Words for collections of persons and things

An army, a regiment, a battalion or a company of A bale of cotton, wool or cloth

soldiers.
A band of musicions, robbers, singers. A basket of fruit and flowers.
A bench of magistrates and judges. A bevy of girls or women.
A board of examiners and directors. A brood of flocks of chickens.
A bunch of keys, grapes, plantains A bunch of bouquet, garland or wreath of
flowers.
A bundle or stack of hay. A bundle or faggot of sticks
A bundle of books. A cargo of wheat, machines.
A caravan of camels, pilgrims, merchants and A chain of mountains, arguments.
travelers.
A chest of drawers A choir of singers.
A class of persons or students. A cloud of locust.
A clutch of eggs. A clump or grove of trees.
A century of years. A cluster of star, or islands.
A code of laws. A collection of stamps, coins.
A congregation of worshippers. A congress of representatives or delegates.
A consignment of goods. A constellation or galaxy of stars.
A course of lectures. A covey of partridges.
A crate of crockery. A crew of sailors.
A crowd, throng, concourse or multitude of A curriculum of studies
people.
A drove of cattle. A fleet of ships or motor cars.
A flight of birds, steps or stairs or aeroplanes. A flock of birds, sheep, geese
A gaggle of geese. A gang of labourers, thieves, prisoners
A garland of flowers. A group of figures, islands, or persons.
A heap of stones, sand. A herd of cattle.
A heap or mass of ruins. A hoard of money.
A horde of savages. A hive of bees.
A league of nations, states. A library of books.
A litter of puppies. A nest of rabbits.
A pack of rascals, hounds, or wolves. A pack of playing cards.
A pair of shoes. A party of friends.
A plague of insects. A pile of books.
A peal of bells. A quiver of arrows.
A quire of papers. A range of mountains, hills.
A series of events. A set of tools.
A sheaf of stack or corns. A shower or quiver of arrows.
A shower of rain. A shoal of fish.
A stock of hay, goods. A suit of clothes.
A stud of horses. A suite of rooms.
A swarm of bees, flies, ants, locusts. A string of camels.
A team of horses, oxen, players. A train of carriages & followers.
A troop or patrol of scouts. A troop or patrol of scouts.
A troop or squardron of horseman. A tribe of Arabs or natives.
A tuft of grass. A volley of shot or bullets.
 Singular & Plural
1. Add s to most nouns.
Singular Plural Singular Plural
Balloon Balloons Face Faces Lake Lakes Prince Princes
Kite Kites Lion Lions State States Tongue Tongues
Shoe Shoes Toe Toes Uncle Uncles Umbrella Umbrellas

2. Add es to nouns ending is s, x, z, ch, or sh. E.g. class/classes, ax/axes, buzz/buzzes,

church/churches wish/wishes
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
Ass Asses Bench Benches Cross Crosses Dish Dishes
Box Boxes Branch Branches Fox Foxes Glass Glassess
Bush Bushes Class Classes Inch Inches Match Matches

Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural

Baffalo Buffaloes Cargo Cargoes Hero Heroes Volcano Volcanoes

3. For nouns ending in y preceded by a consonant, change y to i and add es.

Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural

Army Armies Baby Babies Duty Duties Enemy Enemies
Body Bodies City Cities Family Families Fly Flies
Copy Copies Country Countries Lorry Lorries Lady Ladies

4. For nouns ending in y preceded by a vowel, add s. monkey/monkeys valley/valleys

For nouns ending in f or fe, usually change the f or fe to ves.
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
Calf Calves Half Halves Loaf Loaves Thief Thieves
Leaf Leaves Life Lives Self Selves Wolf Wolves
Wife Wives shelf shelves

Exceptions: chief/chiefs chef/chefs safe/safes

Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural

Chief Chiefs Cliff Cliffs Grief Griefs Proof Proofs
Hoof Hoofs Gulf Gulfs Reef Reefs Roof Roofs
Stuff Stuffs Safe Safes Scarf Scarfs
5. For nouns ending in o preceded by a consonant, add es. hero/heroes potato/potatoes
6. For nouns ending in o preceded by a vowel, add s.
Oreo/Oreos radio/radios patio/patios
7. For musical terms ending in o, add s. solo/solos alto/altos piano/pianos
Singular Plural Singular Plural
Bamboo Bamboos Cuckoo Cuckoos
Canto Cantos Dynamo Dynamos
Piano Pianos Portfolio Portfolios
Quarto Quartos Radio Radios
Solo Solos alto altos

Singular Plural Singular Plural

Brother Brethern Child Children
Mr. Messrs Ox Oxen
Chairman Chairmen Churchman Churchmen
Coachman Coachmen Englishman Englishmen
Footman Footmen Gentleman Gentlemen
Statesman Statesmen Washerman Washermen
Watchman Watchmen
Woman Women Man Men

Add s to the most important noun in a hyphenated word.

Singular Plural Singular Plural

Brother-in-law Brothers-in-law Coat of – mail Coats of – mail
Commander-in-Chief Commanders-in-Chief Court – Martial Courts – Martial
Father-in-law Fathers-in-law Mother-in-law Mothers-in-law
Daughter-in-law Daughters-in-law Passer-by Passers-by
Looker-on Lookers-on Man-of-war Men-of-war

Singular Plural Singular Plural

Camp-follower Camp-followers Forget-me-not Forget-me-nots
Grand father Grand fathers Grand son Grand sons
Grand mother Grand mothers Knight errant Knight errants
Governor-general Governor-generals Horse race Horse races
Maid servant Maid servants Step son Step sons
Step sister Step sisters

Singular Plural Singular Plural

Lord-justice Lords-justices Man-servant Men-servants
Woman servant Women servants

Singular Plural Singular Plural

B.A B.A’s M.A M.A’s
i i’s a a’s
p p’s q q’s

Singular Plural Singular Plural

Mr. Saleem The messers Saleem Miss Saleem The Misses Saleems
The Mr. Saleems The Miss Saleems
Mrs. Saleem The Mrs. Saleem Mr. Messers
Madam or Mrs. Mesdomes

Ous-ice
oo-ee
sis-ses
Singular Plural Singular Plural Singular Plural
Dormouse Dormice Crisis crises Basis Bases
Louse Lice Goose Geese Oasis Oases
Mouse Mice Tooth Teeth Axis Axes
Oasis Oases Foot Feet diagnosis diagnoses
Thesis theses Analysis Analyses parenthesis parentheses
synopsis synopses Ellipsis Ellipses synthesis syntheses
Hypothesis Hypotheses

Um-a
ix/ex-ices
Eau-Eaus/x
Us-i
Singular Plural Singular Plural
Addendum Addenda Criterion Criteria
Agendum Agenda Appendix Apendices,
phenomenon phenomena
Appendixes
Datum Data Vertex Vertices Formula Formulas
Memorandum Memoranda index indeces/indexes Monsieur Messieurs
Erratum Errata Madam, Mesdames
matrix matrices/matrixes
Madame
Premium Premia Genius Genius Radius Radii
Medium Media Bacillus Bacilli Terminus Termini
Stratum Strata Aluminus Alumni Beau Beaux
Curriculum Curricula Focus Foci, Focuses Bureau Bureaus / Bureaux
Automation Automata Locus Loci tableau tableaux/tableaus
Masculine & Feminine

Singular Plural Singular Plural

Author Authoress Baron Baroness
Count Countess God Goddess
Giant Giantess Heir Heiress
Host Hostess Hew Jewess
Lion Lioness Mayor Mayoress
Patron Patroness Poet Poetess
Priest Priestess Shepherd Shepherdess
Tutor Tutoress Viscount Viscountess
Actor Actress Ambassador Ambassadress
Benefactor Benefactress Conductor Conductress
Director Directoress Emperor Empress
Founder Foundress Hunter Huntress
Inspector Inspectress Master Mistress
Monitor Monitress Nero Negress
Prince Princess Protector Protectress
Teacher Teachress Tailor Tailress
Tiger Tigress Traitor Traitress
Waiter Waitress

Singular Plural Singular Plural

Abbot Abbess Duke Duchess
Emperor Empress Governor Governess
Master Mistress Murderer Murderess
Sorcerer Sorceress

Singular Plural Singular Plural

Billy goat Nanny goat Beggar Beggar Woman
Buck Rabbit Doe Rabbit Bull calf Cow calf
Cock sparrow Hen sparrow Octor Lady doctor
He goat She goat He bear She bear
Jack ass Jenny ass Land lord Land lady
Man servant Maid servant Milkman Milk maid
Pea cock Peahen Step father Step mother
School master School mistress

Singular Plural Singular Plural

Bachelor Maid Beau Belle
Boy Girl Bridegroom Bride
Buck Doe Brother Sister
Bull Cow Cock Hen
Colt Heifer Dog Bitch
Drake Duck Drove Bee
Earl Countess Father Mother
Friar Nun Fox Vixen
Gander Goose Horse Mare
Hart Roe Husband Wife
Boar Sow

Singular Plural Singular Plural

King Queen Monk Nun
Man Woman Nephew Niece
Papa Mama Sir Madam
Sir (old use) Dame Ram Ewe
Solven Slut Stag Hind
Uncle Aunt Wizard Witch
Rules for Forming Plural Nouns

To form the plural of nouns, follow the rules below.