Plural of Tardy: Understand Your Plural Nouns for Better English Grammar

If you’ve ever been unsure about the plural of tardy, you’re not alone. Many people are unsure of how to correctly pluralize this word. In this article, we’ll explore the correct way to form the plural of tardy.

First, it’s important to understand what “tardy” means. The word is typically used to describe someone who is late or delayed. For example, if you arrive to class after it has already started, you might be considered tardy.

Now read on and explore the plural of tardy for yourself.

Plural of Tardy

Definition and Plural of the Noun Tardy

If you have ever been late for something, you might have heard the word “tardy” used to describe your lateness. Tardy is a noun that refers to being late or delayed. It is commonly used in educational settings to describe a student who arrives late to class.

The plural of the noun “tardy” is “tardies.” For example, if a student has been late to class three times, they might have three tardies on their record. It is important to note that “tardy” is not typically used in the plural form as a noun. Instead, you might say “three instances of tardiness” or “three times being late.”

It is worth noting that the word “tardy” has a negative connotation, as it implies that someone has failed to arrive on time. However, it is important to remember that everyone is late sometimes, and being tardy does not necessarily reflect poorly on a person’s character or work ethic.

When to Use the Noun Tardy and Plural of Tardy

The noun “tardy” refers to someone who is late or delayed. For example, you might say, “John is always tardy to our meetings.” In this case, “tardy” is the singular form of the noun.

However, when referring to multiple people who are late, you would use the plural form of the noun. The plural of “tardy” is “tardies.” For example, you might say, “There were several tardies in our class today.”

It is important to note that “tardy” can also be used as an adjective to describe someone who is habitually late. In this case, you would not use the plural form of the word. For example, you might say, “John is a tardy employee.”

When using the plural form of “tardy,” it is important to remember that it is a countable noun. This means that you would use “many” or “few” to describe the number of tardies, rather than “much” or “little.” For example, you might say, “There were many tardies in our class today.”

Here are a few more examples of how the noun “tardy” can be used in a sentence:

You are considered tardy if you arrive to work more than 10 minutes after your scheduled start time.
The teacher gave the students a tardy if they arrived to class after the bell had rung.
The company has a strict policy regarding tardiness, and employees who are frequently tardy may face disciplinary action.

Another way to form the plural of “tardy” is by using the word “latecomers.” This term is often used in academic or professional settings to refer to people who arrive late to meetings, classes, or other events. Here are a few examples of how “latecomers” can be used in a sentence:

The meeting started promptly at 9am, and latecomers were not allowed to enter the room until the first break.
The professor had a strict policy regarding latecomers and would not allow anyone to enter the classroom after the lecture had begun.
The company’s policy on latecomers was clearly stated in the employee handbook, and all new hires were required to read and sign it.

Plural Noun Rules for Regular Nouns

When it comes to forming plurals for regular nouns, there are a few basic rules to follow. By understanding these rules, you can easily form the plural of most nouns correctly.

Adding -s to the End of the Noun

The most common way to form the plural of a regular noun is by simply adding -s to the end of the singular form. For example:

One cat, two cats
One book, two books
One chair, two chairs

Adding -es to the End of the Noun

If a noun ends in -s, -x, -z, -ch, or -sh, you need to add -es to the end of the singular form to form the plural. For example:

One bus, two buses
One box, two boxes
One quiz, two quizzes
One church, two churches
One brush, two brushes

Changing “-y” to “-ies”

If a noun ends in a consonant followed by “-y”, you need to change the “-y” to “-ies” to make it plural. For example:

One baby, two babies
One city, two cities
One party, two parties

Plural Noun Rules for Irregular Nouns

When it comes to forming plurals in English, there are many rules to follow, and some of them can be quite tricky. While most nouns follow a simple pattern of adding an “s” to the end of the word to make it plural, some nouns are irregular and require different forms. In this section, we will cover the rules for forming plurals for irregular nouns.

List of Common Irregular Plural Nouns

Here is a list of some of the most common irregular plural nouns in English:

child/children
foot/feet
tooth/teeth
mouse/mice
man/men
woman/women
goose/geese
deer/deer
fish/fish (when referring to multiple species)

Nouns That End in Us

For nouns that end in “u,” the plural form is often formed by changing the “u” to “i” and adding “es.” For example:

cactus/cacti
fungus/fungi
nucleus/nuclei
syllabus/syllabi/syllabuses

Nouns That End in Is

Nouns that end in “is” often have irregular plural forms. Some examples include:

analysis/analyses
basis/bases
crisis/crises
thesis/theses

Nouns That End in On and Um

Nouns that end in “on” or “um” often have irregular plural forms that end in “a.” Some examples include:

criterion/criteria
phenomenon/phenomena
medium/media

Plurals That Are the Same as Singulars

Some nouns have the same form for both singular and plural. Examples include:

sheep/sheep
deer/deer
fish/fish (when referring to a single species)
aircraft/aircraft
species/species
series/series

Singular Nouns That Look Like Plural Nouns

Some singular nouns look like they should be plural, but they are not. Examples include:

news
mathematics
physics

Remembering all of the rules for forming plurals in English can be challenging, but with practice, you can master the irregular forms.

Common Mistakes with Plural Nouns

When it comes to pluralizing nouns, there are a few common mistakes that people tend to make. Here are some of the most common mistakes with plural nouns and how to avoid them:

Adding an Apostrophe

One of the most common mistakes people make with plural nouns is adding an apostrophe. An apostrophe is used to indicate possession, not plurality. For example, the plural of mongoose is mongooses, not mongoose’s. Here are some other examples:

Incorrect: the cat’s are sleeping
Correct: the cats are sleeping
Incorrect: the dog’s are barking
Correct: the dogs are barking

Using the Wrong Ending

Another common mistake is using the wrong ending for plural nouns. For example, some people might add an -s to a word that actually requires an -es. Here are some examples:

Incorrect: the boxs are heavy
Correct: the boxes are heavy
Incorrect: the bus’s are late
Correct: the buses are late

Irregular Plurals

Some nouns have irregular plurals that don’t follow the usual rules. For example, the plural of child is children, not childs. Here are some other examples:

Incorrect: the mouses are running around
Correct: the mice are running around
Incorrect: the oxes are grazing in the field
Correct: the oxen are grazing in the field

Plural Nouns Vs. Possessive Nouns

When it comes to pluralizing nouns, it’s important to understand the difference between plural nouns and possessive nouns. A plural noun refers to more than one of a certain object, while a possessive noun indicates ownership or possession.

To create the plural form of most nouns, simply add an “s” to the end of the word. For example, “tardy” becomes “tardies.” However, there are some exceptions to this rule, such as words that end in “ch,” “sh,” “x,” or “s.” In those cases, you would add “es” to the end of the word.

On the other hand, to create the possessive form of a noun, you typically add an apostrophe and an “s” to the end of the word. For example, “the tardy student’s excuse” indicates that the excuse belongs to the student who was tardy.

It’s important to note that when a noun is both plural and possessive, you should add the apostrophe and “s” to the end of the word after the “s” for pluralization. For example, “the students’ tardiness” indicates that the tardiness belongs to more than one student.

Collective Nouns and How to Use Them

When it comes to using collective nouns, it can be a bit tricky to know how to use them correctly. Collective nouns are words that refer to a group of people, animals, or things. Examples of collective nouns include “herd,” “swarm,” “flock,” and “team.” In this section, you will learn how to use collective nouns correctly.

One important thing to remember when using collective nouns is to make sure that the verb agrees with the noun. For example, if you are talking about a group of people, you would use a plural verb. If you are talking about a group of animals, you would also use a plural verb. Here are some examples:

The team are playing well.
The flock are flying south for the winter.

Another thing to keep in mind is that collective nouns can be either singular or plural, depending on the context. For example, if you are talking about a group of people as a single entity, you would use a singular verb. If you are talking about the individuals within the group, you would use a plural verb. Here are some examples:

The jury has reached a verdict. (referring to the group as a single entity)
The jury are discussing the case. (referring to the individuals within the group)

Finally, it’s important to remember that some collective nouns are always plural. For example, “scissors” and “pants” are always plural, so you would always use a plural verb with them. Here are some examples:

The scissors are on the table.
The pants need to be hemmed.

In summary, when using collective nouns, make sure that the verb agrees with the noun, consider whether the noun is singular or plural in context, and remember that some collective nouns are always plural.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the plural of Tardy?

The plural of Tardy is Tardies.

Is it Tardies or Tardys?

The correct plural form is Tardies. Tardys is not a recognized plural form of Tardy.

How do you say more than one tardy?

To say more than one tardy, you would say Tardies.

What does Tardies mean in school?

In school, Tardies are recorded when a student arrives late to class. Accumulating too many Tardies can result in disciplinary action.

What is the difference between Tardies and absences?

Tardies occur when a student arrives late to class, while absences occur when a student is not present for the entire class period.

What is a synonym for Tardy?

A synonym for Tardy is late.

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