oxford_guide_to_english_grammar

PAGE 381
298 Irregular plural endings
3 Some nouns have a regular written plural in ths, but the pronunciation of th
changes.
path paths
Also: mouths, youths (= young people)
NOTE
Some other nouns in th are regular: months, births, deaths
e.g. truths or
4 The plural of house is houses
. Some have alternative forms,
5 The usual plural of penny is pence, e.g. fifty pence. Pennies are individual penny
coins.
297 Nouns which do not change in the plural
Some nouns have the same form in the singular and plural.
Singular: One aircraft was shot down.
Plural: Two aircraft were shot down.
These nouns are aircraft, hovercraft, spacecraft etc; some animals, e.g. sheep, deer,
some kinds offish, e.g. cod, salmon; and some nouns ending in s, e.g. headquarters,
means. • 154(3)
NOTE
a Some measurements (e.g. pound, foot) can be singular after a plural number, e.g. two
pound/ pounds fifty.
b For six hundred and twenty, • 191(1) Note c.
298 Irregular plural endings
1 en
child children ox oxen
2 a
3 i
criterion criteria phenomenon phenomena medium media
curriculum curricula
NOTE Some nouns in on and um are regular, e.g. electrons, museums.
stimulus stimuli cactus cacti /cactuses
nucleus nuclei / nucleuses
NOTE Some nouns in us are regular: choruses, bonuses.
4 ae
formula
formulae / formulas
5 es
analysis analyses crisis crises hypothesis hypotheses