Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Most English nouns add '-s' to become plural, but 'Rule Breakers' change their spelling entirely without adding an 's'.
- Vowel changes: 'man' becomes 'men' and 'foot' becomes 'feet'.
- Special endings: 'child' becomes 'children' and 'ox' becomes 'oxen'.
- No change: some words like 'sheep' and 'fish' stay exactly the same.
Overview
cats, houses처럼 복수를 만드는데, 오늘 배울 내용은 이 규칙을 따르지 않는 '불규칙 복수 명사'입니다. 한국어와 비교해 볼까요?사과가 하나든 열 개든 단어 자체는 변하지 않고 사과들처럼 '들'이라는 접미사를 붙여 복수를 표시합니다. 하지만 영어는 단어 자체의 형태가 완전히 바뀌거나, 아예 변하지 않는 등 여러 유형이 존재합니다. 왜 이런 복잡한 규칙이 있을까요?man(남자)을 mans라고 하면 원어민들은 즉시 어색함을 느낍니다. 따라서 이 규칙들을 익히는 것은 단순히 문법을 배우는 것을 넘어, 여러분의 영어를 훨씬 더 자연스럽고 정확하게 만드는 필수 과정입니다. 이들은 언어의 '화석'과 같은 단어들이니, 마치 새로운 단어를 외우듯 하나씩 차근차근 익혀보세요.foot의 복수가 feet가 되는 것은 단어 끝에 있던 어떤 소리가 앞의 모음에 영향을 주어 소리가 변했기 때문입니다. 또 다른 방식은 -en이라는 접미사를 붙이는 것인데, child가 children이 되는 것이 그 예입니다.들을 붙이는 '첨가어'적 성격이 강하죠.man이 men이 되는 것이 단순히 암기해야 할 규칙이 아니라, 영어라는 언어가 가진 고유한 특징임을 알게 될 것입니다.tooth가 teeth가 되면 같은 원리로 goose는 geese가 됩니다.mouse는 mice가 되는 예외적인 경우도 있지만, 이런 단어들은 일상에서 자주 접하며 자연스럽게 익히게 됩니다. 특히 sheep이나 fish처럼 단수와 복수가 똑같은 단어들은 문맥 속에서 하나인지 여러 개인지 파악해야 합니다. 예를 들어 I see one fish와 I see many fish에서 fish의 형태는 동일합니다.물고기 한 마리, 물고기 여러 마리처럼 수량사를 명확히 하지만, 영어는 명사 자체의 변화 유무를 살피는 것이 핵심입니다.Look at those men! (저 남자분들 좀 봐!)이라고 말하거나, My feet are so cold. (내 발이 너무 시려.)라고 할 때 사용합니다.children은 일상 대화에서 가장 자주 등장하는 단어 중 하나입니다. The children are playing in the park. (아이들이 공원에서 놀고 있다.)처럼 말이죠. people 역시 person의 복수형으로, 길거리에서 사람들을 볼 때나 모임을 설명할 때 필수적입니다.There are many people at the cafe. (카페에 사람이 많네.)처럼 사용합니다. 이 단어들은 모두 일상적인 상황에서 사용되므로, 문법 책 속의 예문이 아니라 여러분의 실제 삶 속에서 예문을 만들어 보세요. 예를 들어, tooth와 teeth를 연습하기 위해 I brush my teeth every day. (나는 매일 이를 닦는다.)라고 소리 내어 말해보는 것부터 시작하세요.- 1
childs,mans라고 하는 경우: 가장 흔한 실수입니다.child의 복수는children인데, 규칙대로 -s를 붙여childs라고 하는 것이죠. 이는 한국어의 '들'을 모든 명사에 붙일 수 있는 것과 비슷하다고 생각하기 때문입니다. 하지만 영어의 불규칙 명사는 단어 자체가 복수형을 내포하고 있습니다. - 2
persons의 오용:person의 복수를persons라고 하는 경우가 많습니다. 물론 법률 용어로는persons가 쓰이기도 하지만, 일상 회화에서는 무조건people을 써야 합니다. 한국어의 '사람들'을 직역하다 보니 생기는 오류입니다. - 3단수/복수 동사 일치 실수:
The children is happy라고 하는 경우입니다.children은 복수이므로 반드시are를 써야 합니다. 한국어는 주어와 동사의 수 일치가 없어서 이런 실수가 잦습니다. 항상 명사가 복수라면 동사도 복수형(are,were,have)으로 맞춰주는 연습이 필요합니다.
학생이 학생들이 되어도 서술어는 간다로 똑같습니다. 하지만 영어는 The child goes에서 The children go로 동사까지 변합니다. 이 점이 한국인 학습자에게 가장 큰 장벽입니다. 하지만 걱정하지 마세요. 불규칙 복수 명사를 배우는 것은 영어의 기초 체력을 기르는 아주 중요한 단계입니다. 꾸준히 연습하면 어느새 자연스럽게 입에서 나올 것입니다.fishes라는 단어는 틀린 건가요?fish의 복수는 fish입니다. 하지만 여러 '종류'의 물고기를 말할 때는 fishes라고 쓰기도 합니다. 처음에는 그냥 fish만 기억하세요!person의 복수가 people인가요?person은 개인, people은 집합적인 사람들을 의미한다고 생각하면 쉽습니다.man/men, woman/women, child/children, foot/feet, tooth/teeth 이 5가지만 먼저 완벽하게 익히세요. 이것만 알아도 일상 대화의 80%는 해결됩니다!Common Irregular Plural Patterns
| Singular | Plural | Pattern Type | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Man
|
Men
|
Vowel Change (a -> e)
|
The men are working.
|
|
Woman
|
Women
|
Vowel Change (o -> e sound)
|
Three women entered.
|
|
Child
|
Children
|
Suffix (-ren)
|
The children play.
|
|
Foot
|
Feet
|
Vowel Change (oo -> ee)
|
My feet are cold.
|
|
Tooth
|
Teeth
|
Vowel Change (oo -> ee)
|
White teeth are nice.
|
|
Mouse
|
Mice
|
Vowel Change (ou -> i)
|
The mice like cheese.
|
|
Sheep
|
Sheep
|
No Change
|
Ten sheep are eating.
|
|
Fish
|
Fish
|
No Change
|
I see many fish.
|
|
Person
|
People
|
Suppletion (New Word)
|
People are kind.
|
|
Goose
|
Geese
|
Vowel Change (oo -> ee)
|
The geese fly away.
|
Meanings
Irregular plural nouns are nouns that do not follow the standard rule of adding '-s' or '-es' to the end of the word to indicate more than one.
Vowel Mutation
Changing the internal vowel sound of the word to indicate plurality.
“My left foot hurts, but my feet are usually fine.”
“That man is tall, but those men are even taller.”
The '-en' Ending
Adding a suffix other than 's', specifically '-en' or '-ren'.
“I have one child and she has three children.”
“The farmer uses an ox to plow, but he has four oxen in total.”
Zero Plural
Nouns that have the exact same form for both singular and plural.
“I saw one sheep on the hill.”
“There are fifty sheep in the field.”
Reference Table
| 단수형 | 복수형 | 예문 |
|---|---|---|
|
man
|
men
|
Two men are here.
|
|
woman
|
women
|
Three women are talking.
|
|
child
|
children
|
My children love to play.
|
|
foot
|
feet
|
My feet are tired.
|
|
tooth
|
teeth
|
I brush my teeth daily.
|
|
mouse
|
mice
|
There are many mice in the field.
|
|
goose
|
geese
|
Look at those geese swimming!
|
|
person
|
people
|
Many people are waiting.
|
|
ox
|
oxen
|
The farmer has two oxen.
|
격식 수준 스펙트럼
The children are currently attending their lessons. (Education / Family)
The children are playing outside. (Education / Family)
The kids are having fun. (Education / Family)
The rugrats are wilding. (Education / Family)
불규칙 복수 명사: 반항아 명사들
모음 변화
- man men
- foot feet
- mouse mice
'-en' 추가
- child children
- ox oxen
변화 없음
- sheep sheep
- fish fish
특별한 경우
- person people
규칙 복수 명사 vs. 불규칙 복수 명사
영어 명사를 복수형으로 만들기
이 명사가 '불규칙 복수 명사' 목록에 있나요? (예: `man`, `child`, `foot`)
이 명사가 -s, -x, -ch, -sh, -z로 끝나나요?
이 명사가 자음 + -y로 끝나나요?
카테고리별 흔한 불규칙 복수 명사
사람
- • man → men
- • woman → women
- • child → children
- • person → people
신체 부위
- • foot → feet
- • tooth → teeth
동물
- • mouse → mice
- • goose → geese
- • ox → oxen
- • sheep → sheep
- • fish → fish
수준별 예문
I see three men.
I see three men.
The children are happy.
The children are happy.
I have two feet.
I have two feet.
Look at the white sheep.
Look at the white sheep.
How many people are in the room?
How many people are in the room?
Brush your teeth every morning.
Brush your teeth every morning.
There are many mice in the old house.
There are many mice in the old house.
We saw five deer in the forest.
We saw five deer in the forest.
The women in the office are very professional.
The women in the office are very professional.
Geese fly south for the winter.
Geese fly south for the winter.
The farmer bought several oxen for the heavy work.
The farmer bought several oxen for the heavy work.
I caught three large fish yesterday.
I caught three large fish yesterday.
The children's playground was recently renovated.
The children's playground was recently renovated.
Many people believe that technology is a double-edged sword.
Many people believe that technology is a double-edged sword.
The mice were used in a controlled laboratory experiment.
The mice were used in a controlled laboratory experiment.
A series of unfortunate events led to the company's downfall.
A series of unfortunate events led to the company's downfall.
The criteria for the scholarship are quite stringent.
The criteria for the scholarship are quite stringent.
The phenomena observed during the eclipse were breathtaking.
The phenomena observed during the eclipse were breathtaking.
The alumni of the university gathered for the gala.
The alumni of the university gathered for the gala.
The data suggest that the market is stabilizing.
The data suggest that the market is stabilizing.
The brethren of the lodge met in secret to discuss the charter.
The brethren of the lodge met in secret to discuss the charter.
The various fishes of the Amazon basin show incredible diversity.
The various fishes of the Amazon basin show incredible diversity.
The stimuli provided during the trial were insufficient to elicit a response.
The stimuli provided during the trial were insufficient to elicit a response.
The cacti in the botanical garden are over a century old.
The cacti in the botanical garden are over a century old.
혼동하기 쉬운
Learners try to add 's' to everything because 95% of English nouns work that way.
Learners think 'people' is a different word entirely rather than the plural of 'person'.
Learners see 'fishes' in books and get confused.
자주 하는 실수
Two mans
Two men
Three childs
Three children
My tooths are white.
My teeth are white.
I see many sheeps.
I see many sheep.
The people is here.
The people are here.
The childrens are playing.
The children are playing.
Ten fishes
Ten fish
Two mouses
Two mice
The data is...
The data are...
문장 패턴
There are many ___ in the ___.
My ___ are very ___.
I saw a group of ___ walking ___.
The ___ in this area are known for ___.
Real World Usage
I need to get my teeth cleaned.
These shoes are too small for my feet.
The children had so much fun today! 🎈
I managed a team of twenty people.
Many women are leading new tech companies.
I'll have the grilled fish, please.
듣고 따라 말하기
Pay close attention to how native speakers use these words.
'-s'를 붙이지 마세요!
This is the #1 mistake! Words like childs, mans, foots, or peoples are incorrect.
플래시카드 활용하기
Create flashcards with the singular on one side (man) and the plural on the other (men).
'People' vs. 'Persons'
Smart Tips
Check if it's 'foot' or 'tooth'. These are the most common body parts that don't use 's'.
Always use 'are', never 'is'.
Remember that 'sheep', 'fish', and 'deer' are the 'No-Change Trio'.
If it's not on the 'Top 10' list (man, woman, child, foot, tooth, mouse, sheep, fish, person, goose), it's probably regular.
발음
Woman vs. Women
The first 'o' in 'woman' sounds like 'u' in 'put'. In 'women', the 'o' sounds like 'i' in 'sit'.
The 'th' in Teeth
The 'th' is unvoiced, like in 'think'.
Plural Emphasis
I said two MEN, not one.
Stress the irregular plural to clarify quantity.
암기하기
기억법
Remember: 'One child, many children; one foot, two feet. No 's' is needed for the people you meet!'
시각적 연상
Imagine a giant 'S' being chased away by a group of men and children. The 'S' is crying because it's not allowed to join their group.
Rhyme
Double 'O' becomes double 'E', for teeth and feet and geese you see!
Story
A man and a woman took their child to a farm. They saw a sheep eating a fish. Suddenly, a mouse ran over their feet! (All these nouns are irregular).
Word Web
챌린지
Look around the room or out a window. Find at least three things that use irregular plurals (e.g., people, feet, teeth) and say a sentence for each.
문화 노트
Using 'persons' instead of 'people' makes you sound like a police officer or a lawyer. 'People' is much friendlier.
In some UK dialects, you might hear 'me feet' instead of 'my feet', but the plural 'feet' remains the same.
Scientists use 'fishes' to talk about different species, but a fisherman would always say 'I caught ten fish'.
Most irregular plurals come from Old English, which had a much more complex system of noun endings and vowel changes.
대화 시작하기
How many children do you want to have in the future?
Do you think people are generally kind?
Have you ever seen any wild deer or sheep?
What do you do to keep your teeth healthy?
일기 주제
자주 하는 실수
Test Yourself
My two ____ are playing in the garden.
Find and fix the mistake:
There are many mans in the room.
Choose the correct sentence:
Score: /3
연습 문제
8 exercisesI have two [child].
Which sentence is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
My tooths are white.
Mouse
are / sheep / field / the / in / ten
The plural of 'fish' is always 'fishes'.
A: Look at those ___! B: Yes, they are flying south for winter.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
11 exercisesI saw two white ____ swimming in the pond.
My tooths hurt after eating candy.
Which sentence is correct?
Translate into English: 'Ella tiene dos niños.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the singular with its plural:
The farmer bought two new ____ for his field.
I need to wash my both foot.
There are many ____ at the concert.
Translate into English: 'Vi a tres hombres y dos mujeres.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Score: /11
자주 묻는 질문 (8)
English is a mix of languages. 'Man' is an old Germanic word that uses an ancient plural system. 'Pan' is newer and follows the modern 's' rule.
Yes, but only if you are talking about different species of fish (e.g., 'The fishes of the Pacific Ocean'). For eating or counting, use `fish`.
It is plural. You must use `are` or `were`. 'The people are happy.'
The standard plural is `people`. You can use `persons` in very formal or legal writing, but it sounds strange in conversation.
Both `mice` and `mouses` are accepted for technology, but `mice` is more common.
Focus on the sound. 'Woman' (singular) sounds like 'man' at the end. 'Women' (plural) sounds like 'WIM-min'.
The only other common one is `oxen`. Words like `brethren` exist but are very old-fashioned.
In Old English, some nouns didn't have a plural ending. Sheep is one of the few that stayed that way for over 1,000 years!
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Plurales regulares (-s, -es)
Spanish has almost no internal vowel-changing plurals.
Pluriels irréguliers (-ail -> -aux)
French irregulars often change the end of the word, not the middle vowel.
Umlaut Plurals
German still uses this rule for thousands of words, while English only kept a few.
No plural marking
English requires a change (regular or irregular), Japanese does not.
Broken Plurals (جمع التكسير)
Arabic broken plurals are much more common and complex than English ones.
Measure words / No plural
English changes the noun; Chinese changes the surrounding words.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
관련 동영상
03:58 Quiz | 570 English Words You'll Use Every Day - Basic Vocabulary #97
03:58 Quiz | 540 English Words You'll Use Every Day - Basic Vocabulary #94
영어 불규칙 복수명사 쉽게 외우는 방법! (맨, 우먼, 차일드, 피플)
영어 알려주는 남자
영어 불규칙 복수 명사 헷갈리지 마세요! (man, woman, child, person, foot, tooth, mouse, goose)
하루 5분 영어
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