| brother brethren | |||
| child | children | ox | oxen |
A few words are the same in both singular and plural; as,
sheep, trout, deer
Some nouns have two plurals which differ in meaning; as,
| Singular | Plural | |
| brother | brothers | brethren |
| penny | pennies | pence |
| pea | peas | pease |
| die | dies | dice |
Consult a dictionary for the difference in meaning between the two plurals of each word.
Exercise 34—Compound Nouns
| Singular | Plural |
| brother-in-law | brothers-in-law |
| father-in-law | fathers-in-law |
| court-martial | courts-martial |
| commander-in-chief | commanders-in-chief |
| man-of-war | men-of-war |
| major general | major generals |
| goose quill | goose quills |
| bill of fare | bills of fare |
| spoonful | spoonfuls |
| cupful | cupfuls |
Rule 3.—Compound nouns usually add the sign of the plural to the fundamental part of the word.