Number in nouns
From A New English Grammar for Schools, by Thomas Harvey:
Number is that property of a noun which distinguishes one from more than one.
Number is that property of a noun which distinguishes one from more than one.
There are two numbers: singular and plural.
The singular number denotes one; as, apple, flower, boy, girl.
The plural number denotes more than one; as, apples, flowers, boys, girls.
The singular number denotes one; as, apple, flower, boy, girl.
The plural number denotes more than one; as, apples, flowers, boys, girls.
Forming the plural
1. Add -s
Nouns whose last sound will unite with the sound represented by s, form their plurals by adding s only to the singular.
book, books; boy, boys; desk, desks
2. Nouns ending in -s, -x, -z, -ch, or -sh
Nouns whose last sound will not unite with the sound represented by s, form their plurals by adding es to the singular.
church, churches; box, boxes; witness,
witnesses
3. Nouns ending in -y
Nouns ending in y preceded by a consonant, change y into i, and add es.
glory, glories; mercy, mercies.
4. Nouns ending in -f
Most nouns ending in f change f to v, and add es; those ending in fe; change f to v, and add s.
leaf, leaves; wife, wives
5. Nouns ending in o
a. Most nouns ending in o preceded by a consonant, add es.
cargo, cargoes
b. Nouns ending in o preceded by a vowel, add s.
folio, folios
6. Irregular nouns
Some nouns form their plurals irregularly.
man, men; ox, oxen; tooth, teeth; mouse, mice
7. Symbols being used as nouns
Letters, figures, marks, and signs add ’s.
Mind
your p’s and q’s; the 9’s and 11’s; the ¶’s;
the +’s
8. Compound nouns
a. In compound words, the part which is described by the rest is generally pluralized.
brothers-in-law, courts-martial;
wagon-loads, ox-carts
b. Compound words from foreign languages form their plurals according to rules 1 and 2 above.
tête-à-têtes,
piano-fortes, ipse-dixits, scire-faciases
c. Some compound words have both parts made plural.
manservant, men-servants; knight-templar, knights-templars;
ignis-fatuus, ignes-fatui
d. Compound terms composed of a proper noun and a title, may be pluralized by adding a plural termination to either the name or the title, but not to both.
the Miss Browns, the Misses
Brown; the Messrs. Thompson; “May there be Sir Isaac
Newtons in every science!”
9. Titles of respect
When the title is preceded by a numeral, the name is always made plural.
the three Miss Johnsons; the two Dr. Bensons;
the two Mrs. Kendricks
10. Plurals used to clarify
Some nouns have two plurals, but with a difference in meaning.
brother, brothers (of the same family), brethren (of the same society); die, dies (stamps for coining), dice (for gaming); fish, fishes (individuals), fish (quantity, or the species); genius, geniuses (men of genius), genii (spirits); index, indexes (table of contents), indices (algebraic signs); penny, pennies (pieces of money), pence (how much in value); pea, peas (individuals), pease (in distinction from other vegetables)
11. Proper nouns
Proper nouns, and words generally used as other parts of speech, are changed as little as possible, and usually add s only in forming their plurals.
Mary, Marys; Sarah, Sarahs; Nero, Neros; The novel is full of ohs, bys, whys, alsos, and nos
12. Foreign nouns used in English
Many nouns from foreign languages retain their original plurals, changing us to i; um and on to a; is to es or ides; a to æ or ata; and x or ex to ces or ices.
calculus, calculi; arcanum, arcana; criterion, criteria; thesis, theses; ephemeris, ephemerides; nebula, nebulæ; calix, calices; index, indice
But wait! There’s more!
1. Abstract nouns
a. Abstract nouns and names of material substances have no plural forms
silver, vinegar, hemp, tar, frankness, darkness
b. When different kinds of the same substance are referred to, a plural form may be used.
sugars, vinegars, wines, oils
2. Nouns with no singular
a. Some nouns have no singular forms
ashes, assets, bellows, billiards, compasses, clothes, drawers, lees, scissors, shears, tongs
b. News and molasses have the plural form, but are regarded as singular.
c. Lungs, bowels, and a few others, have a singular form denoting a part of the whole.
“The left lung.”
d. Some nouns have no singular forms, but are singular or plural in meaning.
alms, amends, corps, mumps, measles, nuptials, odds, riches, series, suds, tidings, wages
3. Nouns of both number
Some nouns are alike in the two numbers.
sheep, deer, vermin, couple, salmon, trout, dozen, gross, hose, yoke
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