GRADE V

FORMING THE PLURAL OF IRREGULAR NOUNS

GETTING STARTED

Number is a quality of a noun which tells us when the noun is singular (only one) or
plural (two or more). Most nouns form their plural by simply adding s or es. They are
called regular nouns.

In this module you will learn to:

 form the plural of irregular nouns; and
 use plural form of nouns in talking about yourself/others.

You may begin!

REVIEW TIME

Read the paragraph below and pick out the nouns. Write them in your notebook.

MAYA THE BIRD AND TAHONG THE MUSSEL

Tahong, the mussel, was opening its shell to bask in the sun when Maya, the bird, pecked at
it. Tahong, the mussel, was quick. It clamped down Maya’s beak and held it fast.

“If it doesn’t rain today or tomorrow,” said Maya, “there will be a dead mussel lying
here.”

“If you can’t prey loose today or tomorrow,” retorted Tahong, “there will be a dead bird
here, too.”

As neither of them would give way, a passing fisherman caught them both.

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 STUDY TIME

A. Read and study the poem below.

FUNNY LANGUAGE

We’ll begin with box, the plural is boxes

But the plural of ox should be oxen not oxes
One fowl is a goose, but two are called geese
Yet the plural of moose could never be meese.

You may find a lone mouse, or a whole rest of mice

But the plural of house is houses, not hice
If the plural of man should always be men
Why is the plural of pan, pans and not pen?

The cow in the plural may be called cows or kine

But the plural of vow is vows never vine
If I speak at a foot and you show your two feet
When I give you a boot, will a pair be called beet?
If one is a tooth and a whole set are teeth
Why is the plural of booth called booths not beeth?
We speak of brother, make it two becomes brethren
But though we say mother, we never say methren.

Is it true that English can confuse you and me?

I would love to discover the farther side of thee
Learning the language would be fun, you will see
We’ll deal with English as funny as can be.

Adapted
Building Bridges Through Communication 5
pp. 74 - 75

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B. Now group the nouns you see in the poem according to how they form their plural.
The first one is done for you. Write your answers on your notebook.

A B
by adding –s or –es by changing spelling

1. box – boxes 1. tooth – teeth

Most nouns form their plural by adding -s or –es. Just like the nouns you have
listed in Box A.
Example: house – houses
ran – ran
cow - cows
How are the nouns in Box B different from the nouns in Box A?

The nouns in Box B form their plural by changing their spelling. They are called
irregular nouns.

C. In your notebook, write at least five (5) names of objects that form their plural by
adding –s or –es, and another five (5) nouns that form their plural by changing the
spelling

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 PRACTICE TIME

A. Study the picture below. Complete the paragraph by filling in the blank with the
correct plural form of the nouns in the parenthesis. Write your answer in your
notebook.

From the Castle’s Tower

There is a circus located near a castle. Different festivities are happening in the circus.
From the castle’s tower, an eleven-year old prince is looking down at the circus. He
would love to go down and join the festivities at the circus but the queen said he must
stay inside the castle.
He envies the  (child) holding colorful balloons. He watches eagerly as the
clown bends and touches his  (foot)__ from behind. Three _(man)_ are sitting near
the candy store.
He delights at the sight of animals he rarely sees in cages. He sees four white
__(goose). A magician holds a cage with three little __(mouse)_ in it. Fenced at the
right side are five red __(cow)_ dressed and adorned with colored paper.
The prince smiles with all his _(tooth)_ out. “Oh, as he imagines himself down
there in the circus.
The prince dreams that someday he would be a part of the festivities at the circus.

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B. Think of your favorite Filipino hero. Talk about him using plural nouns.

C. Read about a boy who wouldn’t go to school. Complete the paragraph with the
appropriate plural nouns.


Hans is like other (child) ___________.  doing lots of
He is always on his (foot) ______

things. He loves playing with his two (mouse) __________ 
and three (goose) ________.
 and (woman) ________
(Man) _______  laugh whenever they see him playing with them.
 grazing in the field.
He also takes his pets and visit the four (ox) ________

TEST YOURSELF

A. Fill in the crossword puzzle with the plural form of each noun. Do it in your
notebook.

DOWN ACROSS
1 child 4 mouse
2 foot 5 tooth
3 louse 9 women
6 hoof 10 goose
7 ox
8 man
1 2 3

4 6

5 6 7

8 9

10

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 Key to Corrections

REVIEW TIME
You should have spotted the following nouns.

Maya shell
Bird beak
Tahong sun
Mussel fisherman

STUDY TIME

A B
1. box – boxes 1. ox – oxen
2. house – houses 2. goose – geese
3. pan – pans 3. mouse – mice
4. vow – vows 4. man – men
5. boot – boots 5. cow – cows, kine
6. booth – booths 6. foot – feet
7. mother – mothers 7. tooth – teeth
8. brother – brothers, brethen

PRACTICE TIME
A. 1. children 5. mice
2. feet 6. oxen
3. men 7. teeth
4. geese

C. 1. children 6. women
2. feet 7. oxen
3. mice
4. geese
5. men

TEST YOURSELF
A

DOWN ACROSS

6
1 children 4 mice
2 feet 5 teeth
3 lice 7 women
6 hooves 9 geese
7 oxen
8 men