Teaching plurals
Aim: Make plurals with -s, -es and -ies, and learn the irregular ones.
How to explain it
Most words just add -s. Add -es when the word ends in s, x, z, sh or ch, because you can hear the extra syllable (foxes, wishes). When a word ends in a consonant then y, change the y to i and add -es (baby, babies), but a vowel then y just adds -s (day, days). Some words ending in f change to -ves (leaf, leaves), and some change completely (child, children; mouse, mice).
Starter (5 minutes)
Say 'one fox, two ...' and 'one cat, two ...'. Can children hear the extra syllable in foxes? That's the clue for -es.
Main activity
Plural rules sort: children make plurals from a pile of singular nouns and sort them into -s, -es, -ies, -ves and 'changes completely'. Each group writes its rule on a card to keep on the table.
Dictation sentences
- The babies watched the foxes play.
- We picked up leaves on two sunny days.
- The children ate their lunches in the hall.
Watch out for
- Adding -s where -es is needed (foxs, wishs).
- Keeping the y (babys) or changing it after a vowel (daies).
- Using an apostrophe to make a plural (apple's).
Quick check
Ask children to spell these without help:
- boxes
- parties
- monkeys
- knives
Example words
- cats
- foxes
- buses
- wishes
- churches
- babies
- ladies
- days
- toys
- leaves
- wolves
- children
- mice
- potatoes