Plural and Possessive Nouns: What's the Difference?

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

Plurals and possessives can get tricky.

• When to add -s?
• When to use an apostrophe?
• When to use both?!

This lesson will explain some simple tricks and tips to know exactly how to handle these situations.

In the example above, the first answer is correct: Zwynacsupals.

• If you were asked to pluralize your real last name for a holiday card, how would you do it?

The answer might surprise you: You never use an apostrophe to pluralize. Never!

• Easy, huh?

So, if your last name does not end in s or a similar sound (z, ch), you simply add s. Here are some examples:

Smiths

Clarks

Pattersons

Longorias

If your name does end in s or a similar sound (z, ch), add -es to the end. Take a look:

Joneses

Butzes

Bogdanoviches

Furnishes

In the case of last names that end in x, you add -s if the x is not pronounced:

Thiboudeauxs

If the x is pronounced, add -es:

Jaxes

So that's how you would handle pluralizing names.

• What about everything else?

Pluralizing Other Nouns

The good news is, pluralizing other nouns follows the same rules as the last-name situation above!

Generally, if a word ends in f or fe, the f will change to a v when pluralized:

wife ⇒ wives

wolf ⇒ wolves

However, there are exceptions to this rule such as roofs, chefs, clefs, and beliefs.

If a word ends in y, the ending depends on what precedes the y. If it is a consonant, the ending becomes -ies. If it is a vowel, the ending is simply -s:

kitty ⇒ kitties

tray ⇒ trays

And, in most cases, when a word ends in o, the appropriate ending is -es:

tomato ⇒ tomatoes

potato ⇒ potatoes

Practice

Sheep was a trick question! It remains unchanged, whether singular or plural.

• Now, what about possessives?

Click through to the Got It? section to learn how to form possessives and combine both to make plural possessives!