Nouns

Sakshi Education

THE FAMILY OF THE NOUNS:
Noun is the name of a person, place or a thing. For example - Rama, Sita, Delhi, Pen, Table, Bus etc. The following chart will make you familiar with the family of the Nouns.

Nature of the Noun & Some examples

Proper Noun: It denotes one particular person, place or thing.
Ex: Chandu, Calcutta, India, the Ganga, etc.

Common Noun: Common Noun is the name given in common to

Table, glass, town, king, etc. Every person or thing of the same class or kind.

Collective Noun: It denotes a group or collection of similar.
Ex: Army, Class, host, jury etc. individuals considered as one complete whole.

Material Noun It denotes matter or substance of which a thing.
Ex: Milk, iron, silver, gold, (is made up of material).

Abstract Noun: It expresses quality, state or action.
Ex: Truth, love, soul, mind, greatness, life, etc.

BEHAVIOUR OF THE NOUN
Rule 1: This group includes those nouns which are always used in the plural.
Example:
1. Premises
2. Spectacles
3. Bowels
4. Valuables
5. Billiards
6. Trousers
7. Socks.. etc.

Examples:
(a) Riches have wings,
(b) Kindly give me a pair of scissors;
(c) My spectacles have been broken.

Rule II: This group includes those nouns that look like plural, but are used in the singular.
Example:
1. Mathematics
2. Statistics
3. Economics
4. Politics
5. Gymnastics
6. Physics

Examples:
(a) Mathematics are a difficult subject. (Incorrect)
Mathematics is a difficult subject. (Correct)
Note: Mathematics looks like plural but, in fact, it is singular. So, we cannot use plural verb with it.
(b) Politics are a game of compromise. (Incorrect)
Politics is a game of compromise. (Correct)
(c) These news were broadcast from All India Radio only yesterday. (Incorrect)
This news was broadcast from All India Radio only yesterday. (Correct)

Rule III: This group is a family of collective nouns. These nouns are singular in form but are used as plural.
Example:
1. Gentry
2. People
3. Police
4. Cattle
5. Poultry

Examples:
(a) The police is looking into the matter. (Incorrect)
The police are looking into the matter. (Correct)
(b) The cattle is grazing in the field. (Incorrect)
The cattle are grazing in the field. (Correct)
(c) Peoples should be loyal to their nation. (Incorrect)
People should be loyal to their nation. (Correct)

Rule IV: This group is a family of those nouns which are generally used in the singular.
Example:
1. Poetry
2. Advice
3. Information
4. Hair
5. Scenery

Example:
(a) I do not like poetries of Keats. (Incorrect)
I do not like poetry of Keats. (Correct)
(b) The old furniture were disposed of. (Incorrect)
The old furniture was disposed of. (Correct)
(c) The sceneries of the Himalayas are excellent. (Incorrect)
The scenery of the Himalayas is excellent. (Correct)

Rule V: Some nouns have the same form in singular and plural.
Example:
1. Sheep
2. Fish
3. Cod
4. Swine
5. Deer

Examples:v (a) I saw ten deers yesterday (incorrect)
I saw ten deer yesterday (correct)
(b) The fishes cannot live without water. (Incorrect)
The fish cannot live without water. (Correct)

Rule VI: Some nouns when preceded by a numeral remain unchanged in form.
Example:
1. Hundred
2. Thousand
3. Lac
4. Crore
5. Million

Examples:
(a) I need 3 crores for my needs (incorrect)
I need 3 crore for my needs (correct)
(b) Six hundreds miles is a long distance. (Incorrect)
Six hundred miles is a long distance. (Correct)

NOUNS AND THEIR NUMBERS:
Making Plural Number:

By adding‘s’ to the singular noun;

Singular	Plural
Pen	Pens
Cow	Cows
Dog	Dogs

By adding 'es' at the end of a singular noun if it ends in s, sh, x, ch, z etc:

Singular	Plural
Touch	Touches
Gas	Gases
Box	Boxes
Match	Matches
Church	Churches
Brush	Brushes

By adding 's' to a singular noun if it ends in y and if there is a vowel before the 'y'

Singular	Plural
Holiday	Holidays
Journey	Journeys
Guy	Guys
Key	Keys
Boy	Boys

Those singular nouns that end in'f or 'fe' form their plural by changing the F into V and adding 'es' to those that end in F and 's' to those that end in 'fe'.

Singular	Plural
Half	Halves
Leaf	Leaves
Thief	Thieves
Shelf	Shelves
Knife	Knives
Life	Lives
Wife	Wives
Self	Selves

However there are certain exceptions to the above rule. For instance, a few ending in 'f or 'fe' get their plurals by adding 's'.

Singular	Plural
Safe	Safes
Strife	Strifes

Nouns ending in 'ief, 'oof, 'eef and 'rf get the plural by simply adding 's' to the singular:

Singular	Plural
Chief	Chiefs
Grief	Griefs
Puff	Puffs
Stuff	Stuffs
Proof	Proofs
Roof	Roofs
Surf	Surfs

There are still other singular nouns ending in F which form their plural by following both the above methods and both the plurals thus obtained are correct.

Singular	Plural
Hoof	Hoofs or Hooves
Staff	Staffs or Staves
Scarf	Scarfs or Scarves

Those singular nouns which end in 'o' and have a consonant before that 'o' form their plural by adding 'es' to the singular:

Singular	Plural
Mango	Mangoes
Buffalo	Buffaloes
Hero	Heroes
Mosquito	Mosquitoes
Negro	Negroes
Potato	Potatoes
Volcano	Volcanoes

However there are some singular nouns of the above description that do not follow the above rule. Instead they get their plural by simply adding's':

Singular	Plural
Dynamo	Dynamos
Halo	Halos
Photo	Photos
Piano	Pianos

Such singular nouns which end in ‘o' and have a vowel before that ‘o' form their plural by adding 's’:

Singular	Plural
Studio	Studios
Cameo	Cameos
Cuckoo	Cuckoos
Radio	Radios

Some nouns form their plurals by changing the vowel sound of the singular.

Singular	Plural
Foot	Feet
Goose	Geese
Louse	Lice
Man	Men
Mouse	Mice
Tooth	Teeth
Woman	Women

There are some nouns which are a combination of two or more words. These are known as compound nouns.
Such nouns get their plural by adding's' to the main or the principal word.
(a) in some cases it is the first word that forms the plural:

Singular	Plural
Daughter-in-law	Daughters-in-law
Commander-in -chief	Commanders-in-chief
Sister-in-law	Sisters-in-law
Looker-on	Lookers-on
Brother-in-law	Brothers-in-law

Examples where the second word forms the plural

Singular	Plural
Book-case	Book-cases
Class-fellow	Class-fellows
Race-horse	Race-horses
Step-son	Step-sons
Grand-father	Grand-fathers
Maid-servant	Maid-servants

Examples where both the words make plural:

Singular	Plural
Man-servant	Men-servants
Woman-servant	Women-servants
Lord-justice	Lords-justices

Assignment – 1

His friend (a) / has been (b) / suffering from (c) / measle for three days (d)/ No Error (e)
You (a)/ are (b)/ good (c)/ at mathematic. (d)/ No error (e)
All the Army Chief (a) / are (b) / present (c) / on the Republic Day Parade, (d)/ No Error (e)
There are (a)/ many (b)/ mouses in (c)/ your house (d)/ No Error (e)
Some thiefs (a)/ entered (b)/his house (c)/ yesterday, (d)/ No Error (e)

Answers:
1. (d) (measles)
2. (d) (Mathematics)
3. (a) (Chiefs)
4. (c) (Mice)
5. (a) (thieves)

Prepared by,

IACE, Hyderabad.

Published date : 10 Jun 2015 01:01PM