One of the first big leaps young spellers take is learning how to turn a singular word into a plural. While some plural spelling rules are straightforward, others can leave kids (and adults!) scratching their heads.

In this post, we’ll break down simple plural spelling rules, share common exceptions, and offer kid-friendly tips for practiceβ€”perfect for parents at home or teachers in the classroom.

πŸ…°οΈ The Most Common Rule: Just Add "S"

For most nouns, you simply add -s to make the word plural.

  • cat β†’ cats
  • book β†’ books
  • pencil β†’ pencils

πŸ”€ When to Add β€œ-ES” Instead

If a word ends in s, x, z, ch, or sh, you usually add -es instead of just β€œs.”

  • bus β†’ buses
  • box β†’ boxes
  • wish β†’ wishes
  • church β†’ churches

πŸ“’ Words Ending in β€œY”: Watch the Letter Before It

If a word ends in -y and there's a consonant before the β€œy,” change the β€œy” to -ies:

  • baby β†’ babies
  • story β†’ stories

But if the letter before β€œy” is a vowel, just add an -s:

  • toy β†’ toys
  • key β†’ keys

🍞 Irregular Plurals: The Rule Breakers

Some plurals just don’t follow the rules. These are great to memorize with repetition and games:

  • man β†’ men
  • child β†’ children
  • mouse β†’ mice
  • tooth β†’ teeth

βœ… Final Thoughts

Teaching plurals doesn’t have to be a pain. With these rules and the practice Rocket Spelling provides in levels 8-1 through 8-4, your young spellers will be confidently making singular nouns plural in no time!