PLURALS

See also individual entries, ABBREVIATIONS, COLLECTIVES, FOREIGN TERMS, LETTERS OF THE ALPHABET, NAMES, NUMBERS, and POSSESSIVES.

As a general rule follow Webster's first plural. But in lists of animals, plants, fish, etc., be consistent if there is an optional plural. With Indigenous groups do not add s for tribal plurals:

            Blackfeet, Inuit, Iroquois, Maya, Sioux

For individuals, s may be added: three Comanches.  But a Blackfeet, Blackfeet nation, the Blackfeet.

Proper Nouns: In general proper names form regular plurals:  the Joneses; the Smiths

Personal names ending in y, add s:  two Marys; the various Johnnys

Plural place-names are formed regularly:  the Rockies; the Alleghenies

For places with the same name, add s or es:  the two Germanys; more Parises than one

When two or more place-names share a common descriptive element, such as River, Park, etc., the common element is plural and capped:

Numbers:

Words as words:

Abbreviations and Letters of the Alphabet: Plurals of abbreviations without periods are generally formed with s, no apostrophe:

If a double s combination occurs, add apostrophe plus s:  SOS's

Abbreviations with periods and letters of the alphabet used as nouns take apostrophe plus s.  Plurals of italicized letters add italic apostrophe plus roman s: