A noun is a group of word that is usually forms the name of a person, place, thing, quality, or ideas. Nouns can be singular or plural.
Noun can be grouped into many forms like, Proper noun (includes names), countable noun & Uncountable noun.
General Rules to make plural of a Noun:
- Latin words (…..us changes to ….i)
- Syllabus – Syllabi,
- Fungus – Fungi,
- Focus – Foci,
- Radius – Radii
- Locus – loci
- …..on changes to ….a
- Criterion – Criteria,
- Phenomenon – Phenomena
- …..um changes to ….a
- Datum – Data
- Bacterium – Bacteria
- Stratum – Strata
- …..is changes to ….es
- Axis – Axes
- Oasis – Oases
- Hypothesis – Hypotheses
In compound noun “s” is added to an important noun
- Maid Servant: Maid Servants
- Chief Minister: Chief Ministers
- Sister-in-law: Sisters-in-law
- Major general: Major Generals
Digits & letters are made plural by adding ’s to them.
Like, P’s, 9’s
For example:
- There are two P’s in puppet.
Abbreviation are made plural by adding small s to them
Like MLAs, BAs, CMs
For example:
- National security meet in the national capital was attended by all the CMs.
- Only BAs are eligible to apply for this post.
Some nouns have different meanings in singular and plural.
For example:
- Pain & Pains (Effort)
- Physic (Medicine) & Physics (Subject)
- Iron & Irons (Handcuff)
- Good & Goods (Commodity)
- Order & Orders (Official Instruction)
Use of Possessive Case
- If there are two nouns & both are non-living we use of instead of apostrophe.
For example:
- The fan of the room, The leg of the table
- If there are two nouns & both are living or one is living we use ‘s
For example:
- Ram’s Brother, Garima’s Beautiful Garden, Rakhi’s Diary
- Apostrophe is not used with possessive pronoun like his, hers, yours ours etc.
For example:
- Yours truly
- Yours faithfully
- If the last letter is s than we only use Apostrophe
For example:
- Boys’ Hostel
- Dickens’ Novel
- Girls’ School
- a) We use ‘s with noun words that shows time, weight, distance, amount, or personified noun.
For example:
- An hour’s distance
- A rupee’s worth
- A kilometer’s journey
- Nature’s Laws
- b) Some non-living noun also take ‘s to show respect.
For example:
- A court’s order
- At duty’s call
- c) With phrases
For example:
- at wit’s end
- at a stone’s throw
- If the last letter of a word make hissing sound (….ce, ….s)& the word sake is after it. We use only apostrophe
For example:
- Justice’ Sake
- Conscience’ Sake
- Goodness’ Sake
- Double Apostrophe is not used if it represents the same person.
For example:
- My Friend’s brother’s wife has expired. (Wrong)
- The wife of my friend’s brother has expired.
- When else is coming with word like somebody, nobody apostrophe s is used with else.
For example:
- I cannot rely on somebody else’s word.
- I obey your orders and nobody else’s.
Certain nouns are always used in singular in form & function.
Some Words:
- Progress
- Music
- Bread
- Homework
- Scenery
- Furniture
- Information
- Luggage
- Baggage
- land
- Vacation
- Luck
- Dirt
- Dust
- Electricity
- Damage etc
Usage of Nouns which are always used in singular in form & function
- The scenery of Kashmir is breathtaking.
- This furniture is no longer usable.
- We require five pieces of furniture for our new office.
- They left their luggage at the airport.
Certain Nouns are always plural in form & function.
Some Words:
- Alms
- Tongs
- Slippers
- Goggles
- Scissors
- Spears
- Binoculars
- Vegetables
- Eatables
- Outskirts etc
Usage of Nouns which are always used in plural in form & function
Alms given to the beggar are sometime misused.
Eatables are not allowed in the metro station.
Scissors are required for cutting the paper.
A pair of scissors is required at the office.
NOTE:
- Poem is Countable noun (So it can singular and plural) while Poetry is uncountable noun (so it is always used as singular).
- Cost/Marketing is used by dealer & price/Shopping is used by customer.
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