REMEDIAL GRAMMAR PLAN
1. PLURAL
A. PLURAL NOUNS
MAIN RULE
Most nouns form the plural by adding -s.
• car → cars
• bag → bags
• table → tables
NOUNS ENDING IN -S, -X, -Z, -CH, -SH, -SS
These usually take -es in the plural.
• bus → buses
• bench → benches
• box → boxes
Exceptions / notes:
• fez → fezzes
• gas → gases
NOUNS ENDING IN -F OR -FE
These often change to -ves.
• calf → calves
• shelf → shelves
• wolf → wolves
Exceptions:
• cuff → cuffs
• chef → chefs
• belief → beliefs
NOUNS ENDING IN -O
This depends on the letter before the o.
1. IF THERE IS A VOWEL BEFORE THE O
You usually just add -s.
• radio → radios
• stereo → stereos
• video → videos
2. IF THERE IS A CONSONANT BEFORE THE O
You usually add -es.
• potato → potatoes
• hero → heroes
• domino → dominoes
Exceptions:
• piano → pianos
• photo → photos
• halo → halos
NOUNS ENDING IN -Y
This also depends on the letter before the y.
1. CONSONANT + Y
Change y to i and add -es.
• city → cities
, • candy → candies
• lady → ladies
2. VOWEL + Y
Keep the y and add -s.
• day → days
• toy → toys
• donkey → donkeys
B. APOSTROPHES IN ENGLISH
B1. APOSTROPHES FOR POSSESSION
An apostrophe can show that something belongs to someone.
SINGULAR NOUNS
Add 's to show possession.
• the dog's ball
• Lucy's car
• Will's house
This shows that something belongs to that person or thing.
SINGULAR NOUNS ENDING IN S
Usually you still add 's.
• the actress's role
• Jess's dog
Some people only add ', but the most common modern rule is 's. The important thing is to stay consistent.
REGULAR PLURAL NOUNS (ENDING IN S)
When the plural already ends in s, only add an apostrophe (').
• my grandparents' house
• my friends' party
Example difference:
• my friend's party → one friend
• my friends' party → more than one friend
IRREGULAR PLURAL NOUNS (NOT ENDING IN S)
Add 's.
• children's clothing
• women's party
WHEN TWO PEOPLE OWN SOMETHING
If two people share one thing, the last person gets the 's.
• Lucy and Aly's cat (one cat they both own)
If they each have their own things:
• Lucy's and Aly's cats (each person has their own cats)
B2. APOSTROPHES IN CONTRACTIONS
Apostrophes are used when letters are removed to make words shorter.
• I am → I'm
The apostrophe replaces the missing letters.
CONTRACTIONS WITH NOT
• do not → don't
• cannot → can't
• should not → shouldn't
CONTRACTIONS WITH WILL
• I will → I'll
, • she will → she'll
• they will → they'll
CONTRACTIONS WITH TO BE
• I am → I'm
• you are → you're
• Will is → Will's
Important: Will's can mean two things:
• Will is watching TV
• the television belongs to Will
You must understand the context.
WHO'S VS WHOSE
Very common mistake.
• Who's = who is
• Whose = possession
• Who's there?
• Whose bag is this?
CONTRACTIONS WITH HAVE
• I have → I've
• she has → she's
Note: she's can mean:
• she is
• she has
Context shows the meaning.
CONTRACTIONS WITH WOULD OR HAD
• I would → I'd
• I had → I'd
• I'd do that.
• I'd better go.
B3. OTHER USES OF APOSTROPHES
• Shortened years: the summer of '69 (1969)
• Missing letters in words: two o'clock (from "of the clock")
• Showing pronunciation in speech: come on → c'mon
2. PERSONAL PRONOUNS
A. SUBJECT PRONOUNS (ONDERWERP)
Function: the subject does the action
List: I, you, he, she, it, we, they
• I sit on a bench.
• She runs.
• They are expensive.
Important:
• You = singular and plural
• They = also used for things (the tickets → they)
B. OBJECT PRONOUNS (LV)
Function: receive the action
List: me, you, him, her, it, us, them
1. PLURAL
A. PLURAL NOUNS
MAIN RULE
Most nouns form the plural by adding -s.
• car → cars
• bag → bags
• table → tables
NOUNS ENDING IN -S, -X, -Z, -CH, -SH, -SS
These usually take -es in the plural.
• bus → buses
• bench → benches
• box → boxes
Exceptions / notes:
• fez → fezzes
• gas → gases
NOUNS ENDING IN -F OR -FE
These often change to -ves.
• calf → calves
• shelf → shelves
• wolf → wolves
Exceptions:
• cuff → cuffs
• chef → chefs
• belief → beliefs
NOUNS ENDING IN -O
This depends on the letter before the o.
1. IF THERE IS A VOWEL BEFORE THE O
You usually just add -s.
• radio → radios
• stereo → stereos
• video → videos
2. IF THERE IS A CONSONANT BEFORE THE O
You usually add -es.
• potato → potatoes
• hero → heroes
• domino → dominoes
Exceptions:
• piano → pianos
• photo → photos
• halo → halos
NOUNS ENDING IN -Y
This also depends on the letter before the y.
1. CONSONANT + Y
Change y to i and add -es.
• city → cities
, • candy → candies
• lady → ladies
2. VOWEL + Y
Keep the y and add -s.
• day → days
• toy → toys
• donkey → donkeys
B. APOSTROPHES IN ENGLISH
B1. APOSTROPHES FOR POSSESSION
An apostrophe can show that something belongs to someone.
SINGULAR NOUNS
Add 's to show possession.
• the dog's ball
• Lucy's car
• Will's house
This shows that something belongs to that person or thing.
SINGULAR NOUNS ENDING IN S
Usually you still add 's.
• the actress's role
• Jess's dog
Some people only add ', but the most common modern rule is 's. The important thing is to stay consistent.
REGULAR PLURAL NOUNS (ENDING IN S)
When the plural already ends in s, only add an apostrophe (').
• my grandparents' house
• my friends' party
Example difference:
• my friend's party → one friend
• my friends' party → more than one friend
IRREGULAR PLURAL NOUNS (NOT ENDING IN S)
Add 's.
• children's clothing
• women's party
WHEN TWO PEOPLE OWN SOMETHING
If two people share one thing, the last person gets the 's.
• Lucy and Aly's cat (one cat they both own)
If they each have their own things:
• Lucy's and Aly's cats (each person has their own cats)
B2. APOSTROPHES IN CONTRACTIONS
Apostrophes are used when letters are removed to make words shorter.
• I am → I'm
The apostrophe replaces the missing letters.
CONTRACTIONS WITH NOT
• do not → don't
• cannot → can't
• should not → shouldn't
CONTRACTIONS WITH WILL
• I will → I'll
, • she will → she'll
• they will → they'll
CONTRACTIONS WITH TO BE
• I am → I'm
• you are → you're
• Will is → Will's
Important: Will's can mean two things:
• Will is watching TV
• the television belongs to Will
You must understand the context.
WHO'S VS WHOSE
Very common mistake.
• Who's = who is
• Whose = possession
• Who's there?
• Whose bag is this?
CONTRACTIONS WITH HAVE
• I have → I've
• she has → she's
Note: she's can mean:
• she is
• she has
Context shows the meaning.
CONTRACTIONS WITH WOULD OR HAD
• I would → I'd
• I had → I'd
• I'd do that.
• I'd better go.
B3. OTHER USES OF APOSTROPHES
• Shortened years: the summer of '69 (1969)
• Missing letters in words: two o'clock (from "of the clock")
• Showing pronunciation in speech: come on → c'mon
2. PERSONAL PRONOUNS
A. SUBJECT PRONOUNS (ONDERWERP)
Function: the subject does the action
List: I, you, he, she, it, we, they
• I sit on a bench.
• She runs.
• They are expensive.
Important:
• You = singular and plural
• They = also used for things (the tickets → they)
B. OBJECT PRONOUNS (LV)
Function: receive the action
List: me, you, him, her, it, us, them
