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Primary English · Year 4Chapter 4 · Plurals and possession
Year 4 English · Plurals and possession · Lesson 4.3

Year 4 English: Irregular plurals and words that do not change

Part of the Year 4 English plurals and possession chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page

4.3

Irregular plurals and words that do not change

Year 4
Learn the irregular plurals child, man, woman, foot, tooth, goose, mouse, ox and person, Know that sheep and deer are the same for one and for more than one, Explain why an irregular plural does not follow the usual rule
Story. Ella visits a farm with her grandad. They count the sheep in the field, and the geese on the pond. A farmer tells them about the oxen that pull the cart up the hill.

Some plurals do not follow the usual rule. They change the word itself, and they have to be learned.

One child becomes two children. One man becomes three men. One tooth becomes two teeth. One person becomes five people.

Some words are the same for one and for more than one: one sheep, two sheep; one deer, two deer.

Word for oneWord for more than oneWhat happens
childchildrenthe word changes
manmenthe vowel changes
toothteeththe vowel changes
goosegeesethe vowels change
oxoxenen is added
sheepsheepno change
deerdeerno change
Irregular plurals and the words that do not change.

Key ideas

  • Irregular plurals do not end in the usual s: child, children; tooth, teeth.
  • Some irregular plurals change a vowel: man, men; foot, feet; goose, geese.
  • Sheep and deer do not change at all.
  • Irregular plurals are learned, so practise each one until it is automatic.
Worked example 4.3.1
Write the plural of child.

Method. Find the rule for the ending of child, then make the plural.

  1. Look at the word for one. Say what the word means, and look at its last letters.
    child
  2. Find the rule for the ending. This is an irregular plural. It does not follow the usual rule, so it has to be learned.
    child changes to children
  3. Make the plural. Write the new word and check every letter.
    children
  4. Write the answer.
    children

Check. children is the irregular plural of child. ✓

Watch out. Irregular plurals do not follow the usual rule: children, not childs.

Worked example 4.3.2
Write the plural of goose.

Method. Find the rule for the ending of goose, then make the plural.

  1. Look at the word for one. Say what the word means, and look at its last letters.
    goose
  2. Find the rule for the ending. This is an irregular plural. It does not follow the usual rule, so it has to be learned.
    goose changes to geese
  3. Make the plural. Write the new word and check every letter.
    geese
  4. Write the answer.
    geese

Check. geese is the irregular plural of goose. ✓

Watch out. Irregular plurals do not follow the usual rule: children, not childs.

Worked example 4.3.3
Write the plural of sheep.

Method. Find the rule for the ending of sheep, then make the plural.

  1. Look at the word for one. Say what the word means, and look at its last letters.
    sheep
  2. Find the rule for the ending. This word is the same for one and for more than one.
    sheep stays sheep
  3. Make the plural. Write the new word and check every letter.
    sheep
  4. Write the answer.
    sheep

Check. sheep is the same word for one and for more than one. ✓

Watch out. Sheep and deer do not change: two sheep, not two sheeps.

Watch out

Watch out: do not add s to an irregular plural. Write children, not childs, and men, not mans. Also do not change sheep or deer: two sheep, not two sheeps.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Make a card for each irregular plural. Write the word for one on the front and the plural on the back. Test your child every day until they can say each plural without looking.

Exercise 4C  Practice: irregular plurals

1
FWrite the plural of each word.
(a)Write the plural of child.
(b)Write the plural of foot.
(c)Write the plural of mouse.
(d)Write the plural of sheep.
2
FWrite the missing plural in each sentence.
(a)Write the missing plural: Three   carried the boxes into the hall.
(b)Write the missing plural: Ali has lost two   this week.
(c)Write the missing plural: Two   pulled the cart up the hill.
(d)Write the missing plural: Two   stood still in the forest.
3
PSEach word below is spelt wrongly. Write it correctly.
(a)Ali writes womans. Write it correctly.
(b)Mia writes gooses. Write it correctly.
(c)Sam writes persones. Write it correctly.
4
RAli says that the plural of sheep is sheeps, because most words add s. Is he right? Explain.
5
RExplain why children is a plural, even though it does not end in s.
6
PSSort these words into two groups: child, sheep, tooth, deer, goose. Which words change in the plural, and which stay the same?
7
FWrite the singular of mice.
8
FWrite the singular of geese.
9
PSWrite the singular of people.
10
RMia says that mans is the plural of man. Is she right? Write the correct plural.
11
FWhich word is correct in this sentence: Two ___ came to the door? Choose womans or women.

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