Error Spotting Rules

Rules for spotting errors related to Nouns

Rule 1: UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS are used in singular form only (along with a singular
verb and definite article if required).

Example:
• I needed some advice, so I went to see the counsellor.
• I don’t like coffee.
• The furniture in this house needs to be replaced.
• The luggage seems heavy.

Examples of uncountable nouns

Advice, Information, Hair, Luggage, Business, Evidence, Employment, Work, Mischief,
Bread, Abuse, Scenery, Vacation, Machinery, Food, Poetry, Alphabet, Baggage, Furniture,
Paper, Fuel Equipment, Material, Fruit, Table
 Rules for spotting errors related to Nouns
Rule 2: The expressions like the ones given below are always used as SINGULAR nouns.

Example:
• A piece of furniture
• A bottle of water
• A piece of work
• A piece of paper
 Rules for spotting errors related to Nouns
Rule 3: The expressions like the ones given below are always used as PLURAL nouns.

Example:
• These scissors need sharpening.
• My keys are missing.
• Few articles luggage.
• Fifty dollars is too much to pay for that dress.
 Rules for spotting errors related to Nouns
Rule 4: COLLECTIVE NOUNS like the ones below are always used in plural with plural
verbs.

Example:
• Fruits are sold here.
• Folk were dancing.
• Papers are distributed.
• Cattle are grazing.

Examples of Collective nouns which are used as plural

Cattle, Gentry, Peasantry, Poultry, Clergy, Folk, People, Majority, Fruits, Tables, Papers
 Rules for spotting errors related to Nouns
Rule 5: COLLECTIVE NOUNS may be used as singular as well as plural. If they are
shown as a body or group then they are singular, but if they are shown as individual
members then they are plural.

Example:
• The public was angry. (here ‘Public’ is used as a whole)
• The public were reading different books. (here ‘Public’ is used individual members)
• The team is on a holiday. (here ‘Team’ is used as a whole)
• The team are working in the ground. (here ‘Team’ is used as individual members)

Examples of Collective nouns which are used both as singular and plural
Public, Board, Team, Mob, Audience, Ministry, Jury, Staff, Police, Number, Crowd, Family,
House, Committee
 Rules for spotting errors related to Nouns
Rule 6: Sometimes the number of nouns is expressed by using a verb after it.

Example:
• Dogs are sleeping. (Plural)
• Dog is sleeping. (Singular)
• Cows are grazing. (Plural)
• A Cow is walking. (Singular)
 Rules for spotting errors related to Nouns
Rule 7: Some nouns which end with ‘s’ or ‘es’ look like a plural one but they are used with a singular verb
Example:
• Mathematics is an interesting subject.
• The news is bad.
• Billiards is my favourite game.
• A pair of glasses.

Examples of nouns with ‘s’ or ‘es’ ending which are used with singular verb
Physics, Economics, Mathematics, Mechanics, Politics, Statistics, Statics, Summons, News, Series, Innings, Glasses,
Measles, Rickets, Athletics, Billiards, United States, Aquatics, Gymnastics, United Arab Emirates

Note:
• ‘Statistics’ as a subject is singular verb whereas ‘Statistics’ as a collection of data is plural verb.
• Politics, Physics, Mathematics Economics become plural when used in possessive case.
Example
• Madhu’s Physics are very good.
• Politics of India are very complicated.
 Rules for spotting errors related to Nouns
Rule 8: Name of books that reflect plurality is used as a singular noun with singular verb.

Example:
• Gulliver’s Travels has a bulk sale.
• War and peace is loved by people.
 Rules for spotting errors related to Nouns
Rule 9: Some nouns are always used in plural number with plural verb.

Example:
• His jeans are dirty.
• Stairs are used in malls.
• Riches are left on the Earth after the death.
• His orders were cancelled.

Nouns which are always used as plural number with plural verb
Jeans, Trousers, Pants, Breeches, Scales, Shears, Scissors, Spectacles, Alms, Thanks,
Proceeds, Riches, Contents, Surroundings, Orders, Ashes, Credentials, Auspices,
Refreshments, Savings, Requirements, Outskirts, Customs, Rations, Annals, Archives,
Manners, Earnings, Quarters, Assets, Arrears, Spirit, Stairs.
 Rules for spotting errors related to Nouns
Rule 10: In a COMPOUND NOUN, if a noun qualified by a quantitative adjective is used as an adjective of another noun
then it is kept in singular form since adjectives are never used in plural forms.
Example:
• He ran a forty-mile race. (not miles)
• A hundred rupee note was laying these. (not rupees)
• We are planning a nine-day tour. (not days)
Note: In the above examples, day, mile and rupee have been used as adjectives of tour, race and note respectively. Therefore
they can’t be used in plural forms.
Some more examples
• Sonia is six year old.
• Sonia is a six year old girl.
• We went to nine shops of books.
• We went to nine book shops.
• Mr Tom has four boys as servants.
• Mr Tom has four boy servants.
However sometimes, depending upon the qualifier (or another quantitative adjective) the noun can be made plural.
Example:
• Ten fifty-rupee notes were given him as a reward.
• We are planning four ten-day tours this year.
 Rules for spotting errors related to Nouns
Rule 11: Avoid using apostrophe with ’s’ if the noun is a non-living thing, but it can be
used with living things, Time, Weight, Distance, Amount or with personified nouns.

• Bike’s tyre is old now. (wrong)

• Tyre of the bike is old now. (Correct)
• Sheila must know time’s worth. (Wrong)
• Sheila must know the worth of time. (Correct)
• No one can change nature’s laws. (Wrong)
• No one can change the law of nature. (Correct)
 Rules for spotting errors related to Nouns

Rule 12: If a singular noun is qualified, by two different adjectives then it is considered
plural and used with a plural verb.

Example:
• A man and his wife have come here asking for work.
• Political and social value in India are changing these days.
• Rainy and winter sale are in vogue these days.
 Rules for spotting errors related to Nouns

Rule 13: If same noun is to be used after and before a preposition then the noun remains
singular.

Example:
• His health condition is improving day-by-day.
• I want paper to paper copied.
• He went door to door to sell products.
 Rules for spotting errors related to Nouns
Rule 14: Some nouns have different usage when they are in singular and when they are in
plural. To get some more clarity, observe the table below:
Singular Noun Used as Plural Noun Used as
Wood Material Woods Forest
Water Material Waters Sea
Asset Quality Assets Property
Sand Material Sands Land
Iron Material Irons Chains
Cloth Material Clothes Dress
Abuse Indecent words Abuses Misuses
Work Labour Works Literary writings
Air Element Airs Behaviours
Advice Suggestion Advices Bills
Custom Habit Customs Tax
Effect Result Effects Goods
Colour Material Colours Flag
Fruit Edible thing Fruits Result
Wit Ability to talk Wits Intelligence
Arm Organ Arms Weapons
Good Advantage/use Goods Articles