📚 Detailed Explanation of Forming Regular Plurals with -s and -es

When we want to talk about more than one thing, we use plurals. In English, most plurals are made by adding -s or -es to the end of a word. Let’s learn how to do this together!

➕ Adding -s to Make Plurals

The easiest way to make a plural is by adding -s. For example:

  • One cat, two cats
  • One dog, two dogs
  • One book, three books

If the word ends with a normal letter, just add -s to make it plural.

❗ When to Add -es

Sometimes, we don’t just add -s, but -es. This usually happens when a word ends with certain sounds. Here are the main rules for using -es:

  • If the word ends with -ch, add -es:
    one watch, two watches
  • If the word ends with -sh, add -es:
    one brush, three brushes
  • If the word ends with -s, add -es:
    one bus, two buses
  • If the word ends with -x, add -es:
    one box, four boxes
  • If the word ends with -z, add -es:
    one quiz, two quizzes

🗣️ Why do we use -es sometimes?

We add -es to help the word sound right and make it easy to say. For example, “boxs” sounds funny, but “boxes” sounds nice and clear.

🎯 Let’s Practice!

Try turning these words into plurals:

  • dish → dishes
  • fox → foxes
  • car → cars
  • wish → wishes
  • bus → buses

Remember, most plurals just need -s, but words ending in these special sounds need -es.

💡 Helpful Tip

If you’re not sure, say the word out loud with an s at the end. If it sounds tricky, try adding -es instead!

You’re doing a great job learning how to make plurals! Keep practising, and soon it will be easy to write lots of words in their plural form.

✏️ 20 Examination-Style Questions on Forming Regular Plurals with -s and -es, with Answers

Here are 20 practice questions for Year 2 students to help them form regular plurals by adding -s and -es, just like in their English lessons at school. The questions match the National Curriculum goals for key stage 1 and use UK English spelling.

📝 Questions

  1. Write the plural of: cat
  2. Write the plural of: box
  3. Write the plural of: bus
  4. Write the plural of: dog
  5. Write the plural of: dish
  6. Write the plural of: chair
  7. Write the plural of: fox
  8. Write the plural of: wish
  9. Write the plural of: lamp
  10. Write the plural of: bench
  11. Write the plural of: pen
  12. Write the plural of: glass
  13. Write the plural of: apple
  14. Write the plural of: watch
  15. Write the plural of: cup
  16. Write the plural of: brush
  17. Write the plural of: tree
  18. Write the plural of: box
  19. Write the plural of: bus
  20. Write the plural of: dish

✅ Answers

  1. cats
  2. boxes
  3. buses
  4. dogs
  5. dishes
  6. chairs
  7. foxes
  8. wishes
  9. lamps
  10. benches
  11. pens
  12. glasses
  13. apples
  14. watches
  15. cups
  16. brushes
  17. trees
  18. boxes
  19. buses
  20. dishes

Remember, we add -s to most words to make them plural, but if a word ends with -ch, -sh, -x, -s, or -z, we add -es. Keep practising to get even better at forming regular plurals! 🎉