9. The category of number.Singular and plural invariable nouns.
Number is the form of the noun which shows whether one or more than one object is meant. Some nouns in English have the sing. and the pl. forms. These nouns are called variable nouns. Nouns are used either only in the sing. or only in the pl. they are called invariable nouns.
Singular Material nouns: sand, water, silver. Abstract nouns: music. Proper names: London.
substantivized adjectives denoting abstract notions: the inevitable, the true
some nouns ending in s\
some diseases: diabets, mumps, measles, rabies, rickets, shingle
some games: rank, billiard, draughts, darts,
subject names in -ics: aerobics, classics, genetics,linguistics.(can be used in pl)
s
ome
proper names:,
Wales, the United Nations,
the United States
Some nouns which are invariable singular in English are used in the plural {variable or not) in Russian: advice, applause, chess, cream, debate, fighting, fruit, evidence, gossip. money.
Plural Words denoting things consisting of two matching parts: glasses, jeans trousers
some plural proper names: the Middle Ages, the Midlands unmarked plural nouns: cattle, police, gentry, clergy
substantivized adjectives denoting people: the rich, the poor, the old, the young
Agreement between the subject and the predicate verb refers to the way the verb has a form appropriate to the number and person of the subject. So the first step is to identify the subject of the sentence.
1. If a sentence has a simple subject, we should recall the grammatical characteristics of the word used as the subject. A singular noun-subject is followed by a singular verb, and a plural noun-subject is followed by a plural verb. 2. If a sentence has a phrasal subject expressed by a word with some dependent words or phrases, the form of the verb is predetermined by the grammatical characteristics of the headword. So we should find the head word first, recall its grammatical characteristics and use a corresponding verb form. Many leading members of the opposition party have tried to justify the decision. 3. In case the subject is expressed by a predicative complex, a complex subject, the verb is always singular. 4. The subject may also be expressed by a subordinate clause, a clausal subject, then the verb tends to be singular in most cases. However, the meaning of the subordinate clause should be taken into account.
SIMPLE SUBJECT Some nouns are invariable both in form and in number meaning.
l. Invariable singular nouns take a singular predicate. Here belong nouns denoting various fluids: water, oil; solids: ice, bread, paper; gases: air, smoke; particles: dirt, grass, hair, rice; abstract notions: advice, evidence, information, progress, news; whole groups made of similar objects: cash, change, money, clothing, equipment, furniture, luggage; names of games: billiards, darts; names of diseases: measles, mumps.
2. Invariable plural nouns take a plural verb. Here belong nouns denoting groups of individuals (nouns of multitude): cattle, clergy, gentry, police; objects consisting of two parts: braces, glasses, pants, scales, scissors, shorts, tongs; some proper nouns: the Hebrides, the Highlands, the Midlands and a miscellaneous group of nouns most of which end in ~s: antics, archives, ashes, belongings clothes, contents, earnings, goods, outskirts, particulars (= information), premises (= building), riches, savings, surroundings, thanks, wages, etc.
PRONOUN SUBJECT
1. If the quantity is expressed by a universal pronoun (everybody, everyone, either, everything, each), negative pronoun (nobody, no one, neither), indefinite pronoun (someone, somebody, anybody, anything) or pronominal phrases — the verb is singular.
2. The pronoun both as well as phrases with it is logically (and grammatically) plural.
Which of these is yours? — Both are_ mine. Both of the bags are mine.
3. The form of the verb in case of a subject containing or expressed by the universal all or interrogative pronouns: who, what, which, as well as those used as connectors, depends on what is implied or named in the previous part of the sentence and is, in fact, the notional subject for the predicate verb.