When do you change the spelling to -ves for plural nouns?

The correct answer is based on the rules of English pluralization for nouns ending in -f or -fe. When a noun is singular and ends in -f or -fe, changing it to plural typically involves altering the ending to -ves. For example, "wolf" becomes "wolves," and "life" changes to "lives." This pattern helps maintain the pronunciation and flow of the word while adhering to traditional spelling rules.

The other options do not utilize the -ves ending for pluralization. For instance, nouns ending in -y typically change to -ies, as seen in "baby" becoming "babies." Nouns that end with -ch or -v do not follow the -ves pattern; for example, "coach" simply adds -es to become "coaches," and "cactus" adds -es as well to become "cacti." Thus, the specific spelling change to -ves is reserved for those nouns that end in -f or -fe.