New
New
Year 5

Making plurals using the suffixes -s and -ies

I can turn nouns from singular to plural when I add the suffix -s or by changing the ‘y’ to an ‘i’ and adding the suffix -es.

New
New
Year 5

Making plurals using the suffixes -s and -ies

I can turn nouns from singular to plural when I add the suffix -s or by changing the ‘y’ to an ‘i’ and adding the suffix -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. Adding -s or -es to a noun creates a plural.
  2. If the word ends in a vowel (a, e, i, u) or consonant, just add -s.
  3. If the word ends in 'y' preceded by a vowel, just add -s.
  4. If the word ends in 'y' preceded by a consonant, remove the 'y' and add -ies.
  5. How to spell the curriculum words: group, earth and yacht.

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 may not be able to spell the root word of plural nouns in focus.

For children who need more support, provide the root word (singluar noun) as a starting point for Practise Task B, so they can focus on securing the rules around plurals.

Use ‘show me’ cards for -s and -es endings. Children show the correct ending in response to an oral word.
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.
Select the plurals from the list below. Remember, a plural noun means there is more than one.
Correct answer: coats
bus
pen
Correct answer: dogs
Q2.
Match the singular and plural forms of the nouns.
Correct Answer:bicycle,bicycles

bicycles

Correct Answer:bottle,bottles

bottles

Correct Answer:tree,trees

trees

Correct Answer:fairy,fairies

fairies

Correct Answer:knife,knives

knives

Correct Answer:cat,cats

cats

Q3.
Select the plural common nouns.
Correct answer: trees
house
Monday
Correct answer: books
love
Q4.
What does 'plural' mean?
only one
three
Correct answer: more than one
a noun
none
Q5.
What rule is being used when the word 'sip' becomes 'sipping' when adding the suffix -ing?
Just add -ing.
Remove the 'e' and add -ing.
Correct answer: Double the consonant and add -ing.
Q6.
What rule is being used when the word 'rely' becomes 'relying' when adding the suffix -ing?
Correct answer: Just add -ing.
Remove the 'e' and add -ing.
Double the consonant and add -ing.

6 Questions

Q1.
Choose the correct spelling of the word in bold in the following sentence: I love these storees.
storys
Correct answer: stories
storyes
storyies
Q2.
Choose the correct spelling of the word in bold in the following sentence: The munkees were swinging through the trees.
monkyes
munkeys
Correct answer: monkeys
monkys
Q3.
Choose the correct spelling of the word in bold in the following sentence: Pass the bowl of cherys please!
cherrys
Correct answer: cherries
cherres
cherryes
cheries
Q4.
Correct the spelling of the word in bold in the sentence. Different fruit grow in different countrys.
Correct Answer: countries
Q5.
Correct the spelling of the word in bold in the sentence. Which groopp do you want to join?
Correct Answer: group
Q6.
Correct the spelling of the word in bold in the sentence. A yot is a type of boat.
Correct Answer: yacht

Additional material

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