Singular or plural?

UNIT 74   Singular or plural? 

 

A.   We use some nouns only in the plural. For example:

• glasses

• pajamas

• Scissors

• shorts

• slacks/pants jeans

You can also use a pair of . . . with these words

• I need some new slacks.   or    I need a new pair of slacks

 B.   We do not often use the plural of person ("persons''). Instead we use people:

• He is a nice person 

• They are nice people. (not nice persons)

These nouns end in -s but they are not usually plural:

mathematics      physics       economics        athletics         gymnastics        news

• Gymnastics is my favorite sport

• What time is the news on television?

These words end in -s and can be singular or plural:

means         a means of transportation                many means of transportation
 
series        a television series                               two television series

species       a species of bird                                  200 species of bird                       


D.   We always use a plural verb with the police:

• The police have arrested Tom

• Are the police paid well?

E.   Sometimes we use a plural noun with a singular verb. We do this when we talk about a sum of money, a period of time, a distance, etc.

•  Five thousand dollars (= it) was stolen in the robbery. (not were stolen)

• Three years (= it) is a long time to be without a job. (not are)

F.   We say "a vacation of three weeks" but "a three-week vacation'':

• I have a three-week vacation in July. (not a three-weeks vacation)

Here, three-week is used as an adjective before "vacation." When we use "three-weeks" as

an adjective, it loses the s. So we say:

• two 14-year-old girls

• a ten-dollar bill (not dollars)

• a six-hour journey

• a four-week English course

You can also say "I have three weeks' vacation."