Nouns: Number
Introduction
In this blog we are going to unlock the Magic of Singular and plural of Nouns. In this blog you will get clear and concise explanations of Singular and Plural rules with examples to illustrate- even the trickiest concepts. So, grab your attention and get ready to master the mighty, magical world of number in Nouns.
Lesson 6 Nouns: Number
There are two numbers in English - The Singular and the Plural.
Singular Nouns: A Noun that denotes or refers to one person or thing is known as Singular noun.
For example:- Doll, bird, book, photo.
Plural Nouns: A Noun that denotes or refers to more than one person or thing is known as Plural noun.
For example: Dolls, binds, books, Photos, are plural.
Note:- Only countable nouns can have a plural form.
How Plurals are formed.
We have the following rules to change singular nouns to plural.
1). The Plural of Nouns is generally formed by adding +S to the singular; as
Singular - Plural words
Boy-boys
Horse- horses
Doll-dolls
Kite-kites
Bird-birds
Train-trains
Book-books
Window-windows
Photo-photos
Year-years
Tree- trees
Desk-desks
Pen- pens
Flower- flowers
Window- windows.
2) Nouns end in a hissing sound -S,-Sh, -Sh , -Ch and -X form the plural by adding +ES to Singular; as.
-S Words
Singular - Plural
Gas- gases
Bus- buses
Pass-passes
Atlas- atlases
Virus- viruses
Campus-campuses
Bonus- bonuses
Focus-focuses.
Oasis - oases
Thesis -theses
-SS Words
Singular - Plural
Glass-glasses
Dress-dresses
Class-classes
Dress-dresses
Grass- grasses
Address-addresses
Witness-witnesses
Mattress-mattresses.
Hostess-hostesses
-Sh Words
Singular - Plural words
Brush-brushes
Wish-wishes
Dish-dishes
Fish-fishes
Bush-bushes
Polish -Polishes
Flush-flushes
Ash- ashes
-Ch Words
Church-churches
Witch -witches
Beach- beaches
Quench- quenches
Pinch- pinches
Drench-drenches
Match-matches
Punch-punches
Stitch-stitches
Stretch- Stretches
-X Words
Fox-foxes
Apex -apices
Complex -complexes
Matrix- matrices
Tax- taxes
Helix -helices
Prefix-prefixes
Vortex -Vortices.
Toolbox-toolboxes
Relax-relaxes
Affix- affixes
Fix- fixes
Multiplex- multiplexes
Paradox -paradoxes
3) Most nouns ending in -O also form the plural by adding +ES to the singular;as,
Singular - Plural
Hero- heroes
Tomato- tomatoes
Potato -potatoes
Buffalo -buffaloes
Mango -mangoes
Mosquito- mosquitoes
There are Exceptions: Some words ending in -O that are borrowed from other languages take only +S to make a plural
Singular - Plural
Zero-zeros
Radio- radios
Photo-photos
Piano-pianos
Bamboo-bamboos
Stereo -Stereos
Dynamo- dynamos
Commando - Commandos
4) Nouns ending in -F or FE form their plural. by changing into +VES.
Singular - Plural words
Life- lives
Calf- calves
Thief- thieves
Half -halves
Knife- knives
Wolf -wolves
Shelf-shelves
Leaf - leaves
Wife- wives.
Exceptions: However some words ending in -F form their plural in the normal way.
Singular - Plural words
Proof -proofs
Roof -roofs
Gulf gulfs
Chief-chiefs
Hoof- hoofs / hooves
Dwarf dwarves
5) Nouns ending in -A vowel ty, form their Plural as by adding -S to the singular; as
Singular - Plural
Donkey - donkeys
Joy- Joys
Toy-toys
Boy-boys
Valley - valleys
Ray-ray
Play-plays
Airway - airways
Essay- essays
6) Nouns ending in a Consonant +Y, form their plural by changing + Y into +IES ;as
Singular - Plural words
City-cities
Lady -ladies
Army- armies
Country- countries
Library libraries
Penny -pennies
Marry -marries
Secretary -secretaries
Study-studies
Activity- activities
Theory-theories
Reply -replies
Fairy-fairies
Diary -diaries
7) A few nouns form their plural by changing the inside vowel or vowels of the singular; as,
Singular - Plural words
Goose -Geese
Teeth-tooth
Foot- feet
Mouse -Mice
Man-Men
Woman-Women
Washerman -Washermen
8) A Compound Noun or Nouns consisting several words generally forms its plural by adding -S to the principal word; as
Singular - Plural
Commander-in-chief - Commanders-in-chief
Son-in-law- Sons-in-law.
Daughter-in-law- daughters-in-law.
Mother-in-law- mothers in-law
Maid Servant -maid-servants.
9) Some nouns have the same form in the singular as well as the plural. for example.
Singular - Plural
Aircraft, Spacecraft, fish, Swine, Sheep, deer, Species
Note:- Dozen, paus, hundred, thousand, score (when used after numerals)
Example: The sari cost me seven thousand rupees.
we need six dozen eggs.
10) Some nouns which have two essential parts forming a kind of pair are used in the plural form.
For example: Spectacles, tongs, trousers, Shorts, Jeans, Pyjamas,
11) Some nouns look plural but are used as singular:
1) Names of the subject- Physics, Mathematics, Electronics, Civics and Economics.
2) Names of Some Common disease: Diabetes, Rabies, rickets Measles etc.
3) Words like Politics, innings, news, billiards, aerobics etc.
4) Some nouns used as Singular For Example:- Furniture, advice, information, scenery.
12) The following collective Nouns, though Singular in form, always used as plurals.
For Example: Cattle, Staff, faculty, family, team, people.
Lets see these examples in sentences
1) I loose some cattle every year.
2) All the hospital staff were supportive.
3) The faculty agreed on a change in the syllabus.
13) Abstract Nouns have no plural. They are uncountables.
For Example: Education, love, charity etc.
Lets Summarize
►There are two numbers in English - The Singular and the Plural.
► The Plural of Nouns is generally formed by adding +S to the singular.
►Nouns ending with -S,-Sh, -Sh , -Ch , -X and -O form the plural by adding +ES to Singular
►Used in the plural form:
scissors, spectacles, trousers, jeans, shorts, clothes, tongs, binoculars
►Same form in the singular as well as the plural:
Deer, sheep, fish, dozen, hundred, aircraft
►Plural in appearance but used as singular:
Mathematics, politics, innings, news, measles
► Singular in appearance but used as plural: cattle, people
►Used as singular:
furniture, scenery, advice, information
►Only countable nouns have a plural form.
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Really insightful and well summarised sir.
ReplyDeleteThank you !! Keep posting 💐
Very usefull 👍✨
ReplyDeleteNyc content
ReplyDeleteGood content for students.
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