- •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.
II. Nouns plural in form and singular in meaning:
1) names of some games:
e.g. billiards, dominoes, draughts, darts, cards, bowls => is
2) names of sciences or activities:
e.g. physics, mathematics, economics, classics, gymnastics, athletics, acoustics, linguistics, politics => is
Note: when the word of this type is not used to refer directly to a science, it takes a plural form and can be preceded by “these”
e.g. The acoustics in this room is very good. (акустика)
These acoustics are very good. (помещения)
III. Nouns plural in form which can be used both in the singular and plural:
e.g. a series – series (серия, ряд)
a species – species (порода, род)
a means – means (средство)
a works – works (= plant, factory)
an aurochs – aurochs (зубр)
a crossroads – crossroads (перекресток)
a barracks – barracks (казарма)
a Swiss – Swiss (швейцарец)
Note: “mumps” (свинка), “measles” (корь), etc. are used with the singular verb
e.g. Measles is an infectious disease.
IV. Nouns singular in form but plural in meaning:
e.g. cattle, police, people, vermin, public, audience, gentry, poultry => are
Note: we should distinguish between 2 uses of “people”
e.g. Most people (persons) are good at heart.
Most peoples (races) have a country of their own.
V. Some nouns are used with a singular verb only:
e.g. information knowledge performance (работа)
progress fruit news
gallows summons hair => is; without “a”
money weather advice
furniture work spaghetti
Note: the article a/an is never used with the above mentioned words. But it’s possible to say: a piece/ a bit of … (news, information, etc), as well as in the plural: 2 good pieces of … (advice, news, etc).
VI. Singular expressions used with a plural verb:
a number of … the majority of …
a couple of … a group of …
a lot of + plural noun the rest of + plural noun
e.g. The majority disagree.
The rest of the members are ill.
Exercises
Use the correct form of the verb.
Where … the glasses?
Money … not everything.
There … a lot of sheep in the field.
Knowledge … power.
Can I borrow your scissors? Mine … not sharp enough.
My hair …. clean.
No news … good news.
The crowd… enormous.
The crowd around me …obviously enjoying their day-out at the races.
There quite a number of people… watching the game.
Julia's clothes … in her wardrobe.
Our team … the best.
The team discussing…. strategy now.
The United States … situated in North America.
Wages … paid to workmen by the day or week.
Monty's family… about the same social status as my own.
What… your politics?
My family… early risers.
Phonetics … a branch of linguistics.
The biggest time waster … meetings.
Your jeans … too tight.
Your trousers… too long.
The arms… old.
Where… my spectacles?
There … very many people here.
Draughts … not a complicated game.
Billiards … a game played with balls and long tapering sticks called cues on an oblong, cloth-covered table.
A new glass works… not far from the city.
The pair of trousers… cheap.
The police… looking for a fair-haired man in his twenties.
There… two fish in the basket.
The summons… already overdue.
The job… unpaid, but quite a number of people are willing to undertake it.
When the News … over, we'll have supper.
I know that there… a lot of trouble, but I don't know who was behind it.
Where … the greens?
My watch … on the table.
The most important news … broadcast on this channel.
There … hardly any furniture in this room.
What colour … your new trousers?
The family… fond of their house.
There … five people in the room now.
There … a wardrobe, two arm-chairs, a sofa and a coffee table in the room.
Twenty miles… a long way to walk.
The majority of criminals … non-violent.
Some of these people … friends of mine and the rest people from the office.
A lot of social problems … caused by unemployment.
A couple of my friends… going to open a travel agency.
Statistics … useful in language testing.
Everybody … ready.