Irregular Plurals and Uncountable Nouns:
The Plurals That Don't Follow the Rules
Learning English plurals is usually easy: add -s or -es and you're done.
But English has a few groups of nouns that don't follow this simple rule. Some have completely different plural forms, some have the same form in the singular and plural, and some nouns are uncountable and don't normally have a plural at all.
Let's look at the patterns. 🧩
---
👤 1. Irregular plurals: the word changes
These nouns don't form their plural by simply adding -s.
👤 person → 👤👤people
- One person is in the room.
- Three people are in the room.
Notice the change in both the noun and the verb:
One person IS → Three people ARE
---
👨 man → 👨👨men
- The man is a doctor.
- The men are doctors.
👩 woman → 👩👩women
- The woman is a teacher.
- The women are teachers.
👶 child → 👶👶children
- The child is happy.
- The children are happy.
🦷 tooth → 🦷🦷teeth
- The tooth is white.
- The teeth are white.
🦶 foot → 🦶🦶feet
- His foot is cold.
- His feet are cold.
🐭 mouse → 🐭🐭mice
- The mouse is in the kitchen.
- The mice are in the kitchen.
🪿 goose → 🪿🪿geese
- The goose is in the garden.
- The geese are in the garden.
🐂 ox →🐂🐂oxen
- The ox is strong.
- The oxen are strong.
🧠 A useful memory trick
Several of these irregular plurals involve a change in the vowel:
man → men 👨➡️👨👨
woman → women 👩➡️👩👩
tooth → teeth 🦷➡️🦷🦷
foot → feet 🦶➡️🦶🦶
mouse → mice 🐭➡️🐭🐭
---
🐑 2. Same word in the singular and plural
Some nouns have exactly the same form whether we are talking about one or more than one.
The verb tells us whether the noun is singular or plural.
🐑 sheep → 🐑🐑sheep
- The sheep is in the field.
- The sheep are in the field.
🦌 deer → 🦌🦌deer
- The deer is beautiful.
- The deer are beautiful.
🐟 fish → 🐟🐟fish
- The fish is small.
- The fish are small.
✈️ aircraft →✈️✈️ aircraft
- The aircraft is ready.
- The aircraft are ready.
🔬 species →🔬🔬 species
- This species is rare.
- These species are rare.
🧠 Remember:
The noun doesn't change, but the verb does:
One sheep IS 🐑
Two sheep ARE 🐑🐑
---
🔒 3. Nouns that are normally uncountable
Some English nouns are uncountable. English normally treats them as a substance, mass, category, or collection rather than as individual countable units.
And here's an important point:
«Uncountable does NOT mean abstract.»
Some uncountable nouns are abstract ideas:
💡 advice
📚 information
🧠 knowledge
💰 money
But others refer to concrete, physical things:
💧 water
🍞 bread
🪑 furniture
🧳 luggage
🛠️ equipment
So the important distinction is countable vs. uncountable, not concrete vs. abstract.
---
💧 Physical substances and materials
- 💧 water — The water is cold.
- 🥛 milk — The milk is fresh.
- ☕ coffee — The coffee is hot.
- 🍚 rice — The rice is ready.
- 🍞 bread — The bread is fresh.
- 🧂 salt — The salt is on the table.
- 🍬 sugar — The sugar is in the cupboard.
- 🪙 gold — The gold is valuable.
Notice the verb:
The water IS cold.
The coffee IS hot.
The rice IS ready.
❌Not ARE.
---
🪑 4. Physical things that are uncountable
🪑 furniture
In English, furniture is uncountable.
❌ a furniture
❌ two furnitures
Instead:
a piece of furniture
pieces of furniture
- This piece of furniture is new.
- These pieces of furniture are old.
🇧🇷 Este móvel é novo; estes móveis são antigos.
---
🛠️ equipment
Equipment is also uncountable.
❌ an equipment
❌ equipments
Instead:
a piece of equipment
pieces of equipment
- One piece of equipment is broken; the other pieces of equipment are working.
🇧🇷 Um equipamento está quebrado; os outros equipamentos estão funcionando.
---
🧳 luggage
Luggage is uncountable.
❌ a luggage
❌ luggages
Instead:
a piece of luggage
pieces of luggage
- The luggage is heavy.
- One piece of luggage is missing.
- The other pieces of luggage are here.
---
📰 5. News: a special case
News looks like a plural because it ends in -s, but grammatically it is singular.
✅ The news is good.
❌ The news are good.
If you want to talk about individual pieces of news, you can say:
a news item / piece / article
news items / pieces / articles
- One news item is bad; the other two are good.
🇧🇷 Uma notícia é ruim; as outras duas são boas.
Another natural option is:
- One piece of news is bad; the other two pieces of news are good.
---
📚 6. Information: singular in English
Information is uncountable.
❌ an information
❌ informations
Instead:
a piece of information
pieces of information
- This information is wrong.
- The correct information is here.
🇧🇷 Esta informação está errada; as informações certas são estas.
If you want to emphasize individual facts:
- This piece of information is wrong.
- These pieces of information are correct.
Notice:
information IS
pieces of information ARE
---
💭 7. Abstract uncountable nouns
Some uncountable nouns refer to ideas, concepts, or abstract things.
💰 money
The money is in the bank.
💡 advice
The advice is helpful.
For individual suggestions:
a piece of advice
pieces of advice
📚 information
The information is useful.
🧠 knowledge
Her knowledge is impressive.
📰 news
The news is surprising.
---
🧩 The BIG pattern
👥 Countable plural nouns
person → people
👤 One person IS here.
👥 Three people ARE here.
child → children
👶 One child IS here.
👶👶👶 The children ARE here.
---
🪑 Uncountable nouns
🪑 furniture
- The furniture is new.
- A piece of furniture is new.
- The pieces of furniture are new.
🛠️ equipment
- The equipment is expensive.
- A piece of equipment is expensive.
- The pieces of equipment are expensive.
📚 information
- The information is correct.
- A piece of information is correct.
- The pieces of information are correct.
💡 advice
- The advice is useful.
- A piece of advice is useful.
- The pieces of advice are useful.
---
🧠 A visual memory guide
🔵 ONE COUNTABLE THING
👤 person IS
👶 child IS
🦷 tooth IS
🐑 sheep IS
🟢 MORE THAN ONE COUNTABLE THING
👥 people ARE
👶 children ARE
🦷 teeth ARE
🐑 sheep ARE
🟠 UNCOUNTABLE NOUN
💧 water IS
🪑 furniture IS
🛠️ equipment IS
🧳 luggage IS
📚 information IS
💡 advice IS
💰 money IS
📰 news IS
🔑 WANT TO COUNT IT?
Use:
a piece of + uncountable noun
🪑 a piece of furniture
🛠️ a piece of equipment
🧳 a piece of luggage
📚 a piece of information
💡 a piece of advice
📰 a piece of news
---
🚨 Common mistakes to watch out for
❌ The people is here.
✅ The people are here.
❌ The childrens are happy.
✅ The children are happy.
❌ The informations are useful.
✅ The information is useful.
❌ The equipments are expensive.
✅ The equipment is expensive.
❌ The furnitures are old.
✅ The furniture is old.
❌ The advices are good.
✅ The advice is good.
❌ The news are bad.
✅ The news is bad.
---
✏️ PRACTICE: IS, ARE, NOUN FORM
Complete each sentence with the correct form of the noun and/or is/are.
Part 1 — Irregular plurals 🧩
1. One __________ (person) __________ in the office, but five __________ __________ outside.
2. The __________ (child) are at school today.
3. The two __________ (woman) __________ doctors.
4. My __________ (foot) __________ cold, but my hands __________ warm.
5. His __________ (tooth) __________ white and healthy.
6. Three __________ (man) __________ waiting outside.
7. One __________ (mouse) __________ in the kitchen, but the other __________ __________ in the garage.
8. One __________ __________ in the garden, and the other geese __________ near the pond.
---
Part 2 — Same singular and plural form 🐑
Choose is or are.
9. One sheep __________ in the field.
10. Ten sheep __________ in the field.
11. The deer __________ beautiful.
12. A deer __________ standing near the road.
13. These fish __________ very small.
14. This fish __________ very small.
15. The aircraft __________ ready to leave.
16. Two aircraft __________ ready to leave.
---
Part 3 — Uncountable nouns 🔒
Choose is or are.
17. The information __________ correct.
18. The pieces of information __________ correct.
19. The furniture __________ very old.
20. The pieces of furniture __________ very old.
21. The equipment __________ expensive.
22. The pieces of equipment __________ expensive.
23. The luggage __________ heavy.
24. The pieces of luggage __________ in the hallway.
25. The advice __________ very helpful.
26. The pieces of advice __________ useful.
27. The news __________ good.
28. The news items __________ interesting.
---
Part 4 — Translate into usual English 🇧🇷➡️🇺🇸
29. Uma notícia é ruim; as outras duas são boas.
30. Um equipamento está quebrado; os outros equipamentos estão funcionando.
31. Esta informação está errada; as informações certas são estas.
32. Este móvel é novo; estes móveis são antigos.
33. As crianças estão na escola.
34. Os homens são médicos.
35. O dinheiro está no banco.
36. As informações estão aqui.
---
✅ ANSWER KEY
Part 1
1. One person is in the office, but five people are outside.
2. The children are at school today.
3. The two women are doctors.
4. My feet are cold, but my hands are warm.
5. His teeth are white and healthy.
6. Three men are waiting outside.
7. The mouse is in the kitchen, but the other mice are in the garage.
8. The goose is in the garden, and the other geese are near the pond.
Part 2
9. One sheep is in the field.
10. Ten sheep are in the field.
11. The deer are beautiful.
12. A deer is standing near the road.
13. These fish are very small.
14. This fish is very small.
15. The aircraft is ready to leave.
16. Two aircraft are ready to leave.
Part 3
17. The information is correct.
18. The pieces of information are correct.
19. The furniture is very old.
20. The pieces of furniture are very old.
21. The equipment is expensive.
22. The pieces of equipment are expensive.
23. The luggage is heavy.
24. The pieces of luggage are in the hallway.
25. The advice is very helpful.
26. The pieces of advice are useful.
27. The news is good.
28. The news items are interesting.
Part 4
29. One news item is bad; the other two are good.
30. One piece of equipment is broken; the other pieces of equipment are working.
31. This information is wrong; the correct information is here.
32. This piece of furniture is new; these pieces of furniture are old.
33. The children are at school.
34. The men are doctors.
35. The money is in the bank.
36. The pieces of information are here.
---
🌟 FINAL MEMORY TAKEAWAY
Before you say or write a plural, ask yourself:
1️⃣ Does the word change?
👤 person → people
👶 child → children
🦷 tooth → teeth
2️⃣ Does the word stay the same?
🐑 sheep → sheep
🦌 deer → deer
✈️ aircraft → aircraft
3️⃣ Is the noun uncountable?
🪑 furniture
🛠️ equipment
🧳 luggage
📚 information
💡 advice
📰 news
If it is uncountable, remember:
«🔑 Don't pluralize the noun. Count the pieces instead!»
a piece of furniture → pieces of furniture
a piece of equipment → pieces of equipment
a piece of information → pieces of information
a piece of advice → pieces of advice
And remember the golden rule:
ONE → IS 🔵 | MORE THAN ONE → ARE 🟢
As long as you identify what kind of noun you're dealing with, choosing is or are becomes much easier. 🧠✨
---
SOUND ON! 🔊 🗣
Now that you have practiced and understand the rules, do this grammar drill to internalize the standard forms of irregular plurals in example sentences. In addition, practice using the correct singular or plural form of the verb “to be” with them.
---
Pronunciation Notes for Irregular Plurals:
person → people
The vowel sound changes completely.
person /ˈpɝːsən/ → people /ˈpiːpəl/
Stress the first syllable in both words.
man → men
The vowel changes from the sound in man to the sound in bed.
man /mæn/ → men /men/
woman → women
Be careful: the spelling wo-men does NOT give the pronunciation.
woman /ˈwʊmən/ → women /ˈwɪmɪn/
The first vowel changes, and the final vowel in women is the short sound in sit.
child → children
The plural has an extra syllable.
child /tʃaɪld/ → children /ˈtʃɪldrən/
Notice that the vowel changes as well.
tooth → teeth
The vowel changes from the sound in book to the long vowel in see.
tooth /tuːθ/ → teeth /tiːθ/
The th sound stays the same.
foot → feet
The vowel changes.
foot /fʊt/ → feet /fiːt/
mouse → mice
The vowel changes from /aʊ/ to /aɪ/.
mouse /maʊs/ → mice /maɪs/
goose → geese
The vowel changes from /uː/ to /iː/.
goose /ɡuːs/ → geese /ɡiːs/
ox → oxen
The plural has an extra syllable.
ox /ɑːks/ → oxen /ˈɑːksən/
Same pronunciation pattern
Some nouns have the same form for singular and plural, but the verb changes:
one sheep is → two sheep are
one deer is → two deer are
one fish is → two fish are
one aircraft is → two aircraft are
one species is → two species are
---
GRAMMAR DRILL:
AUDIO: IRREGULAR PLURALS
---
AUDIO TRANSCRIPT:
GRAMMAR DRILL:
Instructions:
Listen to each example once. Then, stop the recording and repeat each of the sentences twice.
Part One. Singular Sentences:
Number one. One person is here.
Number two. One man is here.
Number three. One woman is here.
Number four. One child is here.
Number five. One tooth is broken.
Number six. One foot is cold.
Number seven. One mouse is in the kitchen.
Number eight. One goose is in the garden.
Number nine. One sheep is in the field.
Number ten. One deer is near the house.
Number eleven. One fish is in the tank.
Number twelve. One piece of furniture is new.
Number thirteen. One piece of equipment is broken.
Number fourteen. One piece of luggage is missing.
Number fifteen. One piece of information is correct.
Number sixteen. One piece of advice is helpful.
Number seventeen. One news item is interesting.
Part Two. Plural Sentences:
Number eighteen. Two people are here.
Number nineteen. Two men are here.
Number twenty. Two women are here.
Number twenty-one. Two children are here.
Number twenty-two. Two teeth are broken.
Number twenty-three. Two feet are cold.
Number twenty-four. Two mice are in the kitchen.
Number twenty-five. Two geese are in the garden.
Number twenty-six. Two sheep are in the field.
Number twenty-seven. Two deer are near the house.
Number twenty-eight. Two fish are in the tank.
Number twenty-nine. Two pieces of furniture are new.
Number thirty. Two pieces of equipment are broken.
Number thirty-one. Two pieces of luggage are missing.
Number thirty-two. Two pieces of information are correct.
Number thirty-three. Two pieces of advice are helpful.
Number thirty-four. Two news items are interesting.
Part Three. Singular and Plural Contrasts:
Instructions:
Listen to the complete sentence once. Then repeat the complete sentence twice.
Number thirty-five. One person is here. Two people are here.
Number thirty-six. One man is here. Two men are here.
Number thirty-seven. One woman is here. Two women are here.
Number thirty-eight. One child is here. Two children are here.
Number thirty-nine. One tooth is broken. Two teeth are broken.
Number forty. One foot is cold. Two feet are cold.
Number forty-one. One mouse is in the kitchen. Two mice are in the kitchen.
Number forty-two. One goose is in the garden. Two geese are in the garden.
Number forty-three. One sheep is in the field. Two sheep are in the field.
Number forty-four. One deer is near the house. Two deer are near the house.
Number forty-five. One fish is in the tank. Two fish are in the tank.
Number forty-six. One piece of furniture is new. Two pieces of furniture are new.
Number forty-seven. One piece of equipment is broken. Two pieces of equipment are broken.
Number forty-eight. One piece of luggage is missing. Two pieces of luggage are missing.
Number forty-nine. One piece of information is correct. Two pieces of information are correct.
Number fifty. One piece of advice is helpful. Two pieces of advice are helpful.
Number fifty-one. One news item is interesting. Two news items are interesting.
