Foreign Singulars and Plurals
Foreign Singulars and Plurals :
The following nouns, that are names of instruments, having two parts, are used only in plural.
1. Bellows
2. Scissors
3. Tongs
4. Pincers
5. Spectacles
The following nouns are used only in the plural.
(a) Trousers, Drawers, Breeches
(b) Measles, mumps
(c) Billiards, Draughts
(d) Annals, Thanks, Proceeds (of a sale), tidings, environs, nuptials, obsequies, assets, chattels.
(e) Alms, riches (and) eaves
These nouns, originally singular are now used in plural.
S is added to the principal-word in a compound noun to form its plural.
Singular…..Plural
1. Commander-in-Chief…..Commanders-in-Chief
2. Coat-of-mail…..Coats-of-mail
3. Son-in-law…..Sons-in-law
4. Daughter-in-law….. Daughters-in-law
5. Step-son….. Step-sons
6. Step-daughter….. Step-daughters
7. Maid-servant….. Maid-servants
8. man-servant……men-servants
9. Passer-by….. Passers-by
10. Man-of-war….. Men-of-war
11. Looker-on….. Lookers-on
12. Spoonful….. Spoonfuls
13. Handful….. Handfuls
Latin Words
Singular…..Plural
1. Erratum…..Errata
2. Index…..Indices
3. Radius…..Radii
4. Formula….. Formulae
5. Formula…..Formulas
6. Memorandum…..Memoranda
7. Terminus…..Termini
8. Terminus…..Terminuses
Greek words
Singular…..Plural
1. Axis….. Axes
2. Crisis….. Crises
3. Basis….. Bases
4. Analysis….. Analyses
5. Parenthesis….. Parentheses
6. Hypothesis….. Hypotheses
7. Phenomenon….. Phenomena
8. Criterion…..Criteria
Italian words
Singular…..Plural
1. Bandit….Banditti
2. Bandit….Bandits
French words
Singular…..Plural
1. Madam….Mesdames
2. Madame….Mesdames
3. Monsieur….messieurs
There are more t's than d's in the page.
t - Singular
t's - Plural
d - Singular
d's - Plural
Add three 10's and four 4's.
10 - Singular
10's - Plural
4 - Singular
4's – Plural
Figures, letters, symbols, etc., are made plural by adding an apostrophe and 's' as in the examples above.
Even, abstract nouns can be used in plural form according to circumstances.
sympathy - abstract noun
sympathies - acts of sympathy
Note : It is rarely used
Copper is a metal.
But Coppers in plural means coins.
Iron is a metal.
But Irons in plural means Fetters.
Foreign Singulars and Plurals
The Grammar Index
