Plurals and possessives
Lisa Chen
6 min read
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Study Guide Overview
This study guide covers noun plurals (regular and irregular formations), possessive forms of nouns and pronouns (singular, plural, and compound), and how to distinguish between plural vs. possessive forms. It emphasizes frequently tested topics like irregular plurals, possessive pronouns (its vs. it's), and common question types on the SAT Writing and Language section. Practice questions and an answer key are included.
#Mastering Plurals and Possessives for the SAT 🎯
Hey there! Let's nail those tricky plural and possessive questions on the SAT. This guide will break it all down so you feel super confident. Remember, it's all about understanding the rules and spotting the common traps. Let's get started!
#Noun Plurals: Regular vs. Irregular 🔗
Understanding regular and irregular plural forms is crucial for both the Writing and Language section of the SAT. Pay close attention to the exceptions!
#Regular Plural Formation 🔗
Most nouns follow a simple pattern:
- Add -s:
cats,dogs,books - Add -es (for words ending in -s, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, or -z):
classes,brushes,boxes - Change -y to -i and add -es (for words ending in -y with a consonant before it):
baby→babies,city→cities - Add -s (for words ending in -y with a vowel before it):
keys,boys - Add -s (for most words ending in -o):
pianos,radios - Add -es (for some words ending in -o):
potatoes,tomatoes
#Irregular Plural Formation 🔗
These don't follow the typical rules, so you'll need to memorize them:
- Same form for singular and plural:
sheep,deer,series - Change spelling:
man→men,woman→women,foot→feet,tooth→teeth,mouse→mice - Add -en or -ren:
child→children,ox→oxen - Borrowed nouns:
criterion→criteria,analysis→analyses,nucleus→nuclei - Change -f or -fe to -ves:
leaf→leaves,knife→knives - Unique forms:
person→people,goose→geese
Remember the irregular plurals b...
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