Final answer:
To pluralize a noun ending in a consonant, usually 's' or 'es' is added, depending of the sound at the end of the noun. For nouns ending in 'y' preceded by a consonant, 'ies' is used, while some nouns ending in 'f' or 'fe' use 'ves'.
Step-by-step explanation:
To make a noun that ends in a consonant plural, you generally add 's' or 'es' to the end of the word. The choice between 's' and 'es' depends on the spelling and sound of the noun in its singular form.
For example, for a noun ending in a sibilant sound like /s/, /z/, /ch/, /sh/, or /x/, you would add 'es' (e.g., 'boxes', 'bushes', 'watches'). If the noun does not end in a sibilant sound, you simply add 's' (e.g., 'cats', 'dogs'). However, if the base noun ends in 'y' preceded by a consonant, you would replace 'y' with 'ies' (e.g., 'cities'). Lastly, some nouns that end in 'f' or 'fe' change to 'ves' in the plural (e.g., 'wives', 'knives'). It is important to note that there are exceptions to these rules due to the complex nature of English spelling.