ADDING ENDINGS TO WORDS SUCH AS "ED" AND "ING"

Change the "y" at the end of a word to an "i" before you add

an ending, except when you add "ing"

                    study + ed   =   studied

        study + ing  =   studying

        party + es    =   parties 

        party + ing   =   partying

When the "y" at the end of a word is preceded by a vowel,

do not change the "y" to an "i."

         employ + s   = employs

         employ + ing  =  employing

If a word ends in a single consonant that is preceded by a

single vowel and the ending you are attaching begins with

a vowel ("ed," "ing," "est," and "er"), double the consonant

                      stop + ed   =  stopped             

          stoop + ed  +  stooped

If the word has more than one syllable, this rule applies only

if the last syllable is stressed

      begin + ing  since "gin" is stressed  =  beginning

      happen + ing  since "hap" is stressed  =  happening

If a word ends in "e" and the ending begins with a vowel, drop

the "e" before adding the ending.  If the ending begins with

a consonant, keep the "e."

                        have + ing   =  having   

            live +ly   =   lively

PLURALIZING WORDS

To pluralize nouns, generally add an "s."    

                        book + s          

            paper + s

If the noun ends in "s," "ch," "sh," or "x" add "es" to make

the noun plural.                

                         class + es        

             church + es

             brush + es       

             box + es

If the noun ends in a "y" preceded by a consonant,

change the "y" to an "i" and add "es."

                         candy + es   =   candies

If the "y" is preceded by a vowel, keep the "y" and add

an "s."                

                          key + s

If the noun ends in "fe" change the "fe" to "ve" and add an "s." 

Exceptions are safes and cafés.            

                          knife + s  =  knives  

If the noun ends in "f" change the "f" to "v" and add "es." 

Exception is beliefs.                     

                           shelf + es  =  shelves

If the noun ends in "o," it may be pluralized by adding

"es" or "s" so please consult a dictionary.

In a word combination, add the "s" to the first word.

                            Accounts receivable     

                Sisters-in-law

Some words have a totally different plural form such as:

                             woman = women          

                 foot = feet

                 goose = geese             

                 mouse = mice

Some nouns have no plural form such as:

                 deer

                 sheep  

                 shrimp