Understanding Singular and Plural Nouns
Singular and plural nouns can sometimes be confusing, but this guide clears up common misconceptions. Learn when to use plural nouns for singular items, how certain nouns can be singular or plural, and when to use singular or plural verbs with specific nouns like sports teams or companies. Recognize exceptions like "people" over "persons" and grasp when to use singular verbs for collective sums or distances. This breakdown simplifies the rules of noun plurality in English.
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Presentation Transcript
Singular & Plural Singular & Plural Sometimes we use plural nouns for one thing that has two parts. For example: These words are plural, so they take a plural verb: - My trousers are too long. (not my trousers is)
Singular & Plural Singular & Plural You can also use a pair of + these words: - Those are nice jeans. or That s a nice pair of jeans. (not a nice jeans) - I need some new glasses or I need a new pair of glasses. Some nouns end in ics, but are not usually plural, For example: athletics economics electronics gymnastics mathematics physics politics - Gymnastics is my favorite sport.
Singular & Plural Singular & Plural News is not plural. - What time is the news on television? Some words ending in -s can be singular or plural. For example: means a means of transport many means of transport series species a television series two television series a species of bird 200 species of bird
Singular & Plural Singular & Plural Some singular nouns are often used with a plural verb. For example: audience committee company family farm government staff team These nouns are all groups of people. We often think of them as a number of people (= they), not as thing (= it). So we often use a plural verb: - The government (= they) want to increase taxes. - The staff at the school (= they) are not happy with their new working conditions.
Singular & Plural Singular & Plural In the same way, we often use a plural verb after the name of a sports team or a company: - Italy are playing Brazil next week. - Shell have increased the price of petrol. A singular verb (The government wants / Shell has etc.) is also possible.
Singular & Plural Singular & Plural We do not often use the plural of person ( persons ). We normally use people (a plural word): - He s a nice person. but They are nice people. (not nice persons) - Many people don t have enough to eat. We think of a sum of money, a period of time, a distance etc. as one thing. So, we use a singular verb: - Twenty thousand pounds (= it) was stolen in the robbery. - Three years (= it) is a long time to be without a job. - Six miles is a long way to walk every day.
Singular & Plural Singular & Plural Exercise: Choose the correct form of the verb, singular or plural. In one sentence either the singular or plural verb is possible. - Gymnastics .. my favorite sport. (is/ are). - The trousers you bought for me . ... fit me. (doesn t/ don t). - The police to interview two men about the robbery. (want/ wants). - Physics . my favorite subject at school. (was/ were). - Can I borrow your scissors? Mine .. sharp enough. (isn t/ aren t) - Fortunately the news .. as bad as we expected. (wasn t/ weren t) - Where .. Your family live? (does/ do) - Three days long enough for a good holiday. (isn t/ aren t)
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