SINGULAR or PLURAL
=>Some nouns must be in the plural. For example : slacks / pants , jeans, shorts, pajamas, scissors ,glasses
You can use a pair of … with this words :
I need some new slacks.
I need a new pair of slacks.
=>Do not use the plural of person { persons },
instead we use people :
He is a nice person.
They are nice people. { not nice persons }
=> Nouns end in – s but they are not usually plural :
mathematics, physics, economics, athletics, news,
gymnastics, electronics,windows,statistics
Gymnastics is my favorite sport.
What time is the news on television?
=>Words end in – s can be singular or plural:
means , series, species
a means of transportation
Many means of transportation
a television series
two television series
a species of bird
200 species of bird
=> Use a plural verb with the police :
=>Sometimes we use a plural noun with a singular verb.We do this when we talk about a sum of money, a period of time, a distance, etc :
Five thousand dollars { it } was stolen in the robbery.
Three years { it } is a long time to be without a job.
We say ” a vacation of three weeks” = “a three – week
vacation”:
I have a three – week vacation in July.
Three – week is used as an adjective before vacation.
a ten- dollar bill { not dollars }
a four – week English course
a six – hour journey