Singulars and Plurals

Singulars and Plurals :



Some nouns have two meanings in the singular but only one in the plural.

Singular :
Practice - 1.Habit(exercise of a profession)

Plural :
Practices - habits

Singular :
Light -
1.radiance
2.a lamp

Plural :
Lights

Singular :
People -

1.nation
2.men and women

Plural :
Peoples - nations

Singular :
Powder -
1. dust
2. a dose of medicine
3. fine grains like dust

Plural :
Powders - Doses of medicines

Some nouns have one meaning in the singular and two in the plural.

Singular :
Manner = (method)

Plural :
Manners 1.methods
2.right behaviour

Singular :
Colour (hue)

Plural :
Colours
1.hues
2.Flag of regiment

Singular :
Custom (habit)

Plural :
Customs
1.habits
2.duties levied on imports

Singular :
Effect (result)

Plural :
Effects
1.results
2.property

Singular :
Moral (a moral lesson)

Plural :
Morals
1.moral lessons
2.conduct

Singular :
Number (a quantity)

Plural :
Numbers
1.quantity
2.verses

Singular :
Pain (suffering)

Plural :
pains
1.sufferings
2.exertion

Singular :
Premise (Proposition)

Plural :
Premises
1.Propositions
2.Buildings

Singular :
Quarter (fourth part)

Plural :
Quarters
1.fourth parts
2.lodgings

Singular :
Spectacle (sight)

Plural :
Spectacles
1.sights
2. eye- glasses

Singular :
Letter –
1)Letter of the alphabet
2) epistle

Plural :
Letters
1.Letters of the alphabet
2.epistles

Singular :
Ground
1) Earth (Reason)

Plural :
Grounds
1.enclosed land attached to house
2.reasons
3.dregs

Some nouns have different meaning in the singular and in the plural.

Singular…… Plural

Advice : counsel…… Advice : information
Air : atmosphere…… Airs : affected manners
Good : well-being/benefit…… Goods : merchandise
Compass : range/extent…… Compasses : an instrument for drawing circles
Respect : regard…… Respects : compliments
Physic : medicine…… Physics : natural medicine
Iron : a kind of metal…… Irons : fetters
Force : strength…… Forces : troops

Figures, letters and other symbols are made plural by adding an apostrophe and s.

There are more u’s and p’s in this letter
Dot your m’s and cross your n’s
Add five 2’s and Six 3’s

Abstract nouns do not have plurals.
Joy, love, kindness, hope

When such words appear in the plural, they are used as common nouns; as,

Kindness = acts of kindness
Provocations = instances of provocation

Material nouns are also used as singular.

Wood, cotton, tin, gold, silver, copper

When these nouns are used in the plural, they become common nouns with changed meanings.

Iron : fetters
Tins : cans made of tin
Coppers : copper coins
Woods : forests

Singulars and Plurals

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