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Number
Nouns have
Singular
Number Plural
In English, number is a characteristic of nouns
personal pronouns demonstratives verbs
The regular plural is generally formed by adding
S or ES to the singular.
SINGULAR + sWindow WindowsMap Maps
SINGULAR + esChurch ChurchesWash Washes
There are some spelling changes to notice:
Words ending in “y” preceded by a consonant, change the letter “y” into “i” and then adds the regular “es”.
Singular ending in Y ES
Lady
Story
Fly
Army
Family
City
Ladies
Stories
Flies
Armies
Families
Cities
•Words ending in “y” preceded by a vowel simply add”s”.
Valley
Donkey
Day
Boy
Valleys
Donkeys
Days
Boys
•Words ending in “o” preceded by consonant take “es” in the plural
Negro
Tomato
Torpedo
Hero
Potato
Echo
Negroes
Tomatoes
Torpedoes
Heroes
Potatoes
Echoes
BUT the following do not take “e” in the spellingKilosPhotosMemosConcertosPianosSopranosEskimosRadiosZoosKangaroosBamboosFolios
KiloesPhotoesMemoesConcertoesPianoesSopranoesEskimoesRadioesZooesKangarooesBambooesFolioes
Special mention must be made of:
A) Some nouns end in “s” but are gramatically singular. These include some names of schools/ universities subjects, physical activities, diseases, and games.
School/University
Subjects
Physical Activities Diseases Games
Civics Athletics Shingles Bowls
Classics Aerobics Measles Billards
Economics Callisthemics Mumps Darts
Ergonomics Gymnastics Rickets Dominoes
Linguistics Draughts
Maths/ Mathematics Skittles
Mechanics
Physics
Politics
Programatics
Another very common word that is singular but ends in “s” is news.
E.g.:This is the morning news.The mumps makes your neck swell.Aerobics is really popular these days, particularly with older
people.Shingles lays you low for anything up to six months, doesn
´t it?Bowls is played by many younger people these days.This news is not so good.
When the words have another meaning they take plural verb.
E.g:
The recent statistics on marriage are interesting. (= figures)
The accoustics of this room are terrible. (=sound)
The mathematics of this proyect are rather complicated for me. (=figures)
Games: Billards, darts. Dominoes, fives, ninepins, tennis, chees.
E.g.: I play dominoes with my daughter. It is entertaining.
Proper nouns: Athens, Brussels, Flanders, The United States of America, The United NAtions, The Philipines.
Plural non- count nounsB) Nouns which occur only in the
plural form.
a- Nouns which look singular but are plural.
cattle people police vermin clergy
Nouns wich occur in the pluralb- Sumation plurals: Instruments, garments
and tools consisting of two equal parts joined together.
e.g. Trousers have two legs (“BIPARTITE” items):
A: Where are my jeans? B: They’re in the wash.
In singular you can say a pair of... e.g. I need a new pair of jeans.
BiPaRtiTe NoUnS
Instruments Garments Tools
binoculares briefs Pincers
glasses jeans Pliers
goggles jodhpurs Scissors
headphones knickers Shears
spectacles overalls Tongs
pants tweezers
pyjamas
shorts
trousers
underpants
socks
Nouns which occur in the plural
Bipartite Nouns
This group of nouns is productive in that new nouns (including the names of manufacturing) which fit into these categories generally take on the same syntatic features.
Recent examples include:
Combats, chinos, Levis (types of trousers) Boxers (underwear shorts) Shades, Ray-bans (type of sunglasses)
c- There are many nouns ending in “s” but have no singular form. If they do, the meaning is different.
belongings premises (buildings)
wages
congratulations proceedings arms (weapons)
dregs proceeds ashes (human
remains)
earnings remains funds
goods riches clothes
likes savings (money) credentials
mains stairs provisions (food
supplies)
outskirts surroundings damages (compensation)
particulares thanks Manners (behaviour)
pictures (cinema) The Middle Ages
•Some examples:
I understand congratulations are due on the new job, by the way.
The outskirts of the city are rather drab and uninteresting.
The proceeds of the concert are all going to charity.
• Some nouns in the plural form have a different meaning.
For example: pictures = cinema (now becoming outdated) pictures = plural of picture
premises = a building or buildings premises = plural of premise (meaning
“ideas or theory on which argument is based”)
•Find out differences with these pairs:
Peter was found guilty of causing damage to Paul’s property.
He was ordered to pay damages.
May I have a look at your magazine?
The accident has spoilt my good looks.
I didn’t like that man’s manner.
George has very good manners.
We can make a considerable saving by selling the car.
Then we can use our savings to buy some new furniture.
There was cigarette ash all over the floor.
The house burnt to ashes.
We scattered my father’s ashes over the lake.