2. Singular and Plural Nouns


A singular noun refers to just one person, animal, thing or place while a plural noun represents more than one person, animal, thing or place. Nouns are either singular or plural. Most plural nouns have an -s added to their endings. Other plural nouns do not follow this same ending.
Singular   
Plural
How the plural is formed
daughter
daughters   
By adding –s
class
classes
By adding –es to nouns ending –s
brush
brushes
By adding –es to nouns ending –sh
watch
watches
By adding –es to nouns ending –ch
box
boxes
By adding –es to nouns ending –x
potato
potatoes
By adding –es to nouns ending –o
piano
pianos
By adding –s to nouns ending –o
baby
babies
By changing –y to – ies
key
keys
By adding –s to some nouns ending –y
leaf
leaves
By changing –f to – ves
knife
knives
By changing –fe to – ves
roof
roofs
By adding –s to some nouns ending –f
safe
safes
By adding –s to some nouns ending –fe
tooth
teeth
By changing vowels
ox
oxen
By adding –en
child
children
By adding –ren
deer
deer
Some nouns have same singular and plural


There are nouns that are always plural and take a plural verb.
Jeans, knickers, panties, pants, pyjamas, shorts, tights, trousers, and underpants
Pincers, pliers, scissors, shears, tongs
Clogs, sandals, slippers, and sneakers
Glasses (spectacles), binoculars
  • These trousers are not mine.
  • Pliers are a handy tool.
  • My garden shears trim the hedge very well.
  • My glasses are used only for reading.

"A pair of" can be used with the above plural nouns and take a singular verb.
  • This pair of purple trousers does not match your yellow jacket.
  • These knives do not cut well. A new pair of stainless steel scissors is what I need.

Other nouns that are always plural.
  • Clothes: My clothes need to be washed but I don't have the time.
  • Earnings: Earnings in the agricultural sector have increased by 5% in the fourth quarter.
  • Cattle: Cattle are reared for their meat or milk.
  • Police: Police are charging him with the murder of the princess.
  • People: People in general are not very approachable. (Peoples when used in the plural (i.e. with '–s') refers to peoples from more than one race or nation, e.g. the peoples of Asia)
  • Football team: Liverpool are a very successful football team. (But Liverpool is a great city.)

Nouns which are plural in form but take a singular verb
The following plural nouns are used with a singular verb as they are treated as singular:
  • Athletics, economics, gymnastics, linguistics, mathematics, mechanics, news, numismatics, measles, mumps, physics, politics and pyrotechnics
    • Economics: Economics was my favourite subject at school.
    • News – The good news is that we have all been invited.
    • Diseases such as mumps, measles, etc: An infectious illness, mumps was common among children.

  • Measurements and amounts that are considered as a single unit:
    • One hundred years is a century.
    • Ten kilometres is a long distance.
    • Twenty dollars is not enough to buy a good shirt.
    • Seven days in prison is all he got for shoplifting.

A collective noun can take a singular or a plural verb
The following nouns can be singular or plural. Viewed as a single unit, the noun takes a singular verb; regarded as a group of separate members or parts, it becomes a plural noun used with a plural verb.
The new government has gained more support since taking office.
The Government are determined to keep inflation in check.
The explorers stumbled across a species of plant unknown to science.
Different fish species have been found in the coastal waters of the island
Data indicates that most of the offenders come from broken home.
We will not draw any conclusion until we have looked at all the data.
Statistics is included in this year's Mathematics syllabus.
The statistics tell us the current trend is towards more consumers' spending.
The enemy is calling for a ceasefire.
Security is very tight as the enemy are everywhere.

A collective noun treated as singular uses a singular possessive pronoun; a plural collective noun takes a plural possessive pronoun.
Our team has won its first trophy. (The singular possessive pronoun is its. The singular possessive pronoun its agrees with the singular collective noun team.)
Our team are deciding on the strategy for their next game. (Plural possessive pronoun: their)
The audience showed its approval by clapping and cheering.
When the curtain came down, the audience began leaving their seats.
The full orchestra led by its new conductor is performing in the city.
The orchestra do not agree to the venue for their next performance.

Two subjects expressed as a single unit and take a singular verb
  • Time and tide waits for no man.
  • Bread and jam is what he eats most in the morning.

No comments:

Post a Comment