New
New
Year 5

Making plurals using the suffix -es and -ves

I can make nouns plural by adding -es or changing 'f' or 'fe' to 'v' and then adding -es.

New
New
Year 5

Making plurals using the suffix -es and -ves

I can make nouns plural by adding -es or changing 'f' or 'fe' to 'v' and then adding -es.

warning

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. If the root word ends in a ‘sh’, ‘ch’, ‘ss’ or ‘x’, then add the suffix -es.
  2. If the root word ends in an ‘o’, it can use -s or -es.
  3. If the root word ends in a ‘f’ or ‘fe’, then the ‘f’ is replaced by ‘v’ before adding the suffix -es.
  4. How to spell the curriculum words: twelfth, often and appear.

Keywords

  • Suffix - a letter or group of letters added to the end of a root word

  • Plural - more than one

  • Singular - only one

  • Root word - the base word from which other words are formed often by adding prefixes or suffixes

  • Noun - a naming word for people, places and things

Common misconception

Children often use an apostrophe s, when they hear an 's' at the end of the word.

Remind children of the rules for using apostrophes. Only use an apostrophe if you can name and recognise the rule - for omission or possession.

Using a range of word cards with plural nouns written on them, ask children to group the words according to their spelling patterns and explain their reasoning aloud.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Loading...

6 Questions

Q1.
What happens when the noun 'tray' becomes plural?
Correct answer: Just add -s.
Just add -es.
Remove the 'y', add -ies.
Q2.
What happens when the noun 'bunny' becomes plural?
Just add -s.
Just add -es.
Correct answer: Remove the 'y', add -ies.
Q3.
What happens when the noun 'house' becomes plural?
Correct answer: Just add -s.
Just add -es.
Remove the 'y', add -ies.
Q4.
Correct the spelling of the word in bold in the sentence. There were several fammlees in the park.
Correct Answer: families
Q5.
Correct the spelling of the word in bold in the sentence. The munkees are screeching so loudly.
Correct Answer: monkeys
Q6.
Correct the spelling of the word in bold in the sentence. I went to two partees over the holidays.
Correct Answer: parties

6 Questions

Q1.
When creating plural nouns, you add the suffix -es to root words ending in which letters?
Correct answer: x
f
y
Correct answer: ss or s
Correct answer: ch or sh
Q2.
Match the nouns to the rules they demonstrate when becoming plural.
Correct Answer:kiss - kisses,Just add -es.

Just add -es.

Correct Answer:festivity - festivities,Remove the ‘y’, add -ies

Remove the ‘y’, add -ies

Correct Answer:calf - calves,Remove ‘f’ or ‘fe’, add -ves

Remove ‘f’ or ‘fe’, add -ves

Q3.
Write the correct spelling of the word in bold in the sentence. There are still several active vulkaynows in the world.
Correct Answer: volcanoes
Q4.
Write the correct spelling of the word in bold in the sentence. I do not like tomartos in my sandwhiches.
Correct Answer: tomatoes
Q5.
Write the correct spelling of the word in bold in the sentence. There was a famous band of theevs in the land.
Correct Answer: thieves
Q6.
Write the correct spelling of the word in bold in the sentence. I would like three lowvs of bread please.
Correct Answer: loaves

Additional material

Download additional material
We're sorry, but preview is not currently available. Download to see additional material.