The letter “s”While is added at the end. However, the pronunciation of “ch” is “k” .
Example:
Singular- Plural
#. Monarch- Monarchs
#. Patriarch- Patriarchs
#. Matriarch- Matriarchs
#. Stomach- Stomachs
#. Hierarch- Hierarchs
Part 1: When there’s a “y” in the end and a Consonant before that “y”, “i” substitutes it and an “es” thereafter.
Example:
Singular- Plural
#. Story- Stories
#. Baby- Babies
Part 2: But if there’s a vowel ahead of that “y”, no need to change it, only “s” to add.
Example:
Singular- Plural
#. Donkey- Donkeys
#. Play- Plays
Rule 4
“v” replaces f or fe and then adds an “es” to finish it.
Example:
Singular- Plural
#. Thief – Thieves
#. Leaf- Leaves
Part 1: “es” to be added if the noun is finished by “o” and a consonant places ahead.
Example:
Singular- Plural
#. Hero- Heroes
#. Mango- Mangoes
Part 2: but when there’s a vowel before “o”, only “s” is enough.
Example:
Singular- Plural
#. Cuckoo- Cuckoos
#. Bamboo- Bamboos
#. Studio- Studios
#. Portfolio- Portfolios
#. Cameo- Cameos
Exception 1: Though there’s an “o” and a consonant ahead of it, some nouns use only “s”.
Example:
Singular- Plural
#. Photo- Photos
#. Piano- Pianos
#. Radio- Radios
#. Canto- Cantos
#. Memo- Memos
Exception 2: for some, “s” and “es” both are correct.
Singular- Plural
#. Mosquito- Mosquitos/mosquitoes
#. Commando- Commandos/commandos
#. Portico- Porticos/porticoes
#. Calico- Calicos/calicoes
#. Memento- Mementos/mementoes
Rule 5
Some require changing the middle-vowel of the word to make it plural.
Example:
Singular- Plural
# Man- Men
#. Woman- Women
#. Foot- Feet
#. Mouse- Mice
#. Tooth- Teeth
Rule 6
Some require en, ren and ne to add at last.
Example:
Singular- plural
#. Ox- Oxen
#. Child- Children
#. Brother- Brethren (brothers also correct)
#. Cow- Kine (cows also correct)
#. Sister- Sistren (sisters also correct)
Part 1: if “man” means human being in a compound noun(a noun that contains two or more words that jointly make a single noun), “men”replaces that “man”.
Example:
singular- plural
#. Fisherman- Fishermen
#. Workman- Workmen
#. Boatman- Boatmen
#. Man-of-war- Men-of-war
#. Salesman- salesmen
Part 2: but when “man” is just a part of the word, or it refers to any ethnic group, race or civilian, there comes “s”.
Singular- Plural
#. Musalman- Musalmans
#. Brahman- Brahmans
#. German- Germans
#. Norman- Normans
Rule 7
“s” to be added when there’s a “ful” in the end.
Example:
singular- plural
#. Handful- Handfuls
#. Mouthful- mouthfuls
#. Spoonful- Spoonfuls
#. armful- Armfuls
#. cupful- cupfuls
Part 1: If a compound noun contains several words, “s” comes to join with the main part of that noun.
Example:
Singular- Plural
#. Brother-in-law- Brothers-in-law
#. Passers-by- Passers-by
#. Step-brother- Step-brothers
#. Commander-in-chief- Commanders-in-chief
#. Maid-servant- Maid-servants
Part 2: in some cases,“s”comes in every part to make it so.
Example:
Singular- Plural
#. Lord-justice- Lords-justices
#. Man-servant- Men-servants
#. Woman-servant- Women-servants
Rule 8
Besides, adding “s” only in the end gets it done for a few.
Example:
Singular- Plural
#. Book-shelf- Book-shelves
#. Book-case- Book-cases
#. Major-general- Major-generals
#. Poet-laureate- Poet-laureates
#. Forget-me-not- Forget-me-nots
Rule 9
Some singular nouns have no plural form, only used in singular.
Example:
#. Furniture
#. Scenery
#. Issue
#. Bread
#. expenditure
Rule 10
Adversely, some are always used as a plural form.
Example:
#. Mumps
#. Scissors
#. Trousers
#. Spectacles
#. Assets
Rule 11
Though some nouns seem like singular, but actually they are plural.
Example:
#. Government
#. Peasantry
#. People
#. Cattle
#. Mankind
Rule 12
Similarly, some nouns seem like plural though they are singular.
Example:
#. Physics
#. Politics
#. Ethics
#. News
#. Wages
Rule 13
Some have the same singular and plural form.
Example:
#. Deer
#. Sheep
#. Species
#. Corps
#. Canon
Rule 14
In case of letters, numbers and other symbols, it takes an apostrophe and s to change it.
Example:
#. Kell, write your g’s and y’s clearly.
#. Kim, add two 5’s and three 8’s.
Rule 15
There is no specific rule for changing the number of pronouns. It’s all about memorizing.
#. Singular- I, my, me, mine, he/she, you.
#. Plural- we, our, ours, us, you, they
#. Singular- him/her, your, this, that, it, his/her
#. Plural- them, your, these, those, their, they.