Plurals add s es ies | Mixed Plurals | Plural Nouns Assessment - Free Printable

This image is a completed plural nouns worksheet with an answer key. The task is to choose the correct suffix (s, es, or ies) to make each root word plural, and then write the resulting plural form.

Let’s go through each item step by step, explaining the rules for forming plurals in English:

---

1. house + s/es/ies = houses

- Rule: Most nouns add -s.
- "House" ends in a consonant → just add -s.
✔ Answer: houses

---

2. day + s/es/ies = days

- Rule: Words ending in a consonant (like 'y') usually add -s.
- "Day" ends in 'y', but it's preceded by a consonant → change 'y' to 'i' and add -es? No! Wait — actually:
- If a word ends in consonant + y, change y to i and add -es → e.g., *city → cities*
- But "day" → "days" (just add -s)
✘ Wait — this is incorrect based on common rules.

Actually, "day" → "days" is correct because:
- Words ending in vowel + y (like "day", "boy") just add -s.
- Words ending in consonant + y (like "baby", "story") change y to i and add -es.

But "day" ends in vowel + y → just add -s ✔
So "days" is correct.

✔ Answer: days

---

3. dress + s/es/ies = dresses

- "Dress" ends in -ss, which is a double consonant.
- Rule: Add -es if the word ends in s, x, z, ch, sh, or a consonant + y?
- Actually, "dress" ends in -ss, so we add -es → dresses.
✔ Answer: dresses

---

4. story + s/es/ies = stories

- "Story" ends in -y, and the 'y' is preceded by a consonant ('r').
- Rule: Change y to i and add -es → stories.
✔ Answer: stories

---

5. candy + s/es/ies = candies

- "Candy" ends in -y, preceded by 'd' (consonant).
- So change y to i and add -es → candies.
✔ Answer: candies

---

6. plant + s/es/ies = plants

- "Plant" ends in -t, a consonant.
- Just add -s → plants.
✔ Answer: plants

---

7. donkey + s/es/ies = donkeys

- "Donkey" ends in -y, preceded by 'k' (consonant).
- So change y to i and add -es → donkeys.
✔ Answer: donkeys

---

8. inch + s/es/ies = inches

- "Inch" ends in -ch.
- Rule: Words ending in -ch (especially soft 'ch' like /tʃ/) add -es → inches.
✔ Answer: inches

---

9. dish + s/es/ies = dishes

- "Dish" ends in -sh.
- Rule: Words ending in -sh add -es → dishes.
✔ Answer: dishes

---

10. family + s/es/ies = families

- "Family" ends in -y, preceded by 'l' (consonant).
- So change y to i and add -es → families.
✔ Answer: families

---

✔ Summary of Rules Used:

| Word Ending | Rule | Example |
|------------|------|--------|
| Most words | Add -s | house → houses |
| Ends in -s, -x, -z, -ch, -sh | Add -es | plant → plants, dish → dishes |
| Ends in consonant + y | Change y to i, add -es | story → stories |
| Ends in vowel + y | Just add -s | day → days |

> Note: "Day" is correctly spelled as "days", even though it ends in -y, because the 'y' follows a vowel (the 'a'). So no change needed.

---

Final Answer Key:

1. houses
2. days
3. dresses
4. stories
5. candies
6. plants
7. donkeys
8. inches
9. dishes
10. families

✔ All answers are correct as shown in the image.

The worksheet is fully solved and correctly graded. The student would get 10/10.

---

Visual Clues in Image:

- Red circles highlight the chosen suffixes.
- Green highlights on "day" and "donkey" may indicate focus on 'y' endings.
- Blue highlights on "dress" and "inch" might emphasize -ss and -ch endings.
- Pink marks on "story", "candy", "family" may draw attention to -y rule.
- Red X over "ies?" indicates that "ies" is not the general rule.

---

✔ Conclusion: The answer key is accurate and teaches proper pluralization rules effectively.