Nouns that have irregular plurals in English - a comprehensive list of irregular plurals

English is a language known for its quirks and exceptions, and one of the most challenging aspects of mastering the language is navigating its irregular plurals. While most nouns follow a simple rule of adding -s or -es to form the plural, some words refuse to conform. Whether you're a language learner, a writer, or simply a word enthusiast, understanding irregular plurals is crucial for clear and effective communication.
In this post, we'll delve into the world of irregular plurals, exploring the fascinating history and logic behind these exceptions. We'll also provide a comprehensive list of common irregular plurals, from child to phenomenon, to help you improve your language skills and avoid common mistakes. By the end of this article, you'll be well-equipped to tackle even the most troublesome plurals with confidence.
So, let's dive in and explore the intriguing realm of irregular plurals in English! 
this is an image of fish featured for a blog post on irregular plural nouns in English language



No pattern

  • a genus - genera (or genuses)
  • a person - people (or persons)
  • a dogma - dogmata (or dogmas)
  • a die - dice

to EN

  • a man - men
  • a woman - women
  • an ox - oxen
  • a child - children

OU to ICE

  • a mouse - mice
  • a louse - lice

OOSE to EESE

  • a goose - geese
  • a foot - feet
  • a tooth - teeth

F to VES

  • a calf - calves
  • a wife - wives
  • a leaf - leaves
  • a half - halves
  • a life - lives
  • a wolf - wolves
  • a knife - knives
  • a loaf - loaves
  • a scarf - scarves
pronunciation hack: you need to end the "ves" part with a /z/ sound.

SIS to SES 

  • a crisis - crises
  • an analysis - analyses
  • a thesis - theses
  • a hypothesis - hypotheses
  • an axis - axes
  • a diagnosis - diagnoses
  • a basis - bases
  • an oasis - oases
  • a synthesis - syntheses
  • an atlas - atlases
pronunciation hack: you need to elongate the end part (ses) and end with a /z/ sound, while the stress still falls at first (doesn't change).

US to I

  • a syllabus - syllabi (or syllabuses)
  • a fungus - fungi (or funguses)
  • a focus - foci (or focuses)
  • a radius - radii (or radiuses)
  • a nucleus - nuclei (or nucleuses)
  • a cactus - cacti (or cactuses)
  • an alumnus - alumni
  • an alumna - alumnae
  • an octopus - octopi (or octopuses)
  • a hippopotamus - hippopotami (hippopotamuses)
pronunciation hack: for most of these words, you can stick to the anglicized way of forming the plural, i.e., by adding "es." However, the pronunciation of many such plural nouns (with /i/ at the end) does not always conform to this rule.

A to AE

  • a larva - larvae (or larvas)
  • a sclera - sclerae 
  • a formula - formulae (or formulas)
  • a vertebra - vertebrae (or vertebras)
  • an antenna - antennae (or antennas)
  • a pupa - pupae (or pupas)
pronunciation hack: some end with a long /i:/, whereas many end with an /ei/.

X to CES

  • an index - indices (or indexes)
  • a matrix - matrices (or matrixes)
  • an appendix - appendices (or appendixes)
  • a vortex - vortices (or vortexes)
pronunciation hack: you need to elongate the end part (es) and end with a /z/ sound, while the stress still falls at first (doesn't change).

UM/UN to A

  • an addendum - addenda (also addendums)
  • a criterion - criteria (also criterions)
  • a phenomenon - phenomena (also phenomenons)
  • a medium - media (also mediums)
  • curriculum - curricula (also curriculums)
  • a bacterium - bacteria
  • a datum - data (USAGE NOTE: it is always paired with a singular verb)
  • a memorandum - memoranda (also memorandums)
  • a stratum - strata
  • an ovum - ova

THE SAME

  • an aircraft - aircraft
  • a spacecraft - spacecraft
  • a species - species
  • a series - series
  • a swine - swine
  • a deer - deer
  • a sheep - sheep
  • a fish - fish (sometimes fishes)
  • an elk - elk (also elks)
  • a shrimp - shrimp (also shrimps)
  • a tuna - tuna (also tunas)
  • a moose - moose
  • a buffalo - buffalo (also buffalos)
  • a trout - trout (also trouts)
  • a salmon - salmon (also salmons)
  • a bison - bison
  • an offspring - offspring (sometimes offsprings)
If you have a suggestion, make it in the comment section.
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