- Most nouns have distinctive SINGULAR
and PLURAL forms. The plural of regular nouns is formed by adding
-s
to the singular:
Examples:
|
SINGULAR |
PLURAL |
| one girl |
two girls |
| the tree |
the trees |
| a photo |
some photos |
But some nouns form the irregular plurals in a different way,
those are irregular nouns:
| man |
men |
| woman |
women |
| child |
children |
| person |
people |
| foot |
feet |
| tooth |
teeth |
| sheep |
sheep |
| mouse |
mice |
| fish |
fish |
Some nouns form the irregular plurals by adding -es
| bus |
buses |
| kiss |
kisses |
| wish |
wishes |
| watch |
watches |
| match |
matches |
| box |
boxes |
| potato |
potatoes |
| tomato |
tomatoes |
Some others form the irregular plurals adding -ies
| family |
families |
| city |
cities |
| country |
countries |
Another group changes -f/fe into -ves
| loaf |
loaves |
| wife |
wives |
| knife |
knives |
| shelf |
shelves |
- The distinction between singular and
plural is known as NUMBER CONTRAST
- Sometimes we use a plural noun for one
thing that has two parts. For instance:
scissors, glasses, jeans,
trousers, shorts, pants (two parts),
so they take a plural verb:
My glasses are very old
A pair of + these words can also be used:
Those are nice trousers or that's a nice pair of trousers.
- Some words ending in
-s can be singular or plural. For instance:
| series |
a television series |
several television series |
| species |
a species of animals |
three species of animals |
| means |
a means of transport |
many means of transport |
Some nouns end in -ics
but are not always plural. For instance:
| gymnastics, mathematics,
physics, economics, politics.
Physics is my favourite subject. |
Although ending in s, News is
not plural: What time is the news on the radio.
- We always use a plural verb with politice
and people:The
police have arrested a thief, these people are friends of mine.
|