Bahan Ajar STRUCTURE 1

MODULE 3

SINGULAR AND PLURAL NOUNS

3.1. Introduction

Nouns are the name of persons, places, and things. Nouns can be abstract and
concrete. Abstract nouns are those nouns that cannot be seen, such as friendship,
happiness, kindness, health, stupidity, etc. Abstract nouns cannot be counted; thus they
don’t have plural forms. Concrete nouns, on the other hand, are those nouns that you can
see, such as chairs, tables, houses, streets, books, etc.
In addition to whether or not they are abstract or concrete, nouns can be singular
and plural. Singular nouns consist of only one single item, whereas plural nouns consist
of more than one item.
Nouns can also be countable and non-countable. Countable nouns are those that
can be counted, such as books, cars, chairs, etc. Non-countable one, on the other hand,
cannot be counted, such as water, happiness, security, etc.

3.2. Presentation

3.2.1. Plural Nouns

Plural nouns are nouns that consist of more then one individual item. They are of
two types: regular plural nouns and irregular plural nouns.

 Regular Plural Nouns

Regular plural nouns are formed by adding –s / -es to a countable singular noun
following the rules below:

a. For most nouns, simply final –s is added to spell the word correctly.
Example: song  songs chair  chairs
book  books bag  bags

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b. Final –es is added to nouns that end in –sh, -ch, -s, -z, and –x.
Example: brush  brushes watch  watches
class  classes buzz  buzzes
box  boxes
c. For nouns that end in –y:
= If –y is preceded by a vowel, only –s is added.
Example: toy  toys boy  boys.
guy  guys

= If –y is preceded by a consonants, the –y is changed into –i and –es is added.

Example: baby  babies industry  industries.
lady  ladies
d. Some nouns that end in –f or –fe are changed to –ves in the plural form.
Example: calf  calves leaf  leaves
self  selves wolf  wolves
half  halves life  lives
shelf  shelves scarf  scarves
knife  knives wife  wives
But some nouns that end in –f simply add –s to form the plural.
Example: belief  beliefs chief  chiefs
roof  roofs cliff  cliffs
e. Some nouns that end in –o add –es to form the plural
Example: echo  echoes hero  heroes
potato  potatoes tomato  tomatoes
But: = Some nouns that end in –o add only –s to form the plural.
Example: auto  autos photo  photos
tattoo  tattoos kilo  kilos
radio  radios studio  studios
video  videos zoo  zoos
memo  memos solo  solos
piano  pianos soprano sopranos
= Some nouns that end in –o add either –es or -s to form the plural.
Example: mosquito  mosquitoes/mosquitos
volcano  volcanoes/volcanos.
tornado  tornadoes/tornados
zero  zeroes/zeros.
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There are three different types of pronunciation of the regular plural nouns ending –s/-es:

a. The final –s is pronounced /s/ after voiceless sounds, such as t, p, k, f, etc.

Example: seats ropes backs trips
b. The final –s is pronounced /z/ after voiced sounds, such as d, b, m, r, l, g, y, e, etc.
Example: seeds bags lids days homes
c. Final –es and –s are pronounced /z/ after hissing sounds, such as sh, ch, s, z, and
ge/dge.
Example: dishes watches ashes courses
judges

 Irregular Plural Nouns

Irregular plural nouns do not follow the regulation above.

a. The following nouns have irregular forms:

man  men child  children
woman  women ox  oxen
mouse  mice foot  feet
louse  lice goose  geese
tooth  teeth
b. Some nouns have the same singular and plural form
Example: deer fish means
series sheep species
c. Some nouns that English has borrowed from other languages have foreign plurals:
= criterion  criteria phenomenon  phenomena
= cactus  cacti/cactuses stimulus  stimuli
syllabus  syllabi/syllabuses
= formula  formulae/formulas vertebra  vertebrae
= analysis  analyses basis  bases
crisis  crises hypothesis  hypotheses
oasis  oases parenthesis  parentheses
thesis  theses
= appendix  appendices/appendixes
index  indices/indexes
= bacterium  bacteria curriculum  carricula
datum  data medium  media
memorandum  memoranda

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 Notes
a. We use some nouns only in the plural form.
Example: trousers, jeans, shorts, pyjamas, tights,
scissors, glasses/spectacles.
b. Some nouns end in –s but they are not plural.
Example: mathematics, physics, economics, athletics, gymnastics,
news, etc.
c. Some nouns are often used with a plural verb.
Example: government, staff, team,
family, audience, committee,
police.
d. When a noun is used to modify another noun, the modifying noun must always be in
the singular form, even though it appears in combination with a number expression.
Example: vegetable soup office building
a two hour test a five year old son.
a seven day journey

3.2.2. Count and Non-count Nouns

Count nouns are nouns that can be counted. Non-count nouns are those nouns that
can’t be counted in their normal sense because they exist in a “mass” form. Non-count
nouns in their normal meaning are not preceded by ‘a’ or ‘an’, though they are often
preceded by ‘some’ and ‘the’. A non-count noun is usually followed by a singular verb.
Study the following table!

(a). I bought a chair. Sam bought three chairs. Chair is a count noun; chairs are items
(b). We bought some furniture. that can be counted.
Incorrect : We bought a furniture. Furniture is a non-count noun. In
Incorrect : We bought some furnitures. grammar, furniture cannot be counted.
Singular Plural
chairs
two chairs A count noun:
Count a chair
some chairs - May be preceded by a/an in the singular.
Noun one chair - Takes a final –s/-es in the plural.
a lot of chairs
many chairs
furniture A non-count noun:
Non- some furniture - Is not immediately preceded by a/an.
Count - Has no plural form; does not take a final
noun a lot of furniture
much furniture –s/-es.

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Exercise
Look at the underlined nouns in the following sentences. Identify the noun as
countable or non-countable. Write “C” above those which are countable and
“NC” above those which are uncountable.
Example: C C C NC
I bought some chairs, tables, and desks. In other words, I bought some furniture.
1. We saw beautiful mountains, fields, and lakes on our trip. In other words, we saw
beautiful scenery.
2. Would you like some food? How about a sandwich and an apple?
3. Gold and iron are metals.
4. I used an iron to press my shirt because it was wrinkled.
5. I wish you happiness, health, and luck in your life.
6. Ann likes to wear jewelry. Today she is wearing four rings, six bracelets, and a
necklace.
7. We had meat, rice, bread, butter, cheese, fruit, vegetables, and tea for dinner.
8. Tom is studying chemistry, history and English.
9. In the United States, baseball is called the national pastime. To play it, you need a
baseball and a bat.
10. My hometown has rain, thunder, fog, sleet, and snow in the winter months. In other
words, it has bad weather.

3.2.3. Non-count Nouns

It is important to note that most non-count nouns refer to a ‘whole’ that is made up
of different parts. Study the following examples:

(a). I bought some chairs, tables, In (a), furniture represents a whole group of things that
and desks. In other words, I is made up of similar but separate items.
bought some furniture.
(b). I put some sugar in my coffee. In (b), sugar and coffee represent whole masses made of
individual particles or elements *).
(c). I wish you luck. In (c), luck is an abstract concept, an abstract “whole”.
It has no physical form; you can’t touch it. You can’t
count it.
(d). Sunshine is warm and cheerful. In (d), phenomena of nature, such as sunshine, are
frequently used as non-count nouns.
*) To express a particular quantity, some non-count nouns may be preceded by unit expressions; such as a spoonful of sugar, a glass
of water, a cup of coffee, a quart of milk, a loaf of bread, a grain of rice, a bowl of soup, a bag of flour, a pound of meat, a piece of
furniture, a piece of jewelry.

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 Nouns that can be countable and uncountable

Many nouns can be used as either non-count or count nouns, but the meaning is
different. A noun used in non-count sense sometimes indicates mass use. Dictionaries
written especially for learners of English as a second language are good source of
information on count / non-count usage of nouns.

(e). Non-count : Ann has brown hair. (=mass use).

Count : Tom has a hair on his jacket.
(f). Non-count : I opened the curtain to let some light. (=mass use).
Count : Don’t forget to turn off the lights before you go to bed.
Study more examples of nouns that can be countable and uncountable in the
following table:

Mass Use Count Use

1. I ate meat for dinner. 1. Different meats are available at the
supermarket (=types of meat).
2. We need to take water along the camping 2. There are carbonated and uncarbonated
trip. mineral waters (=brands of mineral
water).
3. TV is both good and bad. 3. Yesterday we bought a TV. (informal for
television set).
4. Too much salt in the diet can be 4. The mixture contains a salt (a type of
unhealthful. chemical compound).
5. I drink coffee every morning. 5. Please bring us three coffees. (informal for
three cups of coffee).
6. France produces wine. 6. Cabernet Sauvignon is a wine produced in
France. (a brand of wine).
7. It takes work to prepare an elegant meal. 7. Your meal is a work of art.
8. Light is essential for the growth of crops. 8. There is a light in the window.
9. Many events seem governed by chance. 9. I had a chance to talk with Sarah. (an
opportunity).
10. I have no money. 10. The state will use tax moneys to fund the
project. (amounts of money from different
tax sources).
We frequently make non-count nouns countable by adding a phrase that gives
them a form, a limit, or a container.
Example: - a piece of furniture - a bolt of lightning - a glass of water
- a spoonful of sugar - a cup of coffee - a quart of milk
- a loaf of bread - a grain of rice - a bowl of soup
- a bag of flour - a pound of meat - a piece of paper.

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3.2.4. Categories of Non-count Nouns

The following are typical of nouns that are commonly used as non-count. Many
other nouns can be used as non-count nouns. This list serves only as a sample.

(a). Whole group made up of similar items:

baggage, clothing, equipment, food, fruit, furniture, garbage, hardware, jewelry, junk,
luggage, machinery, mail, makeup, money/cash/change, postage, scenery, traffic.
(b). Liquids : water, coffee, tea, milk, oil, soup, gasoline, blood, etc.
(c). Elements : gold, iron, silver, glass, paper, wood, cotton, etc.
(d). Gases : steam, air, oxygen, nitrogen, smoke, smog, pollution, etc.
(e). Foods : ice, bread, butter, cheese, meat, beef, fruit, rice, wheat.
(f). Particles : chalk, dirt, dust, flour, hair, pepper, salt, sand, sugar, wheat, etc.
(g). Abstractions :
- beauty, confidence, courage, education, enjoyment, fun, happiness, health, help,
honesty, hospitality, importance, intelligent, justice, knowledge, laughter, luck,
music, patience, peace, pride, progress, recreation, significance, sleep, truth,
violence, wealth, etc.
- advice, information, news, evidence, proof.
- time, space, energy
- homework, work
- grammar, slang, vocabulary.
(h). Languages : Arabic, Chinese, English, Spanish, etc.
(i). Subjects : chemistry, engineering, history, literature, mathematics, psychology,
etc.
(j). Recreation : baseball, soccer, tennis, chess, bridge, poker, etc.
(k). Activities : driving, studying, swimming, travelling, walking (and other gerunds).
(l). Natural phenomena : weather, dew, fog, hail, heat, humidity, lightning, rain, sleet,
snow, thunder, wind, darkness, light, sunshine, electricity, fire,
gravity, etc.
(m). Diseases : AIDS, cancer, malaria, measles, etc

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3.3. Evaluation
1). Complete the sentences with the given nouns. Add final –s /-es if necessary.
Use each noun only one time.

advice information screwdriver  change junk

stuff city thunder garbage hardware
traffic music water progress travelling
homework  river trip luggage/baggage

Example: - I have some coins in my pocket. In other words, I have some change in my
pocket.
- The Mississippi, the Amazon, and the Nile are well known rivers in the
world.
1. I like to listen to operas, symphonies, and folk songs. I enjoy ___________.
2. Since I came to the United States, I have visited Chicago, New York and Miami. I
want to visit other _____________ before I return to my country.
3. The street is full of cars, trucks, and buses. This street always has heavy
____________, especially during rush hour.
4. In the last couple of years, I’ve gone to France, India, and the Soviet Union. I like to
take __________________. In other words, ____________ is one of my favorite
activities.
5. I put some banana peels, rotten food, and broken bottles in the waste can. The can is
full of ____________________
6. They have a rusty car without an engine, broken chairs, and an old refrigerator in their
front yard. Their yard is full of ______________________.
7. Paul has books, pens, papers, notebooks, a clock, scissors, a tape recorder, and some
other things on his desk. He has a lot of _________________ on his desk.
8. The children got scared when they heard _________________ during the storm.
9. Tools that are used to fasten screws into wood are called ________________
10. I went to the store to get some nails, hammers, and screws. In other words, I bought
some ________________________.
11. Tonight I have to read 20 pages in my history book, do 30 problems in algebra, and
writes a composition for my English teacher. In other words, I have a lot of
__________________ to do tonight.
12. Ann took three suitcases, a shoulder bag, and a cosmetic case. In other words, she
took a lot of _____________________________ on her trip.
13. Toronto is 356 ft./109 m above sea level. The average annual precipitation in Toronto
is 32 in./81 cm. The population of the metropolitan area is over 3,000,000. I found
(this, these) ______________________ in the encyclopedia.
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14. I didn’t feel good. Ann said, “You should see a doctor”. Tom said, “You should go
home and go to bed”. Martha said, “You should drink fruit juice and rest”. I got
________________ from three people.
15. My English is slowly getting better. My vocabulary is increasing. It’s getting easier
for me to write and make fewer mistakes. I can often understand people even when
they talk fast. I’m satisfied with the __________________ I have made in learning
English.

2). Which of the underlined parts of these sentences is right?

Example: Sue was very helpful. She gave me some good advice / advices.

1. Margaret has got very long black hair / hairs.

2. We had a very good weather / very good weather when we were on holiday.
3. I want something to read. I am going to buy a / some paper.
4. I want to write some letters. I need a / some writing paper.
5. Bad news does not / do not make people happy.
6. The flat is empty. We haven’t got any furnitures / furniture yet.
7. I had to buy a / some bread because I wanted to make some sandwiches.
8. After spending most of his life travelling round the world, he is now writing a book
about his experiences / experience.
9. It is very difficult to find a work / a job at the moment.
10. He just bought a pair of trouser / trousers.
3). This time you have to choose the correct form of the verb, singular or
plural. Sometimes either a singular or a plural verb is possible.
Example: Gymnastics is / are my favourite sport.

1. The trousers you bought for me doesn’t / don’t fit me.

2. Physics was / were my best subject at school.
3. Fortunately, the news wasn’t / weren’t as bad as we had expected.
4. The police wants / want to interview Fred about a robbery.
5. Can I borrow your scissors? Mine isn’t / aren’t sharp enough.

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References

1. Azar, Betty Schramper. 1989. Understanding and Using English Grammar. Second
Edition. pp. 197 – 209. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc.

2. __________________. 1989. Fundamental English Grammar. Second Edition. New

Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc.

3. Krohn, Robert. 1981. English Sentence Structure. Michigan: The University of

Michigan Press.

4. Maurer, Jay. 1990. Focus on Grammar; An Advanced Course for Reference and
Practice, (2nd Ed). pp 102 – 117. New York: A Pearson Education Company.

5. Murphy, Raymond. 1989. English Grammar in Use. pp. 158 – 175. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.

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