Plural of “Tortoise” (Grammar + Examples)

What is the plural of the word “tortoise?” When I want to show possession of the word, where do I add an apostrophe? Or does an apostrophe get added at all? Showing ownership, possession, and plural forms of some words can get confusing.

For example, words ending in -s, -ch, -sh, -x, or -z often receive a -es as part of their affix to make them into plural possessive nouns or the plural form of the base word. Let’s learn how to turn a proper noun into a possessive noun.

What is the plural of “tortoise?”

The plural form of the word “tortoise” is “tortoises.”

Sentence examples of the plural of “tortoise”

• After getting one tortoise, we decided to get another. Now we have three tortoises living at the school.
• We are going to get two tortoises to see what happens when we do.

Sentence examples of the singular noun form of “tortoise”

• I bought a tortoise from the pet store.
• I’m thinking about getting a tortoise for the kids at school.
• Did you know that a tortoise can live 100 years?

Understanding plural nouns (grammar rules)

Here are the simple grammar rules to follow when learning how to convert words to their plural form:

Words that end in -es

Any word that ends in -s will get a -es added as the affix to convert the word into the plural form. For example, “bus” turns into “buses.”

Words that end in -f or -fe

A word that ends in -f or -fe will have the “f” letter turn to a “v” and add a -es affix. For example, “leaf” and “leaves.”

Words that end in vowel + o

Words that end in a vowel + o, like “zoo,” receive a -s affix. For example, “radio” turns into “radios.”

Words that end in vowel + y

A word that end in a vowel + y, like “city,” gets the “y” letter removed and adds a -ies affix. For example, “baby” turns into “babies.”