Problems with Nouns

1. Women? Womans? Woman? Singular or Plural???? Problems with Nouns

2. Introduction Problems with Nouns “Bedrooms” should be plural because the sentence says there are three. Look at the sentences below. What’s wrong? Move your mouse over each sentence to see the answer. 1. I have three bedroom in my house. The word “milks” is incorrect, because it is a non-count noun and cannot have an –s. 2. There are many milks in the refrigerator. 3. Those chair are in the wrong room. 4. There are five reds cars. 6. Your childs are beautiful. 5. Some of the class are at night. 7. Would you like a few milk?

3. Guideline #1 Count and Non-Count Nouns In English, we have countable and non-countable nouns. Some examples of countable and non-countable nouns are below. Countable Nouns Non-Countable Nouns More Non-Countable Nouns chair student day song computer room love money weather food fruit furniture

4. Guideline #2 Countable Nouns Countable nouns can have singular and plural forms and can be counted numerically. Most countable nouns can be made plural by adding –s or –es. book books 3 books box boxes 2 boxes

5. Guideline #3 Non-Countable Nouns Non-countable nouns have only one form and can’t be counted numerically. Look at the examples below. monies money one money money healths health two health health

6. Guideline #4 Non-Countable Nouns Non-countable nouns cannot take the plural –s or –es or an article (a, an). a furniture furniture furnitures furniture a news news newses news

7. A singular noun names one person, place, thing or idea. A plural noun names more than one person, place, thing, or idea.

8. PLURAL NOUNS Most nouns in English are made into plural nouns by adding an sto the singular form, however, …………….

9. If the noun ends with an s, ch, sh, x, or z, an es is added to make the noun plural. Make the following nouns plural: box loss dish quiz church house boxes losses quizzes dishes churches houses

10. key toy monkey Add s to nouns ending in a vowel and y. keys toys monkeys

11. sky hobby penny skies Change y to an i and add es to nouns ending in a consonant and y. hobbies pennies

12. What about nouns that end in a vowel? Add an s to nouns ending in a vowel and o. radio - radios zoo - zoos Add an s to musical terms ending in o. solo - solos cello - cellos

13. Nouns ending in a consonant and o should be learned. If you’re not sure, check the dictionary.

14. Some nouns have special plural forms. For example ………….

15. Add s to many nouns ending in f, fe, or ff. roof - roofs cliff - cliffs But, some nouns drop the f or fe and add ves. calf – calves life - lives

16. PLURALS of the nouns ending in –f / -fe or ff. A chef came to sheriff as a plaintiff to his chief, because he had a belief that his chief opened his safe and stole four things: a handkerchief with a picture of giraffes on a roof, a fife which makes a whiff while on the reefs, a muff that he found once on a cliff and his favouritebriefs. Sheriff said that without proofs he couldn’t put cuffs on chef’s chief.

17. Some nouns have irregular plural forms!

18. PLURALS of the nouns from Latin and Greek

19. Some nouns have identical singular and plural forms. deer - deer scissors - scissors For compound words, the most important word is usually made plural. son-in-law / sons-in-law board of health/boards of health Add an ‘s to form the plural of letters or numbers used as a noun. A – A’s 100 – 100’s

20. …..QUIZ TIME….. Write the plural form of each of these nouns. • teacup 6. Department of Justice • goose 7. daughter-n-law • Iroquois 8. leaf • class 9. hobby • 5. auto 10. donkey

21. CHECK YOUR ANSWERS. • teacups 6. Departments of Justice • geese 7. daughters-in-law • Iroquois 8. leaves • classes 9. hobbies • 5. autos 10. donkeys

22. Guideline #6 Noun Quantifiers Words like, a few, a little, much, any, some, and many are used differently depending on whether the noun in the sentence is count or non-count. a few count nouns a fewbananas a little non-count nouns a littleflour

23. (Continued) Noun Quantifiers many count nouns many chairs much non-count nouns muchfurniture some non-count nouns some furniture count nouns somechairs

24. (Continued) Noun Quantifiers Any is used in negative sentences with count and non-count nouns. Notice the difference in plural and singular verbs. any count nouns There aren’t anychairs. any non-count nouns There isn’t any furniture.

25. This/That These/Those Guideline #7 Agreement with Demonstrative Adjectives Remember to make demonstrative adjectives (this, that, these, those) agree with the nouns they modify. singular plural these room these rooms this rooms this room

26. Click here to see a list of common “of phrases.” Guideline #8 Nouns and “of phrases” A countable noun is always plural after an “of phrase” that shows quantity. A non-count noun is always singular after an “of phrase.” plural Some of the chairs are broken. “of phrases” singular Some of the furniture is broken.