| Learning
objectives |
In
this lesson you will learn the
definition of a singular noun, study examples of
singular nouns, and
take a test. |
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| Definition of a singular noun |
- A singular noun is a word used to describe one thing
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| Examples of singular nouns |
- Singular nouns which form the
plural by adding an "s" to the
singular form of the
noun
-
boy-boys, girl-girls,
cat-cats, table-tables,
book-books, tree-trees,
auto-autos, photo-photos,
radio-radios, studio-studios
- Singular nouns which form the
plural by adding an "es" to the
singular form of
nouns ending in "ch", "s", "sh", "x"
-
glass-glasses, dish-dishes,
ditch-ditches, wish-wishes,
coach-coaches, kiss-kisses,
tax-taxes
- Singular nouns which form the
plural by adding an "es" to the
singular form of
nouns ending in "o" and preceded by a
consonant
-
hero-heroes, tornado-tornados-tornadoes
(can end in either "s" or "es"), potato-potatoes,
tomato-tomatoes
- Note:
nouns of Italian or Spanish origin are exceptions to
this rule
- ie: canto-cantos,
grotto-grottos, piano-pianos,
portico-porticos, quarto-quartos,
solo-solos
- Singular nouns which form the
plural by changing the "f" into a "v" and adding "es"
-
half-halves, leaf-leaves,
calf-calves
- Note: some just add an "s"
- ie: proof-proofs, muff-muffs
- Note: some can do either
- ie: dwarf-dwarfs-dwarves,
hoof-hoofs-hooves, staff-staffs-staves
- Singular nouns which form the
plural by dropping the "y" and adding "ies" of
nouns ending in "y" and preceded by a
consonant
-
cherry-cherries, lady-ladies,
story-stories, party-parties
- Singular nouns which form the
plural by simply changing the
vowel sound of the
singular form
-
foot-feet, goose-geese,
louse-lice, man-men,
mouse-mice, tooth-teeth,
woman-women, mouse-mice
- Singular nouns where the singular and
plural forms are different
-
child-children, ox-oxen,
person-people
- Singular nouns where the singular and
plural forms are the same
-
cod, series, trout,
deer, fish, moose,
offspring, series,
sheep, species
- Singular nouns with no plural form (abstract
nouns)
-
goodness, idleness,
wisdom
- Singular nouns with no plural form such as words in the
fields of arts and sciences
-
chemistry, geometry, mechanics,
optics, blues (music)
- Note:
even
those ending in "ics"
are treated as singular
- Singular nouns where the
singular form is retained such
as
nouns from foreign languages
-
analysis-analyses, appendix-appendices,
bacterium-bacteria, basis-bases,
crisis-crises, criterion-criteria,
curriculum-curricula, datum-data,
formula-formulae, hypothesis-hypotheses,
medium-media, memorandum-memoranda,
parenthesis-parentheses, phenomenon-phenomena,
syllabus-syllabi, thesis-theses
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Take the test |
It
is very important to make sure the words in a sentence have
singular and plural agreement. In the following test, choose the
correct sentences. |
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Fun Easy English Tests |
| Singular Plural Agreement |
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1. Choose the correct sentence.
2. Choose the correct sentence.
3. Choose the correct sentence.
4. Choose the correct sentence.
5. Choose the correct sentence.
6. Choose the correct sentence.
7. Choose the correct sentence.
8. Choose the correct sentence.
9. Choose the correct sentence.
10. Choose the correct sentence.
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