The problem of Singular and Plural Semantics of Different groups of Nouns

1.

Ministry of Education and Science
Kazakh Abylaikhan University of International
Relations and World Languages
The problem of Singular
and Plural Semantics of
Different groups of Nouns
Prepared by Ismailova D. 212g
Checked by Abil’khanova I.B.

2.

3. The noun class can be subdivided into the following semantic subclasses:

Noun
Proper
(Tom)
Common
Uncountable
Countable
Abstract Concrete Abstract Concrete
(hate)
(thought)
Collective Mass Collective Individual
proper
(milk) improper
(crew)
Animate Inanimate
Animate
Inanimate
(vermin)(furniture)
(toy)
Personal Non-personal
(child) (dog)

4. Characteristics of Nouns

Semantic
Syntactic
Morphological
characteristics characteristics
characteristics
of a noun
of a noun
of a noun
Denotes
Functions as
Inflected for
concrete entity head of NP (e.g. number (plural)
(e.g. dog) or
the girl); can in
and case
abstract notion
some cases
(genitive)
(e.g. idea)
function as a
premodifier in a
NP (e.g. an oak
table)

5.

Singular vs. Plural
A singular noun names one person,
place, thing, or idea.
• One cat, one store, one item
A plural noun names two or more
persons, places, things, or ideas.
• Two cats, four stores, fifteen items

6. Some nouns that end in f or fe change to ves when made plural:

• calf
– calves
• knife
– knives

7. Some nouns become a new word when made plural:

• man
– men
• goose
– geese

8.

Generalizations for forming plural
nouns:
2. For nouns ending with s, x, z, sh, or ch,
add es.
Singular
gas
wax
waltz
dish
church
Plural
gases
waxes
waltzes
dishes
churches

9. Add ies to make nouns plural that end with a consonant and a y:

• lady
– ladies
• fry
– fries

10.

Generalizations for forming plural
nouns:
3. For nouns ending with a consonant and y,
change the y to i and add es. For nouns ending
with a vowel and y, add s.
Singular
sky
army
penny
boy
alley
Plural
skies
armies
pennies
boys
alleys

11.

Generalizations for forming plural
nouns:
4. For some nouns ending with f or fe, add s. For others,
change the f to v and add s or es. (You will need to
memorize the spellings for such words or look them up
in a dictionary to check.
Singular
belief
roof
loaf
life
knife
Plural
beliefs
roofs
loaves
lives
knives

12.

Generalizations for forming plural
nouns:
These are a little more tricky . . .
5. For nouns that end with o, add s or es. (Again, you
would need to memorize the spellings of such words or
look them up in a dictionary to double-check.)
—One trick to remember: if it has to do with sound (“music”),
just add s.—Ex: cello. piano, radio
Singular
cello
Plural
cellos
piano
radio
zoo
pianos
radios
zoos
potato / tomato
potatoes / tomatoes

13. Some nouns that end in o change to es when made plural. Some change to s:

• kangaroo
– kangaroos
• potato
– potatoes

14.

Generalizations for forming plural
nouns:
6. Some nouns have irregular plural forms. You
will have to memorize the spelling for irregular
plurals.
Singular
Plural
child
children
foot
feet
tooth
teeth
mouse
mice
man / woman
men / women

15. Some nouns do not change at all when made plural:

• sheep
– sheep
• deer
– deer

16.

Generalizations for forming plural
nouns:
7. A few nouns have the same singular and
plural forms.
Singular
Plural
sheep
Chinese
sheep
Chinese
moose
grapefruit
moose
grapefruit
deer
salmon
deer
salmon

17.

Generalizations for forming plural
nouns:
8. A few nouns have only plural forms.
Plural
scissors
jeans
savings
dues

18.

Generalizations for forming plural
nouns:
9. A few nouns that end with s look plural
but are considered singular.
Singular
measles
news
economics
dues

19.

Generalizations for forming plural
nouns:
Compound Nouns
10. For most compound nouns, make the most
important word plural.
For a compound noun written as one word,
make the last part plural.
For a compound noun written with hyphens
or as separate words, make the key word
plural.

20.

Generalizations for forming plural
nouns:
Singular
Plural
One word
compound
nouns
billboard
cupful
billboards
cupfuls
Separate
words
campground
maid of honor
campgrounds
maids of honor
attorney-at-law
step-brother
attorneys-at-law
step-brothers
Great-grandma
Great-grandmas
Hyphenated
compound
nouns

21.

Generalizations for forming plural
nouns:
11. Letters, numbers, symbols, and words used as
words are made plural by adding an apostrophe (‘)
and s.
Singular
Plural
#
A
#’s
A’s
25
and
25’s
and’s
&
ABC & 123
&’s
ABC’s & 123’s

22. The problem of Singular and Plural Semantics of Different groups of Nouns

Plural nouns cause two major
problems in formal writing.
First, class- or group-nouns like
"army," "audience," and "student
body" are technically singular, even
though they refer to a plurality of
individuals. They should be treated as
singular:
• The Senate, as a
rule, makes its opinion known to all.
• The board has voted to fire and
replace its Chair.
• If the navy forces its way inside the
harbor, it will overwhelm us.
"People" constitutes an exception to
this rule. Although it is grammatically
singular, it is treated as a plural: "The
people of Italy elect officials to
represent them."
The second problem is that some
words called "non-count" nouns
do not normally use a plural form:
rain, weather, foliage, milk,
courage, outer space, and many
others. To pluralize non-count
words it is necessary to add a word
that signifies a unit or
measurement of quantity.