Right Uses of “S” and “ES” in English Grammar

Before going to discuss in details let me show you some examples which I think would be very helpful to rectify your somewhat doubt in using “S” and “ES” with the verbs. Therefore, have a look below – 

(a)   He goes to school today (a) He works very hard

(b)   They go to school today.

(c)    She goes to school today.

(d)   You go to school today.

(e)   Jack (any name) goes to school today.

Remember this table –

	Singular Number	Plural Number
1st Person	I	we
2nd Person	You	You
3rd Person	She, he, it, Rahim, John (any name)	They

If the subject is 3^rd person singular number you need to use “s” or “es” with the main verb of the sentence. Now question is that when "ES" is used? Then you need to add “es” if you see these words “s, ch, sh, o, x” at the end of the main verb and “s” will be added when the verb does not contain “s, ch, sh, o, x”. Here some examples given to make you clear on this topic.

He goes to school (the “go” is a verb which contains “o” at the end and subject is 3^rd person singular number) 

You go to school (“s” or “es” is not attached with the verb because subject is 2^nd person singular number)

Rahim goes to school (“es” is attached with the verb “go” because “Rahim” as subject is a 3^rd person singular number)

Formation of Plural Numbers: We generally use “s” or “es” to pluralize any singular number or noun. There are some methods given below to make you easy.

Rule – 1: (Singular Noun + S = Plural Number)

Singular	Plural
Ant Boy Toy Bat Bag	Ants Boys Toys Bats Bags

Rule – 2: (Singular Noun…s/ss/sh/ch/x/z + es) = (Plu. Noun)

Singular	Plural
Ass Bus Loss Bush Box	Asses Buses Losses Bushes Boxes

Note: Stomach = Stomachs and Monarch = Monarchs.

Rule – 3: If the noun takes “f” or “fe” at the end and to make such as type of word you need to set “ves” in place of “f” and “fe”.  See the examples

Singular	Plural
Calf Half Knife Wife Leaf	Calves Halves Knives Wives Leaves

But if “ief, off, oof, ulf, erf, rife, arf, iff, urf, afe” used in the end of the noun; use only “s”

Singular	Plural
Chief Grief Scoff Hoof Serf	Chiefs Griefs Scoffs Hoofs Serfs

Rule – 4: (…. consonant + y) à (….. consonant + ies) and now follow the rule with the examples are given below –

Singular	Plural
Army Baby City Fly Spy	Armies Babies Cities Flies Spies

But if there would have been “vowel” in place of “consonant” then you have to use only “s” to make plural noun.

Singular	Plural
Boy Key Monkey Toy Day	Boys Keys Monkeys Toys Days

Rule – 5: (….. consonant + o) + (es) à (plural) see some examples –

Singular	Plural
Buffalo Cargo Echo Hero Mango	Buffaloes Cargoes Echoes Heroes Mangoes

Just notice there is a consonant before “o” But if it would have been “vowel” in place of consonant, you have to use only “s” at the end of the word.

Singular	Plural
Bamboo Cuckoo Folio Studio Curio	Bamboos Cuckoos Folios Studios Curios

Note: Piano à pianos, canto à cantos, photo à photos, halo à halos  

Note: With both ways we change the words given below –

Singular	Plural
Calico Mosquito Grotto Portico	Calicos, calicoes Mosquitos, mosquitoes Grottos, grottoes Porticos, porticoes

Rule – 6: There are some nouns need to be changed to plural with only changing the “vowel”. No necessary of using “S” or “ES”.

Singular	Plural
Man Woman Foot Mouse Louse Tooth	Men Women Feet Mice Lice Teeth

Rule – 7: There are some nouns which take “EN” or “NE” when they are changed to plural.

Singular	Plural
Ox Child Cow	Oxen Children Kine (or cows)

Rule – 8: See the examples given below to pluralize some compound nouns.

Singular	Plural
Brother-in-law Commander-in-chief Court-martial Step-brother Looker-on Man-of-war	Brothers-in-law Commanders-in-Chief Courts-martial Step-brothers Lookers-on Men-of-war

Rule – 9: If the word “man” is placed in the end of compound noun and it means human. To make plural just change “MAN” --> “MEN”.

Singular	Plural
Yes-man Englishman Sportsman Gatesman  Coachman	Yes-men Englishmen Sportsmen Gatesmen Coachmen

But if the word “MAN” does not mean “human” then you need to use only “S” with the noun. See below –

Singular	Plural
German Norman Brahman	Germans Normans Brahmans

Rule – 10: If the compound words have “FUL” in the end then add “S” to make plural.

Singular	Plural
Handful Spoonful Mouthful Basketful	Handfuls Spoonfuls Mouthfuls basketfuls

Rule – 11: By adding “ES” or “S” some compound nouns are changed to be plural.

Singular	Plural
Book case Suit case Brief case Major-general Poet-laureate	Book cases Suit cases Brief cases Major-generals Poet-laureates

Rule – 12: “gallows, mathematics, news, physics, innings, optics” seems to be plural but they really are singular nouns.

Mathematics is a hard subject.

Bad news is reported rapidly across the country.

Rules – 13: wages, summons is used as singular and the plural form of “SUMMONS” is “SUMMONSES”.

The wages he receives is grand.