English Language Grammar Rules on Nouns

If you observe the previous question papers you can conclude that Grammar is tested through the following question types:

• Sentence Completion. (Fill in the blanks)
• Sentence Correction. (Spotting errors)
• Sentence Fillers.
• Sentence Improvement.

All the areas mentioned above deal with only one point that is accuracy in using English. If one knows a few Grammar rules, whatever be the question type, one can solve the questions easily. Those Grammar rules cover: Nouns, Pronouns, Verb and tense, Modifiers (Adjectives and Adverbs), Prepositions, Conjunctions, Articles, Concord (Subject and verb agreement), Parallelism...

Nouns: This 'Nouns' area has been tested on umpteen number of tests. 

• The below given nouns do not give plural meaning. 
• They do not become plurals even by changing their form. 
• They do not take plural verbs after them.
• They do not take plural pronouns.

Examples: Scenery, advice, information, machinery, stationery, furniture, rice, gram, repair, poetry, business, luggage, mischief, bread, land, hair, issue.

Nouns Exercises:

How do questions appear on these words:

e.g.: I have sold all my furnitures which have become waste.

Ans: I have sold all my furniture which has become waste.

I. A few Nouns which are always plural.

• These nouns do not get singular form.
• These do not take singular verb after them.
• These do not take singular pronoun.

Examples: Trousers, scissors, spectacles, ashes, goods, thanks, annals, tidings, shorts, alms, proceeds, remains, riches, tongs, pantaloons, credentials, premises. 

e.g.: Where is my trouser?

Ans: Where are my trousers?

II. A few Nouns look like singular but plural in their usage:

Examples: Cattle, gentry, vermin, peasantry, people, artillery, clergy, company, police, poultry, swine.

e.g.: The latest poultry is ready for sale.

Ans: The latest poultry are ready for sale.

III. A few Nouns looks like plural but singular in meanings:

Examples: Innings, athletics, economics, mathematics, summons, gallows, gymnastics, wages, news, physics, dynamics, civics, linguistics, tactics, politics, electronics.

e.g. Through the electronic media the news are travelling faster than ever before.

Ans: Through the electronic media the news is travelling faster than ever before.

IV. A few Nouns which function both as singu and plurals without changing their form (structure).

Examples: Sheep, Species, deer, aircraft, offspring, space craft, salmon, yoke.

e.g. sheeps live in flocks

Ans: sheep live in flocks

V. Some nouns which indicate a specific amount, length, weight, quantity, measure, or number etc... remain unchanged in form especially when they are preceded by a numeral. 

Examples: foot, metre, score, dozen, year, hundred, thousand, million, week, pair, month, KM, Kg etc ...

e.g. She gave me a cheque for five thousands rupees.

Ans: She gave me a cheque for five thousand rupees.

•  'One of' always takes a plural noun after it.
•  'One of + Plural noun' takes only singular verb.

e.g: This was one of the reason why the industry flourished.

Ans: This was one of the reasons why the industry flourished.

VII. 'The number of' is considered singular and 'A number of' is treated plural.

e.g: The number of orders still to be executed are growing up day by day.

Ans: The number of orders still to be executed is growing up day by day.

e.g: Today, I have got many works to do.

Ans: Today, I have got much work to do (or) 

Today I have got many tasks to do.

Note: 'WORK' is always in singular as a noun.

VIII. After such expressions as-One-half of, two-thirds of, a part of, a majority of, - we use singular verb it the noun is singular and a plural verb if the noun is plural.

e.g: Two-thirds of the mailing list have been typed.

Ans: Two-thirds of the mailings list has been typed.

e.g: Rupa and Prabha are my family members.

Ans: Rupa and Prabha are the members of my family.

Note: 'Member of Something' is the proper expression.

e.g: Uma is my cousin sister.

Ans: Uma is my cousin.

Note: Cousin is enough in the place of cousin brother or cousin sister.

e.g: He has four sister-in-laws.

Ans: He has four sisters-in-law

Note: The proper expressions as plurals are: Sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, commanders-inchief, men-servant, step mothers, arm chairs, advocates general, passers by, officers-incharge (i.e. only head words become plurals)

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