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What is the rule for adding s and es to words?

The rules for adding "s" and "es" to words in English are a bit complex, but here's a breakdown:

General Rule:

* Add "s" to most singular nouns to make them plural.

* Examples: cat -> cats, book -> books, chair -> chairs

Exceptions:

* Nouns ending in -s, -sh, -ch, -x, or -z: Add "es".

* Examples: bus -> buses, dish -> dishes, watch -> watches, box -> boxes, buzz -> buzzes

* Nouns ending in -y preceded by a consonant: Change the "y" to "i" and add "es".

* Examples: baby -> babies, city -> cities, fly -> flies

* Nouns ending in -y preceded by a vowel: Add "s".

* Examples: boy -> boys, toy -> toys, monkey -> monkeys

* Nouns ending in -o preceded by a consonant: Usually add "es", but there are exceptions.

* Examples: potato -> potatoes, hero -> heroes, tomato -> tomatoes

* Exceptions: photo -> photos, piano -> pianos, radio -> radios

* Irregular Plurals: Some nouns have irregular plural forms that don't follow any rules.

* Examples: child -> children, man -> men, woman -> women, foot -> feet

Other Points to Note:

* Proper Nouns: Follow the same rules, but capitalize the first letter of each word.

* Examples: Jones -> Joneses, Smith -> Smiths

* Compound Nouns: Often form their plurals by adding "s" to the main word.

* Examples: toothbrush -> toothbrushes, bookcase -> bookcases

* Some nouns are always plural: Pants, scissors, tweezers, etc.

It's important to note: The English language is full of exceptions and irregularities. The best way to learn the correct plural form of a noun is to consult a dictionary or use a reliable grammar checker.

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