Regular and irregular plurals

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Most countable nouns add s. A consonant before final y commonly changes y to ies: city/cities. Many nouns ending in a sibilant spelling add es: box/boxes. Common irregulars include person/people, child/children and foot/feet.

Try the three exercise formats

Examples to compare

  • Two cities are nearby.
  • We bought three boxes.
  • The children brought their books.

Watch the meaning and the limits

Do not use an apostrophe to make an ordinary plural. A vowel before y usually keeps y: day/days. Some nouns have special patterns or more than one accepted plural; check a dictionary rather than applying one spelling shortcut universally.

Read each example aloud, then change one detail to make a sentence you could use. Continue with focused practice when you want a different set.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

Mistake: There are two citys nearby.

Use: There are two cities nearby.

After a consonant, change final y to ies for this plural.

Try the pattern

3 choose questions · 2 sentence completions · 2 word gaps. Read the reason after every answer. No timer.

Typed answers stay on this page. This guided set checks the requested construction; it does not judge general writing. Read the accepted answers and reasons.

Use it in your own sentence

Write one sentence about your own routine or situation. Check the subject, verb form and intended meaning against the rule above. A different sentence may need a different form: these exercises accept the reviewed answers for their stated context.

Try the next practice set, or choose another grammar point.

All drill answers and reasons

  1. One city; two ___.

    Choices: cities / citys / city’s

    Accepted: cities

    A consonant before y gives cities.

  2. One day; five ___.

    Choices: days / daies / day’s

    Accepted: days

    A vowel before y keeps y and adds s.

  3. One child; three ___.

    Choices: children / childs / child’s

    Accepted: children

    Children is the irregular plural.

  4. Complete with the number and plural noun: We have ___ . (three; child)

    Accepted: three children

    Child has the irregular plural children.

  5. Complete with the number and plural noun: I bought ___ . (two; box)

    Accepted: two boxes

    Box ends in x, so its plural adds es.

  6. One key; two ___.

    Accepted: keys

    A vowel before y keeps the y and adds s.

  7. One person; three ___. Use the ordinary plural for individuals.

    Accepted: people

    People is the usual plural of person for several individuals.

Practice questions

How do the three exercise formats work?

Choose asks you to pick an answer. Complete the sentence asks you to type the missing phrase. Fill in the word asks for one word, or no article where stated. Every checked answer includes a reason.

Which typed answers are accepted?

Use the form and meaning requested in the prompt. Reviewed alternatives and contractions are accepted where they fit. Capital letters, surrounding spaces, straight or curly apostrophes and a final full stop, question mark or exclamation mark do not affect marking. The answer reference lists the accepted forms.

Are my typed answers sent or saved?

Typed answers stay on this page in your browser. They are not sent to the server or saved. If device progress is available, completing a set records only the activity and study points on this device.

Can this check my own writing or certify my level?

No. This is a small guided set with reviewed answers, not a general grammar checker or a level certificate. An unlisted answer does not mean it is always wrong in English. Read the prompt and the explanation for this construction.

Further reference: Cambridge English Grammar Today. The explanations, examples and exercises here are original; each lesson covers a useful pattern rather than every exception.