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  Home    Grammar    Singular noun Contact  
American English Grammar
Singular noun
Learning objectives
  • Learn the definition of a singular noun
  • Study examples of singular nouns
  • Take the test
Definition of a singular noun

  • A singular noun is a word used to describe one thing
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
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.
 
Can you tell which sentences have singular and plural agreement?
 
Fun Easy English Tests
Singular Plural Agreement
 
  1.  Choose the correct sentence.
A. She is taking less classes this semester.
B. She is taking fewer classes this semester.

  2.  Choose the correct sentence.
A. That student is always late for class. He annoys the teacher.
B. That student is always late for class. They annoy the teacher.

  3.  Choose the correct sentence.
A. That food has a lot of sugars.
B. That food has a lot of sugar.

  4.  Choose the correct sentence.
A. Every students was on time for class this morning.
B. Every student was on time for class this morning.

  5.  Choose the correct sentence.
A. This news is very exciting.
B. These news is very exciting.

  6.  Choose the correct sentence.
A. There are fewer calories in light beer than regular beer.
B. There are less calories in light beer than regular beer.

  7.  Choose the correct sentence.
A. John always gives his wife a lot of jewelry.
B. John always gives his wife a lot of jewelries.

  8.  Choose the correct sentence.
A. We bought a lot of used furniture at a garage sale.
B. We bought a lot of used furnitures at a garage sale.

  9.  Choose the correct sentence.
A. The new equipments for the basketball team has arrived.
B. The new equipment for the basketball team has arrived.

  10.  Choose the correct sentence.
A. Mayumi bought a little apples for her lunches this week.
B. Mayumi bought a few apples for her lunch this week.
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