Nouns with same singular and plural forms and also takes a plural ending (-s).
A small group of English nouns keep the same spelling whether you are talking about one item or many. ESL learners can match these nouns with numerals, determiners, or verb forms-the words around the noun tell the number even when the noun itself does not change. Examples: "a series of lectures," "two series of lectures," "the police are," and "a police officer is." Counting words or context clues will always guide you when the noun does not wear an extra "s."
The table below is sorted alphabetically using U.S. usage and notes when an alternate "-s" plural is acceptable. Read the plural column to see if you can add an "-s" (for example, "shrimp / shrimps") or if the base form stays the same. Each meaning helps you choose the right context so the vocabulary stays clear during conversation and writing.
| Singular | Plural | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Aircraft | Aircraft | Flying vehicle |
| Alms | Alms | Charitable gifts for the poor |
| Barracks | Barracks | Buildings for housing soldiers |
| Bison | Bison | North American grazing mammal |
| Boar | Boar / Boars | Wild male pig |
| Buck (animal) | Buck / Bucks | Male deer |
| Cattle | Cattle | Domestic bovines raised for meat or dairy |
| Chassis | Chassis | Vehicle's frame |
| Cod | Cod | White fish used for food |
| Confetti | Confetti | Small paper pieces used in celebrations |
| Corps | Corps | Organized military or professional unit |
| Deer | Deer | Forest mammal with antlers |
| Dice | Dice | Numbered cubes used in games |
| Elk | Elk | Large North American deer species |
| Eskimo | Eskimo / Eskimos | Indigenous Arctic peoples (term considered outdated in some contexts) |
| Flounder | Flounder | Flatfish often served as food |
| Fish | Fish | Aquatic creature |
| Grouse | Grouse | Ground-dwelling game bird |
| Headquarters | Headquarters | Main office or command center |
| Hovercraft | Hovercraft | Vehicle that glides above water or land on a cushion of air |
| Jeans | Jeans | Denim trousers |
| Karen | Karen / Karens | Common female given name |
| Luggage | Luggage | Travel bags |
| Mackerel | Mackerel / Mackerels | Oily sea fish |
| Mathematics | Mathematics | Study of numbers and shapes |
| Means | Means | Method or way |
| Moose | Moose | Large antlered mammal |
| Oats | Oats | Breakfast cereal grain |
| Offspring | Offspring | Children or young animals |
| People | People | Group of humans |
| Plankton | Plankton | Microscopic aquatic organisms |
| Pliers | Pliers | Tool used for gripping or bending |
| Police | Police | Law enforcement officers or agency |
| Precis | Precis | Brief summary |
| Quail | Quail / Quails | Small game bird |
| Reindeer | Reindeer / Reindeers | Arctic deer species |
| Rice | Rice | Staple grain used in many cuisines |
| Roe | Roe / Roes | Fish eggs used in cooking |
| Salmon | Salmon | Anadromous fish |
| Series | Series | Sequence of related items or events |
| Sheep | Sheep | Woolly farm animal |
| Sherpa | Sherpa / Sherpas | Himalayan guide or ethnic group |
| Shorts | Shorts | Short trousers |
| Shrimp | Shrimp / Shrimps | Small seafood crustacean |
| Spacecraft | Spacecraft | Vehicle designed for space travel |
| Squid | Squid | Marine cephalopod |
| Species | Species | Biological classification |
| Swine | Swine | Group name for pigs |
| Tuna | Tuna | Large ocean fish |
| Trout | Trout / Trouts | Freshwater fish |
| Watercraft | Watercraft | Boats and ships |
| Whale | Whale / Whales | Large marine mammal |
| Wheat | Wheat | Cereal plant that produces grain |
| Whiting | Whiting | Small sea fish |
Practice these nouns by adding numbers or quantifiers and matching the verb form so you feel the plurality in English even when the noun stays unchanged. Keep this table handy while you read or write; it shows when you can count with the base form, when you can add "-s," and which nouns behave like mass expressions.