Plural Rule 4 | Mr Spelling

Watch the Video

PLURAL SPELLING RULE 4

When a noun ends in F or FE, you usually cannot just add S to make it plural. Instead, drop the F or FE and add VES. So elf becomes elves, leaf becomes leaves, and knife becomes knives. Watch out for the exceptions: some F words just add S!

F/FE → VES Pairs

SPELLING WORDS

elf→elves

wolf→wolves

leaf→leaves

calf→calves

knife→knives

life→lives

shelf→shelves

half→halves

loaf→loaves

wife→wives

thief→thieves

Base forms to spell (then write the plural)

elf wolf leaf calf knife life shelf half loaf wife thief self hoof scarf dwarf

Spelling Word List

15 nouns ending in F or FE: write the base word and its VES plural.

Download PDF

Drop F or FE, Add VES

HOW IT WORKS

Plural Rule 4: Nouns Ending in F or FE

word + F → F + VES

word + FE → FE + VES

To make most F/FE nouns plural: 1) Drop the F or FE from the end. 2) Add VES. The F sound changes to a V sound in the plural: leaf → leaves, knife → knives.

Exceptions to Rule 4

WATCH OUT

F words that just add S (don't drop the F)

roofs, beliefs

Some F words just add S without dropping the F: roof → roofs, belief → beliefs, chief → chiefs. These are common exceptions: if unsure, check a dictionary.

doubled F

Nouns ending in a double F (like cliff, staff, bluff) just add S: never drop the FF: cliffs, staffs, bluffs. The doubling rule protects the short vowel; don't break it.

scarves / scarfs

A few nouns have two accepted plural forms: scarves OR scarfs, dwarves OR dwarfs, hooves OR hoofs. Both spellings are correct for these words.

Lyrics

Plural Rule 4: Drop the F, Add VES

Are you ready to learn plural rule number four? I got this. Here we go.

CHORUS

Here we go. Here we go. Here we go.
Drop the F and drop the FE. Add VES to make it plural, easy.
Don't drop the F if it's doubled.
Don't let exceptions give you trouble.

VERSE 1

Elf. Drop the F. Add VES. Elves is the plural. Yes.
Wolf. Drop the F. Add VES. Wolves is the plural. Yes.
Leaf. Drop the F. Add VES. Leaves is the plural. Yes.
Calf. Drop the F. Add VES. Calves is the plural. Yes.

CHORUS

Drop the F and drop the FE. Add VES to make it plural, easy.
Don't drop the F if it's doubled.
Don't let exceptions give you trouble.

VERSE 2

Life. Drop the FE. Add VES. Lives is the plural. Yes.
Shelf. Drop the F. Add VES. Shelves is the plural. Yes.
Knife. Drop the FE. Add VES. Knives is the plural. Yes.

CHORUS

Drop the F and drop the FE. Add VES to make it plural, easy.
Don't drop the F if it's doubled.
Don't let exceptions give you trouble.

Mr. Spelling. Bye-bye.