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Uniwersyteckie Kolegium Kształcenia Nauczycieli Języka Angielskiego

DESCRIPTIVE GRAMMAR

NOUNS / PLURALITY AND NUMBER ISSUES , mgr Ewa Guz

INVARIABLE NOUNS - EITHER SINGULAR OR PLURAL, they never change
1. singular invariables IS!!! they have no plural they always take a singular verb	2. plural invariables ARE!!! they have no singular they always take a plural verb
A1. concrete uncountable nouns gold, furniture, milk, water etc. B1. abstract uncountable nouns music, homework, power, time etc. C1. some nouns ending in -s news diseases: measles, mumps, rabies, rickets, shingles subject names in -ics: classics, linguistics, mathematics some games: billiards, bowls, darts, dominoes, draughts, checkers some proper nouns: Athens, Brussels, Flanders, Naples, Wales, the United Nations, the United States E1. abstract adjectival heads the beautiful [what is beautiful], the true [what is true]	A2. summation plurals [consisting of 2 equal joined parts things] binoculars, pliers, scissors, pants, pyjamas, shorts, suspenders, tights, trousers, boxers, underpants tweezers, glasses, spectacles, knickers etc. B2. other `only plurals' in -s The Middles Ages, arms [`weapons'], ashes, the authorities, banns [of marriage], belongings, brains [intellect], clothes, congratulations, contents, customs [customs duty], damages, earnings, fireworks, goods, heads [heads or tails?], holidays, looks, manners, outskirts, premises, headquarters, regards, remains, savings, stairs, surroundings, thanks, troops, valuables, wages C2. some plural proper nouns The Netherlands D2. unmarked plural nouns [you can't see the plural, though it's there] cattle, clergy, folk, gentry, people, vermin E2.personal adjectival heads the rich [the people who are rich]

VARIABLE NOUNS - MAY be both singular and plural

3. regular plurals

A3. regular spellings boy-boys B3. irregular spellings -ys: with proper nouns: the Kennedys, the Germanys - oes only: 1 embargo - 2 embargoes, 1 hero - 2 heroes, 1 echo - 2 echoes, 1 potato - 2 potatoes, 1 tomato - 2 tomatoes, 1 torpedo - 2 torpedoes, 1 veto - 2 vetoes -os only: kimono - 2 kimonos, 1 kilo - 2 kilos, 1 UFO - 2 UFOs -`s: letter names - `dot your i's', numerals: the 1980's or 1980s, abbreviations: two MP's or MPs

4. irregular plurals

A4. voicing -ves -f - -ves: 1calf - 2 calves 1 elf - 2 elves 1 half - 2 halves 1 knife - 2 knives 1 leaf - 2 leaves 1 life - 2 lives 1 loaf - 2 loaves 1 self - 2 selves 1 shelf - 2 shelves 1 thief - 2 thieves 1 wife - 2 wives 1 wolf - 2 wolves BUT !!!! 1 belief - 2 beliefs 1 chief - 2 chiefs 1 cliff - 2 cliffs 1 proof 2 proofs 1 roof - 2 roofs 1 safe - 2 safes B4. middle vowel 1 foot - 2 feet, 1 tooth - 2 teeth, 1 goose - 2 geese, 1 man - 2 men, 1 louse - 2 lice, 1 mouse - 2 mice, 1 woman - 2 women C4. -en plural 1 ox - 2 oxen, 1 child - 2 children D4. zero plural (no ending) animal names 1 sheep - 2 sheep 1 salmon - 2 salmon quantitative names: 1 hundred - 2 hundred (also thousand, million, dozen, stone) + 1 aircraft - 2 aircraft 1 offspring - 2 offspring !!! E4. nouns that have -s both in sg and pl: 1 series - 2 series 1 crossroads - 2 crossroads 1 means (of transport) - 2 means

F4. foreign -us → -i: 1 stimulus - 2 stimuli -a→-ae: 1 alga - 2 algae 1 larva -2 larvae -um→-a: 1 curriculum- 2 curricula 1 bacterium - 2 bacteria 1 stratum- 2 strata -ex→-ices: codex - codices WATCH OUT!!! appendix - appendixes (wyrostki robaczkowe) appendix - appendices (appendiksy na końcu książki) -is→-es: 1 analysis - 2 analyses 1 basis - 2 bases 1 crisis - 2 crises 1 diadnosis - 2 diagnoses 1 ellipsis - 2 ellipses 1 hypothesis - 2 hypotheses 1 oasis - 2 oases 1 thesis - 2 theses -on→-a: 1 criterion - 2 criteria 1 phenomenon - 2 phenomena French nouns in -s and -x are the same in sg and pl [in pl -s is pronounced]: 1 faux pas - 2 faux pas 1 corps - 2 corps

Task 1

Provide plural forms of the following nouns.

crisis		salmon		the Bundy
clergy		appendix [wyrostek]		hypothesis
offspring		museum		diploma
volcano		faux pas		virus
handkerchief		advice		calf
PC		kimono		bonus

Task 2

Choose the right form of the verb.

1. Children should be made aware that manners matters / matter.

2. Where is / are my clothes? There was / were money in it / them.

3. The UN have / has called on the warring nations to find a peaceful solution.

4. The town's outskirts seems / seem a pretty good place for learning to drive.

5. Over 120 species of birds have / has been recorded in this National Park.

6. The analyses of your results show / shows that you are not good enough to join the team.

7. The bald from my work feel / feels ostracized and they / it have / has founded an association to fight discrimination as they claim your brains is / are more important than your looks.

8. I'm so happy that the house isn't infested by any kind of vermin - I'm revolted by the very thought of it / them.

9. Mosquito larvae are / is hatching in the pond.

10. Look at her hair. It is / They are horrific!!!!

Task 4

Correct mistakes in the following sentences.

1. We hope that the books will provide a stimuli for discussion.

2. Some passer-bys noticed her enter the building.

3. I had a flu a couple of weeks ago.

4. The entire contents of the house was put up for auction.

5. The bacterias that cause strep throat can be really nasty.

6. Get to the next crossroad and turn left.

7. Politics are really boring.

8. The butterflie's antennas were damaged for sure.

9. I have seen a couple of salmons down the stream.

10. Dominoes are a really wonderful pastime for kids his age.

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