Editing English plurals (section)

====Plurals of nouns in ''-y''====
Nouns ending in a vocalic ''y'' (that is, used as a [[vowel]]) preceded by a consonant usually drop the ''y'' and add ''-ies'' (pronounced {{IPA|/iz/}}, or {{IPA|/aiz/}} in words where the y is pronounced {{IPA|/ai/}}):
{{block indent|{{wikitable
|cherry||cherries
|/ˈt͡ʃɛɹi'''z'''/
|-
|lady||ladies
|/ˈleɪdi'''z'''/
|-
|sky||skies
|/skaɪ'''z'''/
}}}}
Words ending in ''quy'' also follow this pattern, since in English ''qu'' is a digraph for two consonant sounds ({{IPA|/kw/}}) or sometimes one ({{IPA|/k/}}):
{{block indent|{{wikitable
|colloquy||colloquies
|/ˈkɒləkwi'''z'''/
|-
|obsequy||obsequies
|/ˈɒbsəkwi'''z'''/
|-
|soliloquy||soliloquies
|/səˈlɪləkwi'''z'''/
}}}}
However, [[proper noun]]s (particularly names of people) of this type usually form their plurals by simply adding ''-s'':<ref>[http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwesl/egw/crump.htm English Irregular Plural Nouns] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430044208/http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwesl/egw/crump.htm |date=30 April 2008 }}</ref><ref>[http://hopelive.hope.ac.uk/GAPS/Code/Unit%20S4/UNITS4.htm UNIT S4: YS OR IES?] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080317093117/http://hopelive.hope.ac.uk/GAPS/Code/Unit%20S4/UNITS4.htm |date=17 March 2008 }}</ref> ''the two Kennedys'', ''there are three Harrys in our office''. With place names this rule is not always adhered to: ''[[Kingdom of the Two Sicilies|Sicilies]]'' and ''[[Isles of Scilly|Scillies]]'' are the standard plurals of ''Sicily'' and ''Scilly'', while ''Germanys'' and ''Germanies'' are both used.''<ref>Book titles include Mary Fulbrook, ''The Two Germanies. 1945–1990'' (Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1996); Henry Ashby Turner, ''The two Germanies since 1945'' (New Haven: Yale UP, 1987).</ref>'' Nor does the rule apply to words that are merely capitalized common nouns: ''P&O Ferries'' (from ''ferry'').

Other exceptions include ''[[lay-by]]s'' and ''stand-bys''.

Words ending in a ''y'' preceded by a vowel form their plurals by adding ''-s'':
{{block indent|{{wikitable
|day||days
|/ˈdeɪ'''z'''/
|-
|monkey||monkeys
|/ˈmʌŋki'''z'''/
}}}}
However, the plural form (rarely used) of ''money'' is usually ''monies'', although ''moneys'' is also found.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/money|title=the definition of money|website=Dictionary.com|access-date=6 April 2018}}</ref> Also, the plural of ''trolley'' can be either ''trolleys'' or ''trollies'', although the former is more common.