Singular & Plural Nouns – By changing -y into -ies if a noun ends in a consonant before the -y (List)

When a noun in English ends with -y preceded by a consonant, we change the -y into -ies to form the plural. Here is a comprehensive list of such nouns grouped into singular and plural pairs:

Singular	Plural	Short Meaning
City	Cities	Urban area
Country	Countries	Geographic region
Baby	Babies	Young child
Lady	Ladies	Adult female
Puppy	Puppies	Young dog
Story	Stories	Narrative or tale
Party	Parties	Social gathering
Family	Families	Related individuals
Company	Companies	Business entity
Colony	Colonies	Territorial grouping
Community	Communities	Group of people
Activity	Activities	Task or action
Variety	Varieties	Type or kind
Army	Armies	Military force
University	Universities	Higher education institution
Library	Libraries	Collection of books
Theory	Theories	Explanatory idea
Category	Categories	Class or division
Victory	Victories	Triumph or success
Memory	Memories	Recollection
Industry	Industries	Sector of economy
Property	Properties	Possession or asset
History	Histories	Record of past events
Mystery	Mysteries	Unexplained event
Factory	Factories	Manufacturing facility
Territory	Territories	Land area
Diary	Diaries	Personal journal
Cherry	Cherries	Fruit
Remedy	Remedies	Solution or cure
Battery	Batteries	Energy storage device
Celebrity	Celebrities	Famous person
Gallery	Galleries	Art exhibition space
Strategy	Strategies	Plan of action
Ability	Abilities	Skill or talent
Ceremony	Ceremonies	Formal event
Secretary	Secretaries	Administrative professional
Boundary	Boundaries	Border or limit
Discovery	Discoveries	Finding or detection
Opportunity	Opportunities	Favorable circumstance
Identity	Identities	State of being
Grocery	Groceries	Food store
Accessory	Accessories	Additional item
Necessity	Necessities	Essential item
Delivery	Deliveries	Act of transporting goods
Inquiry	Inquiries	Act of asking
Policy	Policies	Set of rules
Entry	Entries	Act of entering
Journey	Journeys	Trip or voyage
Quality	Qualities	Characteristic or trait
Quantity	Quantities	Amount or number
Agency	Agencies	Business or organization
Bakery	Bakeries	Place where bread is baked
Calamity	Calamities	Disaster or misfortune
Dignity	Dignities	Quality of being worthy
Emissary	Emissaries	Representative
Felony	Felonies	Serious crime
Galaxy	Galaxies	Large system of stars
Harmony	Harmonies	Pleasant musical sound
Jealousy	Jealousies	Feeling of envy
Knackery	Knackeries	Place for disposal of animals
Legacy	Legacies	Inheritance or bequest
Monopoly	Monopolies	Exclusive control
Novelty	Novelties	New, original, or unusual
Obscenity	Obscenities	Offensive or obscene behavior
Penalty	Penalties	Punishment for wrongdoing
Quality	Qualities	Standard or level
Rarity	Rarities	Uncommonness
Severity	Severities	Seriousness or sternness
Tenacity	Tenacities	Persistence
Urgency	Urgencies	Importance requiring swift action
Velocity	Velocities	Speed
Warranty	Warranties	Guarantee
Yardistry	Yardistries	Craft of yard structures
Zealotry	Zealotries	Fanatical fervor
Alacrity	Alacrities	Brisk and cheerful readiness
Bankruptcy	Bankruptcies	Financial failure
Chivalry	Chivalries	Medieval knightly system
Density	Densities	Mass per unit volume
Electricity	Electricities	Physical phenomena
Fragility	Fragilities	Quality of being fragile
Generosity	Generosities	Quality of being generous
Humidity	Humidities	Moisture in the air
Illegality	Illegalities	Contrary to law
Jocularity	Jocularities	Joking or jesting
Knavery	Knaveries	Dishonesty
Liability	Liabilities	Legal responsibility
Mobility	Mobilities	Ability to move
Nobility	Nobilities	High social class
Occupancy	Occupancies	Act of occupying
Probability	Probabilities	Likelihood
Quackery	Quackeries	Fraudulent medical practice
Rationality	Rationalities	Logic or reasoning
Sensibility	Sensibilities	Ability to appreciate
Toxicity	Toxicities	Degree to which something is toxic
Usury	Usuries	Illegal action of lending
Validity	Validities	Legally acceptable
Whimsy	Whimsies	Playful or fanciful idea

The rule “changing -y into -ies if a noun ends in a consonant before the -y” is a standard rule in English for forming the plural of certain nouns. Here’s a breakdown of the rule:

• Identify the final two letters of the noun: Look at the last two letters of the noun. If the letter immediately before the final “-y” is a consonant, then this rule applies.
  Example: In the word “city,” the letter before the “-y” is a consonant (t).
• Change the ending “-y” to “-ies”: If the noun ends in a consonant followed by a “-y,” you change the “-y” to “-ies” to form the plural.
  Example: “city” becomes “cities.”
• Resulting plural form: The result is the plural form of the noun.
  Example: One city, two cities.

This rule helps to ensure consistency in the spelling of plural nouns in English, making it easier to form and recognize plural nouns that end in “-y.”