Editing English plurals (section)

=== Regular plurals ===
The plural [[morpheme]] in English is a sibilant [[Affix|suffixed]] to the end of most nouns. Regular English plurals fall into three classes, depending upon the sound that ends the singular form:

==== Any sibilant ====
In English, there are six [[sibilant]] consonants: {{IPAc-en| s }}, {{IPAc-en| z }}, {{IPAc-en| ʃ }}, {{IPAc-en| ʒ }}, {{IPAc-en| tʃ }}, and {{IPAc-en| dʒ}}. When a singular noun ends in one of these sounds, its plural is spoken by appending {{IPA|/ɪz/}} or {{IPA|/əz/}} (in some transcription systems, this is abbreviated as {{IPA|/ᵻz/}}). The spelling adds ''-es'', or ''-s'' if the singular already ends in ''-e'':
{{block indent|{{wikitable
|-
|kiss||kisses||{{IPAc-en|'|k|ɪ|s|ᵻ|z}}
|-
|phase||phases||{{IPAc-en|'|f|eɪ|z|ᵻ|z}}
|-
|dish||dishes||{{IPAc-en|'|d|ɪ|ʃ|ᵻ|z}}
|-
|massage||massages||{{IPAc-en|m|ə|'|s|ɑː|ʒ|ᵻ|z}} or {{IPAc-en|'|m|ɑː|s|ɑː|ʒ|ᵻ|z}}
|-
|witch||witches||{{IPAc-en|'|w|ɪ|tʃ|ᵻ|z}}
|-
|judge||judges||{{IPAc-en|'|dʒ|ʌ|dʒ|ᵻ|z}}
}}}}

==== Other voiceless consonants ====
In most English varieties, there are five non-sibilant voiceless consonants that occur at the end of words: {{IPAc-en|p}}, {{IPAc-en|t}}, {{IPAc-en|k}}, {{IPAc-en|f}}, and {{IPAc-en|θ}}; some varieties also have {{IPAc-en|x}}. When the singular form ends in a [[voice (phonetics)|voiceless]] [[consonant]] other than a sibilant, the plural is normally formed by adding {{IPAc-en|s}} (a voiceless sibilant). The spelling adds ''-s'':
{{block indent|{{wikitable
|lap||laps||{{IPAc-en|l|æ|p|s}}
|-
|cat||cats||{{IPAc-en|k|æ|t|s}}
|-
|clock||clocks||{{IPAc-en|k|l|ɒ|k|s}}
|-
|cuff||cuffs||{{IPAc-en|k|ʌ|f|s}}
|-
|death||deaths||{{IPAc-en|d|ɛ|θ|s}}
|-
|loch||lochs||{{IPAc-en|l|ɒ|x|s}} or {{IPAc-en|l|ɒ|k|s}}
}}}}
Some that end in {{IPAc-en|f}} or {{IPAc-en|θ}}, however, are "near-regular". See section below.

==== Other voiced phonemes ====
For a singular noun ending on a non-sibilant voiced consonant, the plural adds {{IPAc-en|z}} (a voiced sibilant) and the spelling adds ''-s'':
{{block indent|{{wikitable
|-
|girl||girls||{{IPAc-en|ɡ|ɝ|l|z}}
|-
|chair||chairs||{{IPAc-en|tʃ|ɛər|z}}
}}}}

In English, all vowels are voiced. Nouns ending in a vowel sound similarly add {{IPAc-en|z}} to form the plural. The spelling usually adds ''-s'', but certain instances (detailed below) may add ''-es'' instead:
{{block indent|{{wikitable
|boy||boys||{{IPA|/bɔɪ'''z'''/}}
}}}}

=====Plurals of nouns in ''-o'' preceded by a consonant=====
Singular nouns ending in ''o'' preceded by a [[consonant]] in many cases spell the plural by adding ''-es'' (pronounced {{IPAc-en|z}}):

{{block indent|{{wikitable
|hero||heroes||{{IPAc-en|'|h|i|ɹ|oʊ|z}}
|-
|potato||potatoes||{{IPAc-en|p|ə|'|t|eɪ|t|oʊ|z}}
|-
|volcano||volcanoes ''or'' volcanos||{{IPAc-en|v|ɒ|l|'|k|eɪ|n|oʊ|z}}
|-
|echo||echoes
}}}}

However, many nouns of foreign origin, including almost all [[Italian language|Italian]] loanwords, add only ''-s'':
{{block indent|{{wikitable
|canto||cantos
|-
|hetero||heteros
|-
|photo||photos
|-
|zero||zeros (''or'' zeroes)
|-
|piano||pianos
|-
|portico||porticos
|-
|pro||pros
|-
|quarto ''(paper size)''||quartos
|-
|kimono||kimonos
}}}}

====Plurals of nouns in ''-y''====
Nouns ending in a vocalic ''y'' (that is, used as a [[vowel]]) preceded by a consonant usually drop the ''y'' and add ''-ies'' (pronounced {{IPA|/iz/}}, or {{IPA|/aiz/}} in words where the y is pronounced {{IPA|/ai/}}):
{{block indent|{{wikitable
|cherry||cherries
|/ˈt͡ʃɛɹi'''z'''/
|-
|lady||ladies
|/ˈleɪdi'''z'''/
|-
|sky||skies
|/skaɪ'''z'''/
}}}}
Words ending in ''quy'' also follow this pattern, since in English ''qu'' is a digraph for two consonant sounds ({{IPA|/kw/}}) or sometimes one ({{IPA|/k/}}):
{{block indent|{{wikitable
|colloquy||colloquies
|/ˈkɒləkwi'''z'''/
|-
|obsequy||obsequies
|/ˈɒbsəkwi'''z'''/
|-
|soliloquy||soliloquies
|/səˈlɪləkwi'''z'''/
}}}}
However, [[proper noun]]s (particularly names of people) of this type usually form their plurals by simply adding ''-s'':<ref>[http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwesl/egw/crump.htm English Irregular Plural Nouns] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430044208/http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwesl/egw/crump.htm |date=30 April 2008 }}</ref><ref>[http://hopelive.hope.ac.uk/GAPS/Code/Unit%20S4/UNITS4.htm UNIT S4: YS OR IES?] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080317093117/http://hopelive.hope.ac.uk/GAPS/Code/Unit%20S4/UNITS4.htm |date=17 March 2008 }}</ref> ''the two Kennedys'', ''there are three Harrys in our office''. With place names this rule is not always adhered to: ''[[Kingdom of the Two Sicilies|Sicilies]]'' and ''[[Isles of Scilly|Scillies]]'' are the standard plurals of ''Sicily'' and ''Scilly'', while ''Germanys'' and ''Germanies'' are both used.''<ref>Book titles include Mary Fulbrook, ''The Two Germanies. 1945–1990'' (Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1996); Henry Ashby Turner, ''The two Germanies since 1945'' (New Haven: Yale UP, 1987).</ref>'' Nor does the rule apply to words that are merely capitalized common nouns: ''P&O Ferries'' (from ''ferry'').

Other exceptions include ''[[lay-by]]s'' and ''stand-bys''.

Words ending in a ''y'' preceded by a vowel form their plurals by adding ''-s'':
{{block indent|{{wikitable
|day||days
|/ˈdeɪ'''z'''/
|-
|monkey||monkeys
|/ˈmʌŋki'''z'''/
}}}}
However, the plural form (rarely used) of ''money'' is usually ''monies'', although ''moneys'' is also found.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/money|title=the definition of money|website=Dictionary.com|access-date=6 April 2018}}</ref> Also, the plural of ''trolley'' can be either ''trolleys'' or ''trollies'', although the former is more common.

====Plurals of nouns in ''-i''====
Nouns written with ''-i'' usually have plurals in ''-is'' but some in ''-ies'' are also found.
{{block indent|{{wikitable
|alibi||alibis
|/ˈæl.ə.baɪ'''z'''/
|-
|bikini||bikinis
|/bɪˈkiːni'''z'''/
|-
|Israeli||Israelis
|/ɪzˈɹeɪli'''z'''/
|-
|chili ''or'' chilli
|chilis, chilies, chillis ''or'' chillies
|/ˈt͡ʃɪli'''z'''/
|-
|alkali
|alkalies
|/ˈæl.kə.laɪ'''z'''/
}}}}