Count Nouns

Count nouns have two forms:
singular and plural.

For example, we can say one chair (singular) but also two chairs, three chairs, a thousand chairs etc (all plural).

Singular count nouns refer to one person or thing:

Plural count nouns refer to more than one person or thing:

Singular count nouns cannot be used alone. They must have a determiner:

We usually add –s to make a plural noun:


We add –es to nouns ending in –s, –ch, –sh, –ss, –x and –o:


When a noun ends in a consonant and –y, we make the plural with –ies:


If a noun ends in a vowel and –y, we simply add –s:


Some common nouns have irregular plurals:


Plural count nouns do not have a general determiner when they refer to people or things in general:

Computers are very expensive.
Do you sell old books?

But they may have a specific determiner:

Those computers are very expensive.
The books in that shop are very expensive.
Her sisters live there.

or a quantifier:

some new books
a few teachers
lots of good ideas

or a numeral:

two new books
three wishes