- •The category of number. The plural of english nouns.
- •Plural of Compound Nouns
- •Plural of Nouns of Greek origin
- •Plural of Nouns of Latin Origin
- •Vertebra - vertebrae
- •Index - indices (or indexes)
- •Plural of Nouns of Other Origin French
- •Italian
- •Invariable nouns
- •I. Nouns used in the plural:
- •II. Nouns plural in form and singular in meaning:
- •III. Nouns plural in form which can be used both in the singular and plural:
- •IV. Nouns singular in form but plural in meaning:
- •V. Some nouns are used with a singular verb only:
- •VI. Singular expressions used with a plural verb:
- •Exercises
- •Use the correct form of the verb.
- •Choose the most suitable word underlined.
- •Complete each sentence with a/an, some or by leaving the space blank.
- •Decide which answer a, b,c or d best fits each space. Food Habits
- •Part II
- •Complete he conversations. Choose the correct form.
- •II. Complete the conversations. Put in these nouns: business (x2), experience (x2), glass, iron, light, paper, space, time. Put a/an or some before each noun.
- •III. Complete Claire’s postcard to her sister. Choose the correct form.
Plural of Nouns of Greek origin
-is - -es
basis - bases
crisis - crises
analysis - analyses
axis - axes
diagnosis - diagnoses
thesis - theses
hypothesis - hypotheses
parenthesis - parentheses
periphrasis - periphrases
- on - -a
criterion - criteria
phenomenon - phenomena
perihelion - perihelia
-a - -ata
miasma - miasmata
Plural of Nouns of Latin Origin
-us - -i, -ora, -era
focus - foci (or focuses)
stimulus - stimuli
genus - genera
radius - radii
nucleus - nuclei
corpus - corpora
-a - -ae
formula - formulae (or formulas)
antenna - antennae
Vertebra - vertebrae
-um - -a
datum - data
medium - media (or mediums)
millennium - millennia
bacterium - bacteria
memorandum - memoranda (or memorandums)
curriculum - curricula (or curriculums)
sanatorium -sanatoria
stratum - strata
erratum - errata
agendum - agenda
pericardium - pericardia
principium - principia
sanctum - sancta
-es, -ix - -ices
Index - indices (or indexes)
appendix - appendices (or appendixes)
matrix - matrices (or matrixes)
Plural of Nouns of Other Origin French
-ean - -eaux
tableau - tableaux
bureau - bureaux (or bureaus)
Italian
-o - -i
tempo - tempi (or tempos)
maestro - maestri
Give the plurals of the following nouns:
hat, box, day, desk, clock, bus, list, toy, address, brush, face, family, puppy, book, wife, scarf, knife, video, tomato, tree, zoo, shop, man, woman, child, tooth, foot, goose, ox, sheep, deer, means, volcano, church, damage, datum, weather, crisis, bath
schoolboy, postman, hotel-keeper, mother-in-law, passer-by, ,am-servant, woman-doctor, businessman, step-daughter, fingertip, customs-house, housewife, forget-me-not, Englishman, a Chinese
Invariable nouns
I. Nouns used in the plural:
1) tools, instruments, pieces of equipment consisting of two halves or parts:
e.g. scissors, pliers, binoculars, scales, pincers, handcuffs, glasses, spectacles, tongs, fetters, etc.
2) clothes:
e.g. shorts, pajamas, pants, underpants, jeans, knickers, tights, leggings, trunks, trousers, slacks, etc.
Note: these nouns are used either with a plural verb or with “these” or in the construction “a pair of … is … “or “two pairs of … are … “
e.g. The trousers are new.
This pair of trousers is new.
I’ve bought two pairs of jeans.
3) used only in the plural, with a plural verb, not with a numeral:
e.g. lodgings surroundings contents thanks
premises particulars traffic lights troops
goods outskirts stairs belongings
clothes foundations whereabouts savings
looks headquarters valuables oats
manners proceeds of arms riches
acoustics wages