When we speak of one person or one thing, the word (Noun) is in Singular.
When we speak of more than one person or thing, the name is said to be in Plurals.
SINGULAR PLURAL
Man Men
Boy Boys
Computer Computers
FORMATION OF PLURALS (some guidelines – by adding ‘s’ to singular )
Pen – Pens, Television – Televisions, Book – Books, Dog – Dogs
- by adding ‘es’, ‘sh’, ‘ch’
Clash – Clashes, Flash – Flashes, Wish – Wishes, Lass – Lasses, Branch – Branches, Catch – Catches, Kiss – Kisses , Watch – Watches
- by adding ‘es’ to words ending with ‘O’
Buffalo – Buffaloes, Mango – Mangoes, Negro – Negroes, Volcano – Volcanoes
- For some words ending with ‘O’, add ‘s’
Radio – Radios Kilo – Kilos
- For words ending with ‘Y’ add ies for plurals instead of ‘Y’
City – Cities Army – Armies
- For words ending with ‘F’, add ‘ves’ in place of ‘F’
Life – Lives, Wife – Wives, Knife – Knives, Wolf – Wolves
- For some words ending with ‘F’, we can add ‘S’ or ‘ES’. Both are correct.
Scarf – Scarves Scarfs, Dwarf – Dwarves Dwarfs
By changing the inside vowel :- Man – Men, Foot – Feet
- By adding ‘EN’ : Child – Children , Ox – Oxen
- in some nouns, Singular and Plural are the same as in : Pair, Sheep, Dozen.
- Some nouns are used only in Plural. Scissors, Spectacles, trousers
- Some Noun that are Singular are generally used in Plurals : Alms, Riches
- Some Noun are Singular but they look like Plurals – Mathematics, Billiards, News, Mumps
- Some Collective Nouns are used as Plurals, though they are Singular
- Poultry, Cattle, People
- Some special Plurals – Commander – in-Chief , Commanders-in-Chief,
Son -in-law, Sons-in-law, Man of war – Men of war, Stepson – Stepsons
- Some Nouns have the meaning in Singular but one meaning in Plural:
men + Women – People – Nation
Light – Radiance – Lamp – Lights – Lamps
Some Nouns have one meaning in Singular but two meanings in Plural:
GROUND Singular Plural
1. Earth Grounds – enclosed land attached
2. Reason Reasons
EFFECT – Result Effects – Results
Property
NUMBER – a Quantity Numbers – quantities
Verses
SPECTACLE – a sight Spectacles – Sights
Some Nouns have two forms of Plural, each with a different meaning
Brother – Brother – Sons of the same parent
BRETHERN – members of a society
Die – Dies – stamps for coining.
Dice – small cubes used in games
Some Nouns have different meaning in Singular and the Plural
Advice – Counsel – Advice – Information
Good – Well being l – Goods – Merchandise
Letters and figures can be changed into Plural by marking ‘apostrophe.’.
Add two two’s and five Five’s
- Abstract Nouns have no Plural, because they are uncountable. Love and Kindness
Abstracts do not have Plural – Gold, Wood
Related:
http://ramanan50.wordpress.com/2012/08/24/gender/
Related articles
- Kinds Of Nouns, Know Your English (ramanan50.wordpress.com)
