1. Some nouns always take a singular verb.
Example - Scenery, advice, information, machinery, stationery, furniture, abuse, fuel, rice, gram, issue, bedding, repair, news, mischief, poetry, business, economics, physics, mathematics, classic, ethics, athletics, innings, gallows.
Uses -
i) Scenery - The scenery of Kashmir are enchanting. (Incorrect)
The scenery of Kashmir is enchanting. (Correct)
ii) Advice - He has given advices. (Incorrect)
He has given advice. (Correct)
iii) Innings - The Indian team defeated the English by innings. (Incorrect)
The Indian team defeated the English by an innings. (Correct)
2. Some nouns are singular in form, but they are used as plural nouns and always take a plural verb.
Example - Cattle, gentry, vermin, peasantry, artillery, people, clergy, company, police.
Uses -
i) Cattle - The cattle is grazing in the ground. (Incorrect)
The cattle are grazing in the ground. (Correct)
ii) Clergy - The clergy is in the church. (Incorrect)
The clergy are in the church. (Correct)
3. Some nouns are always used in a plural form and always take a plural verb.
Example - Trousers, scissors, spectacles, stockings, shorts, measles, goods, alms, premises, thanks, tidings, annals, chattels, etc.
Uses -
i) Trousers - Where is my trousers? (Incorrect)
Where are my trousers? (Correct)
ii) Spectacles - Spectacles is now a costly item. (Incorrect)
Spectacles are now a costly item. (Correct)
4. There are some nouns that indicate length, measure, money, weight or number. When they are preceded by a numeral, they remain unchanged in form.
Example - Foot, meter, pair, score, dozen, head, year, hundred, thousand, million.
Uses -
i) Year - It is a three – years degree course. (Incorrect)
It is a three – year degree course. (Correct)
ii) Dozen - I have ten dozens of shoes. (Incorrect)
I have ten dozen of shoes. (Correct)
5. Collective nouns such a jury, public, team, committee, government, audience, orchestra, company, etc. are used both as singular; otherwise the verb will be plural.
Uses -
i) Jury - The jury was divided in this case. (Incorrect)
The jury were divided in this case. (Correct)
ii) Team - The team have not come as yet. (Incorrect)
The team has not come as yet. (Correct)
6. Some nouns have one meaning in the singular and another in the plural:
Example -
i) Advice = counsel, advices = information
ii) Air = atmosphere, airs = proud
iii) Authority = command, authorities = persons in power
iv) Good = wise, goods = property
v) Iron = metal, irons = fetters, chains
vi) Force = strength, forces = army
vii) Content = satisfaction, contents = things contained
viii) Physic = medicine, physics = physical sciences
ix) Respect = regards, respects = compliments
x) Work = job, works = compositions, factories
xi) Earning = income, earnings = sowings
xii) Quarter = one – fourth, quarters = houses
Uses -
i) Air - Air is necessary for human life.
It is bad to put on airs.
ii) Quarter - I have eaten one quarter of the cake.
I live in the government quarters.
7. People are often confused or they commit mistake in the use of certain nouns.
Example -
i) Lecturership is wrong: lectureship is correct.
ii) There are twenty candidates for lecturership. (Incorrect)
There are twenty candidate for lectureship. (Correct)
iii) Freeship is wrong; free – studentship is correct
iv) Ramesh has applied for freeship. (Incorrect)
Ramesh has applied for free – studentship. (Correct)
v) Boarding is wrong; boarding house is correct.
vi) Mohan lives in a boarding. (Incorrect)
Mohan lives in a boarding house. (Correct)
8. A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in person, number and gender.
Example -
i) Every man must bring his luggage.
ii) All students must do their home work.
iii) Each of the girls must carry her own bag.
iv) Each students must bring their books.
v) Each student must bring his books.
9. White using ‘everybody’ ‘everyone’, ‘anybody’, and ‘each’ the pronoun of the masculine or the feminine gender is used according to the content.
Example-
i) I shall be happy to help each of the boys in this practice.
But when the sex is not mentioned, we use the pronoun of the masculine gender.
ii) Anyone can do this job if he tries.
iii) Each of the six boys in the class has finished their tasks. (Incorrect)
Each of the six boys in the class has finished his task. (Correct)
10. The pronoun ‘one’ must be followed by ‘one’s’.
Example -
i) One must finish his task in time. (Incorrect)
ii) One must finish one’s task in time. (Correct)
11. Enjoy, apply, resign, acquit, drive, exert, avail, pride, absent, etc., when used as transitive verbs, always take a reflexive pronoun after them. When ‘self’ is added to ‘my’, ‘your’, ‘him’, ‘her’, and ‘it’, and ‘selves’ to our and them – they are known as reflexive pronouns.
Example -
He absented from the class. (Incorrect)
He absented himself form the class. (Correct)
12. ‘Who’ denotes the subject and ‘whom’ is used for the object?
Example -
i) Whom do you think won the award? (Incorrect)
Who do you think won the award? (Correct)
ii) Who area you talking to? (Incorrect)
Whom are your talking to? (Correct)
13. When two or more singular nouns are joined together by ‘either or’; ‘neither nor’, ; and ‘or’, the pronoun is singular.
Example -
Either Ram or Shyam will give their book. (Incorrect)
Either Ram or Shyam will give his book. (Correct)
14. The titles of books or magazines are considered singular and take singular verbs.
Example -
i) The Hindustan Times still has wide circulation.
ii) 'You can Win' is a best seller.
Next Part Of Grammar Rules Will Be Posted Soon.
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