The Countable Nouns have two forms:
Singular and Plural.
The first word of each pair
denotes one and the second word of each pair denotes more than one.When one person or thing is spoken of, the noun is singular ar when more than one person or thing is spoken of, the noun is plural.
- Nesfield.
How Plurals are Formed
1. The Plural of Nouns is generally formed by adding -s to the singular.
2. Nouns ending in -s, -sh, -ch (soft), or -x form the Plural by adding -es to the singular:
Note: If 'ch' sounds as 'k', Plural is formed by adding -s :
Singular — Plural
Monarch — Monarchs
Stomach — Stomachs
3. Nouns ending in -o having a Vowel before it takes s to form plural :
4. Nouns ending in -o having a consonant before it, takes -es to form plural:
Some exceptions :
Dynamo — Dynamos
Piano — Pianos
Photo — Photos
Quarto — Quartos
5. Nouns ending in -y having a Vowel before it form their plurals by adding -s :
6. Nouns ending in y having a Consonant before it form their plural by changing -y into i and adding -es :
7. Nouns ending in -f or -fe form their plural by changing f or fe into v and adding -es :
8. Several Nouns ending in f form their Plurals by adding s :
9. Some Nouns form their plural by changing the inside Vowel of the Singular :
10. A few Nouns form their plural by changing the inside Vowel and the consonant of the singular :
Singular — Plural
Mouse — Mice
Louse — Lice
11. A few Nouns form their Plural by adding -en to the Singular:
Singular — Plural
Ox — Oxen
Brother — Brethren
Child — Children
12. Compound Nouns generally form their plural by adding -s to the principal word or by changing inside vowel of the principal word:
But,
Grown-up — Grown-ups
13. Compound Nouns written without hyphen take 's' to form the plural :
14. There are some compound Nouns which take a double Plural:
15. Some Typical Examples of Plurals:
Foreign Plurals
16. Nouns having different meanings in different numbers.
17. Nouns with two plural forms of different meanings
18. Noun with one meaning in the Singular but two in the Plural
19. Some Nouns have the Singular and the Plural alike:
The public is the best judge/are the best judges. — POD & COD.
*Note : Hundreds of students, Thousands of people
20. Some Collective Nouns or Group Nouns are singular in form, but are used as Plural.
Cattle- These cattle are mine.
Folk- The old folk have gone.
Swine- These swine must be kept out of the garden.
Poultry- Whose are these poultry?
People- These people have returned home.
Police- The police are watching the house.
But, The policeman is watching the house.
Vermin- Vermin destory our property and carry disease.
## Some Nouns are used only in the Singular. They may be used in the Plural in some special sense :
Abuse- He gave me much abuse for no fault.
Alphabet- He learnt the alphabet before he could read.
Furniture --His house is full of good furniture (furniture)
Information- He gave me all the information. (information )
Issue- He had no Issue (child or children) Offspring- These four children are his offspring.
Poetry- He worte very good poetry. /Poetry is my favourite subject.
Scenery- These hills are lovely scenery./The scenery of Darjeeling is imposing.
Note : When 'abuse' is used in the sense of wrong use the plural is 'abuses'. When more than one language is spoken of, the plural of alphabet' is 'alphabets', When 'issue' means result, its plural is 'issues'.
## Nouns Plural in form but Singular in use.
Gallows, News, Physics, Ethics, Politics, Statistics, Economics, Athletics, Gymnastics etc.
News- What is the news?
Mathematics- Mathematics is his favourite subject.
Statistics- Statistics is a difficult subject.
But,
"These statistics are rather complicated. (=these figures)".- Oxford Guide to English Grammar John Eastwood.
## Some Nouns are always Plural:
(a) Name of such instruments having two parts or Pair Nouns :
Bellows, Scissors, Glasses/Spectacles Your new glasses / spectacles are very nice.
(b) Names of certain articles of dress : (Trousers, drawers, breeches
These shorts are nice. These trousers need cleaning.
(c) Names of diseases: Measles, mumps
Smallpox has broken out there.
(d) Names of games : Billiards Plural according to Wren & Martin)
*Note : According to 'Oxford guide to Egniish Grammar' by John Eastwood, 'billiards' (like the news, gymnastics etc.) is plural in form but takes a singular verb.
(e) Certain other Nouns :
Ashes, Alms, assets, annals, fetters, proceds, Aborgins, thanks, tidings, vegetables, belongings. goods, clothes, congratulations, earnings. particulars (=details). premises ( = buildings), riches (= wealth) surroundings.
Usage : The goods were found to be defective.
My belongings have destroyed by fire.
(not, my belonging).
*Note : Letters, figures and other symbols are made plural by adding an apostrophe and s:
Dot your i's and cut your t's.
Add two 5's and three 2's.
## An uncountable Noun takes a Singular verb.
The grass is getting long. His hair is grey. (not hairs)
