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Year 3

Practise and apply turning nouns from singular to plural

I can use a range of strategies to practise turning words from singular to plural.

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New
New
Year 3

Practise and apply turning nouns from singular to plural

I can use a range of strategies to practise turning words from singular to plural.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. -s is a suffix that can turn a singular noun into a plural.
  2. -es is a suffix that can turn a singular noun into a plural.
  3. Using the strategy "colour blocks" is a useful practice strategy.
  4. How to spell the curriculum word: thought.

Keywords

  • Suffix - a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning

  • 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 a person, place or thing

Common misconception

Pupils may add -es or -ies to all words ending in the letter 'y'.

Ensure pupils understand that words ending in a vowel, then a 'y', follow a different rule. Remind them we just add -s to make them plural.


To help you plan your year 3 english lesson on: Practise and apply turning nouns from singular to plural, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Ensure that the words you choose within this lesson follow the rules taught so far.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the words to the correct definitions.
Correct Answer:singular,only one

only one

Correct Answer:plural,more than one

more than one

Correct Answer:noun,a person, place or thing

a person, place or thing

Q2.
If there is one cake, the common noun 'cake' is ...
plural.
Correct answer: singular.
single.
Q3.
Match the singular and plural forms of these nouns.
Correct Answer:bag,bags

bags

Correct Answer:fairy,fairies

fairies

Correct Answer:toy,toys

toys

Correct Answer:tree,trees

trees

Q4.
Choose the correct spelling of the word in bold in the following sentence: 'It will probly rain later.'
probaly
Correct answer: probably
probibly
properly
Q5.
Correct the spelling of the word in bold in the following sentence: 'We arrived at school erly.'
Correct Answer: early
Q6.
Match the nouns to the rule they use when the suffix is added to make them plural.
Correct Answer:cloud - clouds,Just add -s.

Just add -s.

Correct Answer:baby - babies,Remove the 'y' and add -ies.

Remove the 'y' and add -ies.

Correct Answer:boy - boys,Keep the 'y' and add -s.

Keep the 'y' and add -s.

6 Questions

Q1.
What rule is being used when the word 'truck' becomes 'trucks' when adding the suffix -s?
Correct answer: Just add -s.
Remove the 'y' and add -ies.
Keep the 'y' and add -s.
Q2.
What rule is being used when the word 'family' becomes 'families' when adding the suffix '-es'?
Just add -s.
Correct answer: Remove the 'y' and add -ies.
Keep the 'y' and add -s.
Q3.
What rule is being used when the word 'boy' becomes 'boys' when adding the suffix '-s'?
Just add -s.
Remove the 'y' and add -ies.
Correct answer: Keep the 'y' and add -s.
Q4.
When do we remove the 'y' and add '-ies' when using the suffix -es?
when the root word ends in a vowel and then the letter 'y'
when the root word ends in 'e'
Correct answer: when the root word ends in a consonant and then the letter 'y'
when the root word ends in two consonant letters
Q5.
Choose the correct spelling of the word in bold in the following sentence: 'The flighs buzzed around the food.'
flys
Correct answer: flies
fleyes
flayes
Q6.
Choose the correct spelling of the word in bold in the following sentence: 'I thaught I heard an alarm sounding.'
thort
thawt
thoght
Correct answer: thought

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