Irregular Plurals- Stories
A LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS
Oral storytelling practice of plurals which do and don't take regular forms, with cards at five levels from A1 to C1, and testing students on how well they remember the plurals that they just used.
Lesson Plan Content:
Regular and irregular plurals storytelling game
Instructions for teachers
Cut up one pack of at least twenty or thirty cards per group of two to four students, with the plurals attached to the singular but folded behind, including some words which are lower than their level to make up the number. You can also make similar cards on the blank cards if there aren’t enough, but make sure that the vocabulary is suitable for storytelling.
Students spread the cards across the table singular side up, then take turns choosing a card and continuing the story with one or more of the things mentioned (e.g. adding “a soldier” to the story or adding “three soldiers” to the story). They can turn the card over to check the plural if they aren’t sure. After they finish, test them on their memories of the plurals and/ or ask them to test each other orally.
Cards to cut up/ Suggested answers
Elementary
|
boy |
boys |
child |
children |
|
foot |
feet |
leg |
legs |
|
king |
kings |
man |
men |
|
person |
people |
adult |
adults |
|
policeman |
policemen |
soldier |
soldiers |
|
postman |
postmen |
bus driver |
bus drivers |
|
princess |
princesses |
schoolchild |
schoolchildren |
|
woman |
women |
mother |
mothers |
|
|
|
|
|
Pre-Intermediate
|
daughter |
daughters |
fish |
fish |
|
knife |
knives |
lip |
lips |
|
mouse |
mice |
rat |
rats |
|
sword |
swords |
tooth |
teeth |
|
turtle |
turtles |
wife |
wives |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Intermediate
|
cookie |
cookies |
criminal |
criminals |
|
loaf |
loaves |
thief |
thieves |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Upper Intermediate
|
alumnus |
alumni |
aircraft |
aircraft |
|
cow |
cows |
crisis |
crises |
|
deer |
deer |
swan |
swans |
|
factory |
factories |
fox |
foxes |
|
goose |
geese |
problem |
problems |
|
sheep |
sheep |
goat |
goats |
|
steelworks |
steelworks |
a third |
two thirds |
|
wolf |
wolves |
student |
students |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Advanced
|
bacterium |
bacteria |
biceps |
biceps |
|
(blind) date |
(blind) dates |
(wild) boar |
(wild) boar |
|
calf |
calves |
caterpillar |
caterpillars |
|
criterion |
criteria |
diagnosis |
diagnoses |
|
elf |
elves |
faux pas |
faux pas |
|
flea |
fleas |
giraffe |
giraffes |
|
grouse |
grouse |
hoof |
hooves |
|
larva |
larvae |
louse |
lice |
|
virus |
viruses |
moose |
moose |
|
muscle |
muscles |
neurosis |
neuroses |
|
oasis |
oases |
lake |
lakes |
|
ox |
oxen |
pheasant |
pheasants |
|
prawn |
prawns |
puppy |
puppies |
|
rendezvous |
rendezvous |
salmon |
salmon |
|
sardine |
sardines |
spacecraft |
spacecraft |
|
species |
species |
squid |
squid |
|
starfish |
starfish |
UFO |
UFOs |
|
vertebra |
vertebrae |
rib |
ribs |
|
|
|
|
|
Without looking above, write the plurals in the gaps of the section or sections below that your teacher tells you to work on.
Elementary
|
boy |
|
child |
|
|
foot |
|
leg |
|
|
king |
|
man |
|
|
person |
|
adult |
|
|
policeman |
|
soldier |
|
|
postman |
|
bus driver |
|
|
princess |
|
schoolchild |
|
|
woman |
|
mother |
|
Pre-Intermediate
|
daughter |
|
fish |
|
|
knife |
|
lip |
|
|
mouse |
|
rat |
|
|
sword |
|
tooth |
|
|
turtle |
|
wife |
|
Intermediate
|
cookie |
|
criminal |
|
|
loaf |
|
thief |
|
Upper Intermediate
|
alumnus |
|
aircraft |
|
|
cow |
|
crisis |
|
|
deer |
|
swan |
|
|
factory |
|
fox |
|
|
goose |
|
problem |
|
|
sheep |
|
goat |
|
|
steelworks |
|
a third |
|
|
wolf |
|
student |
|
Advanced
|
bacterium |
|
biceps |
|
|
(blind) date |
|
(wild) boar |
|
|
calf |
|
caterpillar |
|
|
criterion |
|
diagnosis |
|
|
elf |
|
faux pas |
|
|
flea |
|
giraffe |
|
|
grouse |
|
hoof |
|
|
larva |
|
louse |
|
|
virus |
|
moose |
|
|
muscle |
|
neurosis |
|
|
oasis |
|
lake |
|
|
ox |
|
pheasant |
|
|
prawn |
|
puppy |
|
|
rendezvous |
|
salmon |
|
|
sardine |
|
spacecraft |
|
|
species |
|
squid |
|
|
starfish |
|
UFO |
|
|
vertebra |
|
rib |
|
Check above. Other plurals might sometimes be possible, so please check if you wrote something different.
Try to find patterns in how regular plurals and made.
Are there any patterns in how irregular plurals are made?
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