名词的单数与复数
规则名词
大多数的规则名词只要在字尾加 s 即可形成复数。
举例
| 单数 | 复数 |
|---|---|
| boat | boats |
| house | houses |
| cat | cats |
| river | rivers |
而以 s、x、z、ch、sh 结尾之单数名词，则要在字尾加上 es 来形成复数。
举例
| 单数 | 复数 |
|---|---|
| bus | buses |
| wish | wishes |
| pitch | pitches |
| box | boxes |
以子音 y 结尾之单数名词，要先去掉 y 再加上 ies，即可形成复数。
举例
| 单数 | 复数 |
|---|---|
| penny | pennies |
| spy | spies |
| baby | babies |
| city | cities |
| daisy | daisies |
不规则名词
在名词中有几个不规则复数型态，最常见的几种如下。
举例
| 单数 | 复数 |
|---|---|
| woman | women |
| man | men |
| child | children |
| tooth | teeth |
| foot | feet |
| person | people |
| leaf | leaves |
| mouse | mice |
| goose | geese |
| half | halves |
| knife | knives |
| wife | wives |
| life | lives |
| elf | elves |
| loaf | loaves |
| potato | potatoes |
| tomato | tomatoes |
| cactus | cacti |
| focus | foci |
| fungus | fungi |
| nucleus | nuclei |
| syllabus | syllabi/syllabuses |
| analysis | analyses |
| diagnosis | diagnoses |
| oasis | oases |
| thesis | theses |
| crisis | crises |
| phenomenon | phenomena |
| criterion | criteria |
| datum | data |
有些名词的单数和复数同形。
举例
| 单数 | 复数 |
|---|---|
| sheep | sheep |
| fish | fish |
| deer | deer |
| species | species |
| aircraft | aircraft |
不规则动词/名词的一致
有些名词具有复数型态，但使用单数型态的动词。
| 使用单数形动词的复数名词 | 例句 |
|---|---|
| news | The news is at 6.30 p.m. |
| athletics | Athletics is good for young people. |
| linguistics | Linguistics is the study of language. |
| darts | Darts is a popular game in England. |
| billiards | Billiards is played all over the world. |
有些名词具有固定的复数型态且使用复数型态的动词。这些名词一般不会被用在单数的情况，或即使是单数型态，也会有不同的意思。这类名词包括：trousers、jeans、glasses、savings、thanks、steps、stairs、customs、congratulations、tropics, wages、spectacles、outskirts、goods、wits 等。
| 使用复数形动词的复数名词 | 例句 |
|---|---|
| trousers | My trousers are too tight. |
| jeans | Her jeans are black. |
| glasses | Those glasses are his. |