Master noun gender (masculine/feminine), number (singular/plural), and case (subject/object). Perfect for Class 6-8 students.
1. Noun Gender - Masculine & Feminine
| Masculine | Feminine | Rule | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| boy | girl | Different words | brother-sister, king-queen |
| lion | lioness | Add -ess | tiger-tigress, host-hostess |
| actor | actress | Change ending | waiter-waitress, master-mistress |
| hero | heroine | Add -ine/-a | sultan-sultana, fox-vixen |
| peacock | peahen | Different names | drake-duck, bull-cow |
| doctor | doctor | Common gender | teacher, student, baby |
2. Noun Number - Singular & Plural
| Rule | Singular | Plural | Exception Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Add -s | book | books | Most common rule |
| Add -es (s, ss, sh, ch, x, o) | bus, glass, brush, church, box, mango | buses, glasses, brushes, churches, boxes, mangoes | Photos, pianos (exceptions) |
| Change y to ies | baby, city | babies, cities | boy → boys (vowel before y) |
| Change f/fe to ves | leaf, wife | leaves, wives | roof → roofs (exceptions) |
| Irregular plurals | child, man, woman, foot, tooth, mouse | children, men, women, feet, teeth, mice | Must memorize these |
| Same singular/plural | sheep, deer, fish | sheep, deer, fish | Context tells number |
3. Noun Cases - Subject, Object, Possessive
| Case | Function | Example | Question to Ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | Does the action | Rohan plays cricket. | Who does the action? |
| Objective (Object) | Receives the action | She helps Rohan. | Whom does she help? |
| Possessive (Ownership) | Shows belonging | This is Rohan's book. | Whose book is this? |
| Vocative (Address) | Direct address | Friends, listen to me. | Who is being called? |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | To/for whom | Give the book to Rohan. | To whom is it given? |
4. Common Gender Pairs
| Masculine | Feminine | Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|---|---|
| boy | girl | uncle | aunt |
| man | woman | nephew | niece |
| king | queen | husband | wife |
| father | mother | son | daughter |
| brother | sister | grandfather | grandmother |
| actor | actress | waiter | waitress |
| lion | lioness | tiger | tigress |
5. Plural Rules Summary
| Ending | Rule | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most nouns | Add -s | cat, dog, book | cats, dogs, books |
| s, ss, sh, ch, x, o | Add -es | bus, kiss, brush, bench, box, potato | buses, kisses, brushes, benches, boxes, potatoes |
| Consonant + y | y → ies | baby, city, story | babies, cities, stories |
| Vowel + y | Add -s | boy, day, key | boys, days, keys |
| f or fe | f → ves | leaf, wife, knife | leaves, wives, knives |
| Irregular | Change word | child, man, woman, foot, tooth, mouse | children, men, women, feet, teeth, mice |
6. Quick Practice (5 Questions)
1. Feminine of "actor"?
2. Plural of "baby"?
3. Which case: "Rohan's book"?
4. Plural of "tooth"?
5. Masculine of "niece"?
7. Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Wrong ❌ | Right ✅ | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Two babys | Two babies | y → ies after consonant |
| Mans are strong. | Men are strong. | Man → men (irregular) |
| This is Rohans book. | This is Rohan's book. | Possessive needs apostrophe |
| She is a actor. | She is an actress. | Female form available |
| Three mouses | Three mice | Mouse → mice (irregular) |
📝 Practice Noun Gender, Number & Case
Test with our 20-question worksheet!
Download Nouns WorksheetIncludes answer key • Printable PDF
8. Memory Aids
Gender: Boy-Girl, Man-Woman, King-Queen
Tip: Think of family pairs
Plural Rules:
s, x, sh, ch, ss → Add -es
y after consonant → y to ies
f/fe → ves
Cases:
Subject → Does action
Object → Receives action
Possessive → Shows ownership
Exam Tip: Look for apostrophe s ('s) → Possessive case
Look for -s/-es endings → Plural number
Look for male/female pairs → Gender
