CORRECT USAGE OF NOUNS

Rule No 1

•Some nouns are singular in form but plural

in use and hence take a plural verb.

•Cattle, people, Public, Gentry, Peasantry,

Police, Committee, Poultry.

•The cattle are grazing in the field.

Rule No 2• Some nouns though plural in form are singular in use and take a

singular verb.

• News, mathematics, innings, physics, politics, summons, gallows,

statistics.

• His Mathematics are weak. (is possible)

• My mathematics is poor.

• Collective nouns, crew, family, team etc.. can take a singular or plural verb; singular if we consider the word to mean a single group or unit:

• Our team is the best • or plural if we take it to mean a number of individuals: • Our team are wearing their new jerseys. • When a possessive adjective is necessary, a plural verb with their is

more usual than a singular verb with its, though sometimes both are possible:

• The Jury is considering its verdict.• The jury are considering their verdict.

Rules No 3

•Some nouns are used in singular only.

•Poetry, scenery, issue, offspring, furniture,

advice, information, vacation, bedding, food,

machinery, mischief, work.

Rule No 4

• The following nouns have no singular form in use.

They are always used in plural.

• Trousers, pantaloons, breeches, socks, stockings,

scissors, spectacles, moustaches, measles,

billiards, arms, drugs, annals, thanks, proceeds,

clothes tidings(informations), assets, alms, ashes,

circumstances, belongings, goods, orders, riches,

surroundings.

Rule No 5

•The following nouns are used in singular

when proceeded by any numerical quantity

but may be used in the plural when not

proceeded by any numerical quantity.

•Dozen, hundred, thousand, score.

•Two dozen mangoes, three hundred soldiers.

•Dozens of apples, hundreds of horses.

Rule No 6

•Proper, material or abstract nouns are never

used in the plural and are not proceeded by

any article (a, an, the)

•Gold is a precious metal.

•Fish live in water.

Rule No 7

•Compound nouns for a certain single

amount, measure, length, of time do not

acquire ‘s’ of the plural.

•A hundred feet tape. (incorrect)

•A hundred foot tape. (correct)

•A five rupees note. (incorrect)

•A five rupee note. (correct)

Thank you